A Kurdish protester sits behind a sign reading " STOP ISIS terror" in front of the United Nations headquarters in Vienna October 9, 2014. A group of Kurdish people living in Austria are on hunger strike since Monday in solidarity for Syrian Kurd
A Kurdish protester sits behind a sign reading " STOP ISIS terror" in front of the United Nations headquarters in Vienna October 9, 2014. A group of Kurdish people living in Austria are on hunger strike since Monday in solidarity for Syrian Kurds who are fighting to defend the Syrian-Turkey border town of Kobane from Islamic State militants. Reuters/Leonhard Foeger

Outraged by the slaughter of Ethiopian Christians by Islamic State militants, Franklin Graham, son of famed evangelical preacher Billy Graham, urged the United States to "halt all immigration of Muslims" from countries harbouring active terrorist cells.

Graham, who heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, also called up the government to take "immediate military action" to crush ISIS. "We should make sure our government and the current administration recognises Islam for the danger it is, and that they are doing all they can to work against it," Graham wrote in a Facebook post. In the message, Graham said, immigration of Muslims from countries having terrorist cells poses huge threat to the nation and could end up costing thousands of lives in the future “if we don’t act now.”

Powerful Tweet

Graham also put out a powerful tweet that conveyed the anger and pain in a few short words: “Our govt needs to halt all immigration of Muslims from countries that have active terrorist cells & take military action to defeat ISIS.” Graham noted that the influence of radical Islam is spreading, not diminishing, and urged his supporters to write lawmakers in Congress to express concern and outrage and ask them to take action.

On Sunday, the ISIS had released a video showing the brutal execution of 30 Ethiopian Christians in Libya. Among them, 15 were beheaded and 15 were shot. For Graham, it seems enough is enough. “Each day's news seems to reveal new horrors from militant Islam. Can it be that the world is no longer as shocked by Christians having their heads cut off and then ISIS proudly promoting this on video?" asked Graham.

Orange Solidarity

Meanwhile, Graham's Call to action is coinciding with another campaign in which American Christians are to wear the color orange either on a ribbon or on their clothing to focus on the persecution of Christians. Rev. Frank Karwacki at Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church hoped the gesture would draw attention to the plight of persecuted Christians. He said church has long prayed for persecuted Christians but spurred into the new mode of action after being apalled by the executions by ISIS in the Middle East. His efforts are also being backed by Catholic writer Rey Flores, who declared "Orange" is the new colour of martyrdom. Flores is also part of the #orangejumpsuit project run by Rev. Patrick Mahoney, who leads the Church on the Hill in Washington, D.C and uses social media to encourage people to wear orange to raise awareness about Christian persecution.

(For feedback/comments, contact the writer at k.kumar@ibtimes.com.au)

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