I am an atheist. I may not disagree with some, all right, most religions, but I do respect people of all faiths. However, I am sad to say there are some in America who do not share my only belief, a belief that all people of all faiths, or no faiths, should be respected.
In three days, on the ninth anniversary of one of the greatest disasters America has ever experienced, a man named Terry Jones has a plan. His plan? Starting the first ever Burn a Koran Day.
I am not a fan of book burning. First off, I like books, and people who burn them generally don't. Second, my family is Jewish, and Jews don't have the world's greatest history with book burning.
A short history. Terry Jones is the pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center, a non-denominational Christian church. When I hear non-denominational and church, I generally think of some sort of interfaith religious service. You know, like Catholics and Protestants praying together or something. Not a church whose biggest claim to fame, until now, has been protesting with the Westboro Baptist Church and sending their kids to school with shirts that say "Islam is of the Devil".
Now, Terry Jones has an idea. His oh-so brilliant idea is a great idea to remember and respect the dead of 9/11 and the following wars would be to burn Korans on the ninth anniversary of the disaster, because obviously Islam is a religion of violence and hate and is of Satan or whatever and obviously was never influenced by any aspects of Christianity and the Bible.
Do I need to explain why this is a bad idea? Maybe I do.
- Religious intolerance is wrong. Just plain wrong. Hasn't the human race learned from the Crusades, the Holocaust, the Taliban, a good number of genocides, et. al? Doesn't the first amendment say all religions must be tolerated, if not respected, in the United States?
- Members of pretty much every religious group and political party are against this Koran burning. Obviously, the usual left-wing groups, like the Southern Poverty Law Center, are very much against the burning, as are politicians like Obama, Franken, Polis, Boxer, etc. AKA, all the politicians I respect and love. However, some people you'd never guess are against the Koran burning. People like Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck and pastors in Utah and the National Association of Evangelicals oppose the Koran burning. I generally have little respect for Evangelicals and Utah pastors, since they tend to support religion and government mixing and think homosexuality is a sin, and oppose abortions and stuff I care about, but this once, I think I may have to thank them.
- If anything, this will further destroy our already strained relationship with Muslim countries, namely the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. General David Petraeus said "It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community". Indonesia is boycotting the U.S. Several Muslim groups are promising a violent reaction. I'm not sure about you, but I don't want violent reactions.
Normally I don't go around quoting the Bible, but I think in this case, it's okay. "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Gospel of Matthew 5:44-45).
Terry Jones, if you really are a Christian, go back and read your Bible. read your quote. Did Jesus ever tell you to burn the Koran? No. Go and love your enemies, turn the other cheek, and do not burn the Koran.
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