Good Lord
By Bill Buchanan
Just when you think, “Well, that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard allegedly done in the name of religion,” someone comes along and trumps it.
I refer to the folks at the Dove World Outreach Center, a nondenominational church in Gainesville, Fla., who plan to host an “International Burn a Quran Day.” They say the event is to “remember 9/11 victims and take a stand against Islam,” which the minister of the congregation calls a religion “of the devil.”
What could be less Christian than that? Exactly how does burning a book that another religion recognizes as holy promote and advance your own religious views? How does burning the Quran (Koran) foster anything but separatism and intolerance? And what is the purpose? Are they trying to convert others? Do they think people will look at this act and say, “Wow, what a great idea, let’s go join up with this progressive group”?
I was also curious about how you would invite people to one of these things. Do you issue an invitation like it was a church social? Would you look down in the church bulletin one Sunday and see something like:
Event: Burning the Quran
Date: 9/11 (of course)
Time: 6 to 9 p.m.
Place: In the big fire pit out behind the church
Food/Drink: Fire and brimstone served from 6 to 7 p.m.
Dress: Flame-retardant casual
Special Note: Coffee mugs and T-shirts available in the foyer
Now I am not saying that the folks at Dove World Outreach don’t have the right to do this. Our Constitution provides the right for our citizens to do pretty much anything within reason to peacefully demonstrate for or against any cause — no matter how stupid it may make the participant look. In fact, the right to look ignorant and stupid is one of our most precious freedoms —- or at least, one of the most frequently used ones. My favorite example of this is the guy who has that church in Kansas who goes to soldiers’ funerals, and holds up signs saying that the death of this brave young man or woman is God’s punishment for people being gay. I’m afraid if I was at the funeral of a relative or friend who gave their life for this country and in the middle of the ceremony, I heard some idiot yelling and holding a sign saying this was somehow justified, I might have to take umbrage —- which might well take the form of getting a tire tool out of the trunk and wearing it out over his head.
Perhaps one of the problems with religious zealots is that they are so busy waving the Bible around they fail to pull it down and actually read what it says. In the 22nd Chapter of the Book of Matthew, Jesus is asked what is the greatest commandment? He replies, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The line above does not come with any caveats. Jesus does not say, “Love your neighbor as yourself — unless he is Jewish, or Muslim.” He doesn’t say, “Love your neighbor as yourself — unless he is black.” And he doesn’t say, “Love your neighbor as yourself — unless he is gay.”
It is simply, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And that is good advice for us all, no matter what you believe.—
Well, not all Christians are like the pastor in Florida only a few. Funny thing is if he was born in the middle east to Muslim parents he would probably be a suicide bomber and a very passionate one at that.
Mexico for Mexicans, Asia for Asians, White Countries for EVERYBODY.
Everybody says there is this RACE problem. Everybody says this RACE problem will be solved when the third world pours into EVERY white country and ONLY into white countries.
The Netherlands and Belgium are more crowded than Japan or Taiwan, but nobody says Japan or Taiwan will solve this RACE problem by bringing in millions of third world people and “assimilating” with them.
What if I said there was this RACE problem and this RACE problem would be solved only if tens of millions of non-Hispanics were brought into EVERY Hispanic country, and ONLY into Hispanic countries?
How long would it take anyone to realize I’m not talking about solving a RACE problem, but am talking about the final solution to the HISPANIC problem?
And how long would it take any sane Hispanic man to notice this, and what kind of psycho Hispanic man wouldn’t object to this? What kind of Hispanic man wouldn’t realize that this was an attempt to GENOCIDE the Hispanics in their own countries?
But if I tell that obvious truth about the ongoing program of genocide against my race, the white race, Liberals and “respectable conservatives” agree that I’m anaziwhowantstokillsixmillionjews.
They say they are “anti-racist”. What they are is anti white.
Anti-racist is a code word for anti white.
Becky,
If you had to choose, would you rather live under a Judeo-Christian theocracy or Islamic Shari’a law? Just wondering.
Better get fitted for that Burqa.
Islam is the only major world religion that calls for the forced subjugation of non adherents. Either convert to Islam, live as a 2nd class citizen, or die. It is in the Koran.
Has the autho written similar articles of outrage when Muslims have burned Bibles or American flags?
The people who flew the planes into the twin towers do not represent Islam any more than the people who carried out the Inquisition, the Crusades, or burned Jews for causing the plague represent Christianity. ANY zealot can be dangerous and scary. Is Timothy McVeigh representative of America? Or would David Koresh be more representative? I do not want Puritan law here any more than I want Sharia law here. Fortunately, I do not believe either one is likely. Instead of looking for the next scapegoat, why don’t we find positive ways to make a difference?
Becky Beckett
God was made in the image and likeness of Man
don’t believe it…..look around
Bill,
Way to get into the religous arena. I’m sure the L.A. transplants at the yoga studio really love you now.
I have one that tops the stupid list: An editor of a small town newspaper making judgments about a religous group’s adherence to its tenets, i.e., a truth claim about burning an inanimate object violating the second of the great commandments.
How about this one? The insensitivity of a religous group building a place of worship at a near identical location to where buildings were razed in the name of that very religion. Perhaps you can quote the Koran regarding whether that act conflicts with its tenets.
By the way, do religous zealots only wave Bibles?
Anon.5
Wow. Bill. Nice to see your teeth. I mean that in a very respectful manner.
And you made me laugh too