There’s a Florida church that has decided that on September 11th they need to burn a Koran in protest of Islam’s growth since 9/11. From the article:
The Dove World Outreach Center, a non-denominational church in Gainesville FL, is planning to mark this year’s anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks with a little bonfire of Korans, the holy book of Islam. They even have a Facebook page with a mission statement to justify their actions:
“On September 11th, 2010 we will burn the Koran on the property of Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, FL in remembrance of the fallen victims of 9/11 and to stand against the evil of Islam. Islam is of the devil!”
The church, which also protests against issues such as homosexuality, same-sex marriage, and abortion, has decorated it’s front lawn with signs proclaiming “Islam is of the devil!” and it’s pastor, Terry Jones, has even authored a book with that title
I wouldn’t even spend the time on these folks except they have also posted a “Top 10 reasons to burn the Koran” here. Ironically, there are several of them that if you replace “Islam” with “Christianity” and you have a word-for-word description of sections of Christianity’s history. For example, #10 says this:
Islam is a weapon of Arab imperialism and Islamic colonialism. Wherever Islam has or gains political power, Christians, Jews and all non-Moslems receive persecution, discrimination, are forced to convert. There are massacres and churches, synagogues, temples and other places of worship are destroyed.
Anyone ever heard of the Crusades? Anyone out there? Am I alone on the Internets?
Anywho, a blogger guy in FL has been writing to the church imploring them that such a thing is not acceptable with a point-by-point refutation. The pastor has responded
Thanks for your concern. We are unconvinced that the ‘nice’ church is winning against the Kingdom of darkness. God and his people were not always sweet and loving to people to people and practices that were evil.
Amazing. Burning books, claiming an entire faith as evil, and disowning the ‘nice’ churches that care for the sick, love sinners, and offer gracious presence…yep, sounds like WWJD to me!
Thoughts?
Wow that's really sick, thanks for speaking out against it.
Actually Christians and Jews were always tolerated under Islam as fellow religions of the book. It was Christians (as you rightly point out by bringing up the history of the Crusades – not to mention the reconquista of Spain) who killed Jews and Muslims.
Disclaimer – I am neither a Christian nor a Muslim, but I do want to promote religious tolerance. Historical truth is very important too.
Romans 12:20
That is all there is to be said.