You’ve no doubt heard by now that Terry Jones finally made good on his threat to burn the Koran. You’ve probably also heard how reaction in Afghanistan to Jones’ stunt led to the deaths of at least seven people and perhaps many more. Apparently two people were beheaded.
Is it just me, or does anyone else think this should be an eye-opener for the world and it’s largely being missed again? The real story isn’t that some idiot in Florida burned the Koran and Muslims are angry. It is, rather, that in spite of the outrage and mayhem that is committed daily in the name of Islam around the world, Islam routinely is given a pass. Yet when one act involving the destruction of an alleged holy book (which is, after all, a bundle of paper) takes place, more mayhem breaks out…and people die.
I realize that it was a calculated act intended to insult Muslims. So what? My faith (Christianity) is trashed daily in my own culture. If somebody burned a truckload of Bibles today I don’t know that it would make the evening news, and if it did Christians wouldn’t even consider an act of violence against those involved.
The point here is simply that the reaction we’ve seen to the Koran burning should tell us something of the religion we’re dealing with here as well as its adherents. And, once again, I’m not sure we’re getting the message.
47 comments
These men profess to be Christians, but they are not true believers. They are extremists who are using the name of Christianity to insult Islam and gain attention to themselves. We must, as Christians, condemn acts such as these. God has the final authority and will judge them.
Those who are “routinely… given a pass” are the likes of Jones who constantly provoque Muslims and others by commiting disgrassful acts un.der the banner of “freedom of speech.” If you want respect you should show respect
Brian Myers, who are you fooling? If your a christian as you claim then how can you not feel insulted if somebody ”burned a truckload of bibles’.
Why would this so called pastor go out of his way to insult another religion? I understand as a Christian he doesn’t agree with Islam but does not mean he should burn their books and stage a demo outside a Mosque.
How can anybody take this person seriously? He is just craving media attention and if he didn’t get it then nobody would listen to him. I blame the media.
Absolutely right. If a rogue group of Muslims burned a pile of Bibles, you can be certain that the religious rights would go bonkers, complete with protests, violence, etc.
You couldn’t be more wrong, Walt. Google “bible burning”. It happens all the time. I’m nonreligious, but I’m not deluded enough to think Islam and Christianity are equally moderate and tolerant.
These radical muslims are nuts.
You couldn’t be more wrong, Walt. Google “bible burning”. It happens all the time. I’m nonreligious, but I’m not deluded enough to think Islam and Christianity are equally moderate and tolerant.
You couldn’t be more wrong, Walt. Google “bible burning”. It happens all the time. I’m nonreligious, but I’m not deluded enough to think Islam and Christianity are equally moderate and tolerant.
C’mon. let’s do it….Burning Bibles now….Oh my, someone’s killing a Muslim……Whatever, Dude…
most Christians would laugh there proverbial asses off if you burned a stadium full of Bibles after pissing on them. It is just a batch of paper and ink, easily reprinted. My biggest question would be who paid for enough Bibles to fill a stadium and why didn’t they do something fun with their money…like burn a stadium full of Korans. 😀
Of course I would be insulted. I just wouldn’t kill anybody. That’s one of the points that I was making.
Test my assertion and burn some bibles. Trust me, no one would blow himself or anyone else up. No one would be shot, and no one would be beheaded…
muslims get over it say hello into this new age that we live in, i know the beginning of your religion started with so much violence started by mooohamed, but man stop trying to be like him and realize the age that we live in sheeesh
muslims get over it say hello into this new age that we live in, i know the beginning of your religion started with so much violence started by mooohamed, but man stop trying to be like him and realize the age that we live in sheeesh
muslims get over it say hello into this new age that we live in, i know the beginning of your religion started with so much violence started by mooohamed, but man stop trying to be like him and realize the age that we live in sheeesh
The personal relationship with God has been hijacked by all the “middlemen” who want you to buy through them. Christians, Muslims, Jews (all the same God, different prophets or should I say “profits”), etc. All want you to think the way they think. They stand in the way of the path to Godliness through individual prayer. We should burn all the religious books. Is it true that you cannot receive the grace of God without going to Sunday service or attended Temple or prayer to the east 5 times a day? That’s BS.
If you believe in an all mighty God, it should be intuitive that you can establish a personal relationship and be guided through opening your heart to God.
ABSOLUTELY Pf…..And tolerance will naturally follow with a healthy religious mindset…..Who exactly is going berzerk here, killing people for something they ‘heard’ was done to the Koran…? In their stone-age country, they can do as they please, and I say starve on ignorance……In MY country though, we have little thing called freedom of speech, and I don’t care who burns what, they have that right, as I have the right to disagree with their beliefs…….This PC crap has got to stop….Toughen up, Achmed, or go kill little girls in your country……
ABSOLUTELY Pf…..And tolerance will naturally follow with a healthy religious mindset…..Who exactly is going berzerk here, killing people for something they ‘heard’ was done to the Koran…? In their stone-age country, they can do as they please, and I say starve on ignorance……In MY country though, we have little thing called freedom of speech, and I don’t care who burns what, they have that right, as I have the right to disagree with their beliefs…….This PC crap has got to stop….Toughen up, Achmed, or go kill little girls in your country……
Actually, I think the situation is proof against the conclusion you are trying to lead readers to.
Consider there are well over 1 Billion Muslims, and only this small group of under 100 people reacted violently.
Also consider that those who did act violently appear to be members of the Taliban an insurgents who took this as an opportunity to strike out against the occupiers of their country. If that is the case, foreign occupation is likely the real motivation of the acts, not the Quran burning.
So the real story is that despite provocation by the American pastor burning their holy book, the vast majority (so vast a majority you could almost say ALL) of Muslims did not react in a violent way, as you are trying to indicate.
This situation actually provides evidence against the common narrative that Muslims are inherently violent.
Dustin, I agree that Brian is over-generalizing about Muslim tendencies to violence. But you seem to have forgotten the images from around the world of Muslims dancing in the streets and rejoicing over the bombing of the World Trade Centers. Seeing young children dancing with jubilant mobs in multiple nations around the globe over the deaths of innocent people is an image i can never forget – i was shocked, stunned, sickened. Thankfully I personally know one Muslim who converted to Christianity after 9-11 precisely because of Muslim’s sadistic rejoicing at 9-11 events – maybe there were more… You have also forgotten the murder of theodore van gogh (sp?) and the recent death threats for mild cartoons/satire about Islam depicting cartoonist’s conceptions of Mohammed. The mutilation and enslavement of Muslim women. The frequent bombings of minority Shia Mosques in Pakistan by Sunni Muslims. And these are just a few of the many RECENT incidents I could point to. If you want to forgive followers of Islam, fine. Forgiveness is good – I’m for it. That does not solve the problem. And you have failed to ask a very legit question. If these incidences of violence are not representative of Islam, where is the outcry against them from the “peace-loving majority”? From the political leaders of the Muslim world, from the religious leaders of the Muslims world, from Muslim media and journalists and from the common followers of Islam? The silence is deafening – disturbing. At least (some) Christians openly criticize Jones (and his ilk) as a wacko.
Dustin, I am at a loss to construct a scenario in which you could be more wrong.
I would point out, first, that I am no Terry Jones apologist. Clearly this was a boneheaded and provocative act. That should be clear enough in my post. Second, I hear the “Islam’s radical small minority” argument frequently. It simply doesn’t carry much water as far as I’m concerned, for reasons which silkroadguy has already largely addressed. Islam is and always has been a false religion that is un-apologetically violent. Do not let your disdain for American internationalism (which I think you and I would agree upon, by the way) affect your view of this incident.
Note I did not say ALL Muslims did this or anything else…The number of them that participate in violence is irrelevant to my point. I didn’t say that all Muslims are inherently violent. But their religion is. Senseless violence takes place routinely in the name of Islam. I suspect the majority of Muslims are sympathetic with much of what takes place. If they weren’t, they would do something–anything–to put a stop to it. And boneheaded or not, this provocation by Jones shouldn’t be used as another excuse for more outrageous bloodshed. It’s simply indefensible.
I have read enough about you Brian. I wanted to convert to Christianity but apparently it seems that Christians are causing most of the catastrophes around the world. It applies to me now that Christians are more fundamental than any other religion, good example, the so called “pastor” Terry Jones, who is nothing but an idiotic extremist.
None of the religious groups have ever burnt any holy book besides Christians. I would like to know why, just why did Terry Jones burn the Koran, for what reason? If you say that the Muslims burnt the Bible then I would understand but they haven’t. Muslims have the utmost respect for all the other religions and in fact, without believing in Jesus (peace be upon him) they will not be considered Muslims.
No “Normal” human being would burn another religion’s holy book without a good reason. I know which religion to choose now, Islam, which means Peace and harmony. According to authentic biblical quotes from Psalm 34:14 -“Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”
P.S. God will punish Terry Jones in the hereafter, if no one does in this world.
“None of the religious groups have ever burnt any holy book” is such obvious rubbish that it is a waste of my time to point it out.
If it is a waste of time then why bother pointing it out? By saying that this is rubbish, you are proving and revealing your ignorance, your small mind and lack of understanding.
You are ignorant rubbish.
Think before you say something, Mr. ArrowSmith!
If you really think Terry Jones did the right thing, then you definitely need to go and
see a psychologist.
Sherri:
Wow! I don’t really know where to begin.
First, I’ll repeat that I’m NOT defending the stupid act of Terry Jones. I thought I’d said that enough. What I want to know is why we are focusing on him rather than the killers who savagely murdered a bunch of innocent people.
Second, are you really maintaining that Christians are causing all kinds of trouble around the world and Islam is a religion that seeks peace and harmony? I’m at a loss to know how you could possibly think such a thing. That’s one of the main points that I was attempting to make: When Muslims are offended (for whatever reason), people die. That case simply cannot be made about Christians.
Third, PLEASE reconsider your intention to convert to Islam. It will cause you no end of trouble both in this world and the next. Come to the Lord Jesus Christ!! He’ll save sinners that seek him!
Brian
Sherri:
Wow! I don’t really know where to begin.
First, I’ll repeat that I’m NOT defending the stupid act of Terry Jones. I thought I’d said that enough. What I want to know is why we are focusing on him rather than the killers who savagely murdered a bunch of innocent people.
Second, are you really maintaining that Christians are causing all kinds of trouble around the world and Islam is a religion that seeks peace and harmony? I’m at a loss to know how you could possibly think such a thing. That’s one of the main points that I was attempting to make: When Muslims are offended (for whatever reason), people die. That case simply cannot be made about Christians.
Third, PLEASE reconsider your intention to convert to Islam. It will cause you no end of trouble both in this world and the next. Come to the Lord Jesus Christ!! He’ll save sinners that seek him!
Brian
Thanks for the advise Brian but I truly believe that the path of Islam will lead me to heaven. I have done enough comparative research on both Christianity and Islam, and I will officially state that Islam is the righteous religion and you should consider it, Brian.
Who exactly are you referring to as “the killers”? If it is the people of Afghanistan, then I will say that their faith is really strong and therefore couldn’t stand the insult to their holy book. Let me tell you something Brian, maybe just one Koran is burnt but that doesn’t erase the religion from the hearts of the Muslims.
Anyway, I strongly accept Islam as the truth. Whatever Terry Jones did, will be dealt with by his Creator, the Lord of the Universe.
Right on, Brian…..The media just loves this crap, painting these stone-age zealots as ‘students’ fighting the imperialist Christian invaders to save their ‘culture’ of dirt & rocks……They can do what they please, slapping their own face and killing the ‘infidel’ for ‘insulting Islam’……Not stopping anyone from, oooops, just kicked a Koran into the fireplace….Darn, was gonna read that later….Gotta ‘nother one around here, somewhere and, oooops, that one’s on fire, too…..Now, where exactly did i put that Bible…? Shucks, it fell in their right next Mohammed’s little manual for cultural dominance……That’s known as FREEDOM OF SPEECH, and anyone can burn anything on US soil…….C’mon, get angrier, Achmed…..It’s pretty cold here in Montana, and I gotta stack of Book of Mormon….Oooops, now the polygamists are gonna riot……CNN where are you….?
not sure i agree with you, but you gave me a good laugh anyway 🙂
not sure i agree with you, but you gave me a good laugh anyway 🙂
QURAN is the most sacred book on the face of the earth, and is truly a WORD from ALLAH.
Any True muslim will like to beheaded in place of just insulting to the Book of ALLAH. This insane jealous Pastor have done such a heinous crime that if he will be seen by me, I will try my best to chop off his Head.
I do not know what the hell is ARAB WORLD and Muslim Leaders around the wold doing, I feel they are licking the Americans….
Grow up every Muslim, ,,the time have come to reply in Muslim Language…
QURAN is the most sacred book on the face of the earth, and is truly a WORD from ALLAH.
Any True muslim will like to beheaded in place of just insulting to the Book of ALLAH. This insane jealous Pastor have done such a heinous crime that if he will be seen by me, I will try my best to chop off his Head.
I do not know what the hell is ARAB WORLD and Muslim Leaders around the wold doing, I feel they are licking the Americans….
Grow up every Muslim, ,,the time have come to reply in Muslim Language…
Christians around the world are being murdered every day simply because of their faith. The media hardly mentions it.. but burn a Muslim book and it gets world attention as an atocious act deserving of more murder! God help us!
I thought being a pastor means to permute tolerance and peace rather than anger and violence. The acts of killing people is completely unacceptable, incomprehensible nor tolerable . This is equal to anti Semitic acts. Faith should connect people rather than alienate them and couse conflicts. Burning the Quran is as unacceptable as burning the Bible or the Talmud or drawing a swastika on a temple.
I am troubled by a number of things here, but I am troubled most by this:
It appears that the Muslims did what their faith commands them to do.
Did Terry Jones do what his faith commands him to do?
(If he did, then apparently I am not a Christian.) (I have already determined that if Fred Phelps does what his religion commands him to to tghat I am not a Baptist.)
I wonder what I am.
LOL WUT? Correctness of law is now going to be based on who is following their religion more closely? You must not have heard of the 1st Amendment. We are not a theocracy. No religion gets special protections from “insult”.
Great points, I really don’t see the book burning story being covered or discussed as intently as it was before it actually happened. Now that it has, there are no images, and at best you have people condemning a peaceful constitutionally protected protest of Islam (via book burning) versus looking past the evil and hatred coming from the Islamic protests. Their response to the book burning clearly shows this is a battle of good versus evil.
Freedom of speech is universal. PERIOD.
Freedom of speech is universal. PERIOD.
Let me explain how to prevent Islamic terrorism from spreading. But first, let me explain why Islam grew as a religion: Mohammed bribed the men, not with money, but with sexual liberty and impugnity, so that men can have many wives, and Islamic law is such that women are horribly oppressed so that men can continue their sexual indulgement not only in this lifetime, but also in the next. Because of this alluring doctrine, men conveniently joined Islam and many would die for it. And they succeeded in silencing women so that they are powerless against their tyranny.
Now, you cannot stop Islam thru military conquest. The crusades tried, but failed. Military battle won’t do any good. You Christian soldiers cannot defeat Muslims. Only Muslims can defeat Muslims. So preach to Muslim women. Only Muslim women can defeat Muslim men. Considering that Muslim women are the victims of Islamic religion, let the BATTLE OF THE SEXES (among Muslims) BEGIN. Now you misguided Christians and Jews, be kind to Muslim women, they are the ones who can save you from global jihad.
I am thinking that this actually falls under Federal Law now as a ‘Hate Crime;’ This is not what Jesus presented to us on the Sermon on the Mount. Between this travesty of a pastor – embarrassed to even acknowledge that – and the rude Westboro Baptists, I pray – a lot. It is hard enough getting the wonderful message of Christ’s Good News out there without these guys mucking it up, as the devil throughs stones in our path, Shameful. Now I know another reason for the shortest verse in the Bible – John 11:35
I am thinking that this actually falls under Federal Law now as a ‘Hate Crime;’ This is not what Jesus presented to us on the Sermon on the Mount. Between this travesty of a pastor – embarrassed to even acknowledge that – and the rude Westboro Baptists, I pray – a lot. It is hard enough getting the wonderful message of Christ’s Good News out there without these guys mucking it up, as the devil throughs stones in our path, Shameful. Now I know another reason for the shortest verse in the Bible – John 11:35
People assume there are no moderate muslims, but there are.:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gd3nKT9PTo
and
http://www.muhajabah.com/otherscondemn.php
But for some reason we don’t hear about them in the mainstream media.
Afghanistan is a non-secular nation, that has been invaded over a millennia. The Taliban still has a strong hold and influence there. They are inciding riots and taking advantage of the frustrations of the people.
I believe their frustration has boiled over and any cooperation with the west has dwindled (see Kill Team photos).
People forget that Muslim Americans have assimilated into this Democratic society and there was NO unrest reported over this burning of their Quran. My point is that when democracy is introduced to any religion, including christianity, the dogma shifts to include democratic principals and the more radical aspects are no longer held as truth. In other words, it evolves. As did Christianity.
Certainly not justifying these horrifying acts by any means, but I think its dangerous to label all muslims as radicals, which many posting here are doing. Anti-muslim sentiment is not going to help our cause of spreading democracy there and will only further endanger our troops and the UN workers.
Thank you for listening
It’s not so much that the Koran was burned…or even that people were killed (on both sides)
In times of war (and we would agree that the US is at war) knowingly aiding and abetting the enemy by word or deed can have consequences. Rev. Jones is wittingly or unwittingly being used by the Taliban to spread anti-American sentiment and endanger the lives of our troops in Afghanistan. I am not saying he is in the pay of the Taliban, but his act of burning the Koran did more to advance the Taliban cause than a months of insurgent attacks. Now fewer Afghans will cooperate with Americans and many will probalby join their cause to defeat the “crusaders”.
The Taliban are certainly hoping Jones burns MORE Korans and turn more moderate Afghans against the US. It makes their efforts to defeat the Americans much easier.
With Jones help, the Taliban has been able to turn many Afghans against the American cause and to frame the war as nothing more or less than a American crusade against Islam. Along with other “anti-muslim” conservatives, he has given the Afghans the impression that all Americans hate Islam.
If we are going to continue to allow anti-islamists in America to rant and rave and spread anti-Muslim propaganda, we might as well withdraw our troops from all Muslim countries immediately.
We are just making the job our troops are trying to do (remember winning hearts and minds) an impossible task…AND endangering their lives in the process.
I would like to know which holy book burns the fastest. Shouldn’t that be a good measure of which is hated most by GodAllah or whatever his name is and his turbomb headed servant?
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