Florida Church to burn copies of the Koran on September 11th

[TheLibertarian]

A Florida church with "Islam is of the devil" signs in its front lawn plans to host an "International Burn A Quran Day," on the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks this year.

The Dove World Outreach Center, a non-denominational church in Gainesville, has marked the date in previous years with protests against Islam. The church holds protests on other issues, such as homosexuality, same-sex marriage, and abortion.

Pastor Terry Jones said members of the church plan to be at the Gainesville City Hall on Aug. 2 to protest the election of the city's openly gay mayor. Church-state groups had previously accused the church of illegal politicking for its "No Homo Mayor" signs.

Jones, who is also the author of a book titled "Islam is of the Devil," said protests are key to the mission of his church.

"We feel, as Christians, one of our jobs is to warn," said Jones.
The goal of these and other protests are to give Muslims an opportunity to convert, he said.

In response to the posting of the event on Facebook a little more than a week ago, Jones said that people have been mailing Qurans to the church to burn. He said organizers got the idea, in part, from another Facebook page, called "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day."

Sept. 11 will fall during the Eid al-Fitr holiday this year, when Muslims mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Local Muslims are planning to use the feast as an opportunity to share Islamic traditions and Qurans with the church members and the wider community.

"We don't want to do anything that would be reactive," said Ramzy Kilic, communications director of the Tampa Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

On May 10, a pipe bomb exploded in the Islamic Center of Northwest Florida in Jacksonville. No worshippers were hurt, but Kilic said the planned burning of Qurans could escalate tensions in the area.

http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/Fla-c ... rsary.aspx

I like how the people responsible for bombing the Islamic Center will never, ever be called domestic terrorists. I also like how these idiots are asking to fan the flames of hatred among even more moderate Muslims in the region, and how, if they get what they're asking for, I'll be asked as an atheist to support them.

So, since it's apparently a prerequisite here to ask a question, here goes: should these people go through with it, and should I organize a Bible burning in retaliation?

[East of Eden]

I also don't know what the point is of burning a book. Pointing out the errors of Islam, yes,

[naz]

Sounds like something I would have thought about doing when I was a freshmen in High school, only difference is the books I wanted to throw on the fire were my school books…

[naz]

So, since it's apparently a prerequisite here to ask a question, here goes: should these people go through with it, and should I organize a Bible burning in retaliation?

I see a lot of people, on the news, in other countries burning the American flag and other things that resemble America, maybe this is just a demonstration against those people? Though this is a pretty bold stance by some of the people in Florida, when I think of Florida, I don't even think of that state belonging to south. They have always been quiet on a lot of issues. I guess they are fed up.

[Kuan]

If you want a symbolic gesture, don't burn the flag; wash it.

[Ooberman]

Why, when they feel cornered, do Xians always go for burning books and or people?

Are they trying to create their own Hell on Earth?

[Darias]

I'm a Christian and I think burning Qur'ans is Islamophobic.

The problem is not necessarily Christianity here. It is Islamaphobia.

Islamophobia is just as cancerous for non-Muslims, as radical extremist dogma is for Muslims.

Both are radical worldviews.

Radicalized Muslims believe that America and the west are controlled by evil Zionists who have been waging war with Muslims and Islam for ages. They see 9/11 as pay back for Western "violence" and "trespassing/interference" in Muslim lands. Nowadays, most terrorists attacks are "justified" in their minds by saying "America is killing Muslims in Afghanistan or Iraq." They are firmly indoctrinated with the idea that they are fighting to defend Islam and Muslims from "evil" unbelievers who only want to kill them and their families. Because of this belief, murder and bombing and martyrdom is therefore "justified."

Islamophobes believe that all Muslims are terrorists, and that the moderate Muslims aren't "real Muslims" because of a few select verses in the Koran, which Islamophobes quote excessively to "prove" their point that Islam is evil. Moderate Muslims, they believe, aren't "true" Muslims because they "don't obey their religious obligation to kill." In essence, Islamophobes believe that Islam = sharia law, brutality towards women, and murder. To back up their point, they just turn the news on -- effectively ignoring 95% of moderate, peace loving Muslims across the world who have led good lives in their religious devotion. To Islamophobes, moderate Muslims are irrelevant.

Europe is suffering from Islamophobia more-so than America because they receive more Muslim immigrants. Europe is also more segregated than America(we are a melting pot after all). Muslim communities in Europe are more isolated from native communities. This breeds fear and contempt for the "other."

Moderate Muslims are the biggest victims. Not only are they victims of extremist acts of terror in the Middle East, but also victims of hatred and fear in the West.

Burning Korans is just silly. And to think that some Christians actually think that this act would make people think about their religion and convert -- it's ludicrous. If a Muslim burns a Bible, I'm not gonna visit his Mosque and start asking questions -- I would be putt off by his behavior -- and would probably not be willing to learn about his religion.

I assume, logically of course, that Muslims who hear about Christians burning Bibles would feel the same way. It certainly will not make a single Muslim jump up and down in excitement, asking questions about how to be saved...

And what really irritates me about Islamophobia is whenever I hear "America needs to wake up, we need to stand up." It sounds as if Islamophobes are promoting violence. The language is similar to Nazi rhetoric against the "Jewish threat." It's disgusting.

Sarah Palin, Pat Robertson, and Terry Jones are all unfortunate victims of ignorance.

They all are opposed to the construction of a Muslim community center in New York. It will be built a few blocks away from ground zero.

But these Islamophobes make it out to be some sort of Victory monument to terror, as if it was being built on top of ground zero - as if Islam attacked us on 9/11 instead of brainwashed Afghans. As if Muslims were just throwing salt on America's wounds.

They(Islamophobes) don't care that many American Muslims perished on 9/11. They are targeting the wrong people - blaming Muslims for what happened, blaming Islam -- not radicals.

There is a Jewish community center near the towers... and its not a big deal. But unfortunately, Islamophobes make it their agenda to demonize Muslims by using acts of terrorism to justify their hatred of a people and a religion they don't understand or even care to.

I find it so ironic that Islamophobes consider all Muslims barbaric because of what some terrorists have done, when you often hear "nuke the middle east" etc. coming from their ranks.

Ground Zero Mosque supporters: doesn't it stab you in the heart, as it does ours throughout the heartland? Peaceful Muslims, pls refudiate.

She actually thinks that moderate Muslims think it is offensive when other Muslims want to build mosque's in their communities.

This is a free country and we can't force people not to build their religious buildings. Its as if she and others think it's going to become a training ground for Al-Queda, instead of the community/worship center that it will be.

Hate? Stupidity? or hateful stupidity?


Truly, sanity has left this world.

[Ooberman]

I'm a Christian and I think burning Qur'ans is Islamophobic.

...

Truly, sanity has left this world.

Good post. You are right. When we strip away the religious motivations, much of it is much more simple: xenophobia. They aren't "us" so we fear and hate them, and they right back - we presume.

Of course, not all people, but obviously enough to cause much of the problems we see...

[SailingCyclops]

Thats a terrible thing to do...how can they call themselves christian?

Christians have a long history of burning things which they disagree with. Books and people included.

Book Burning A True Christian® Tradition

The burning of books is nothing new to True Christians®. We invented the practice over two-thousand years ago as a way to promote our faith in the Lord Jesus. In the early days of Christianity, when new believers in Christ were converted, they were naturally moved by the Holy Spirit to grab as many books as they could and pitch them into a fire. Unlike the sissy "Jesus is Love" fake-Christians (whom both the Lord Jesus and we loathe) we have running around today, the early followers of Christ were never ashamed to burn books. In fact, if you ever find yourself being grateful for the destruction of most of the works of pagan nincompoops like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, you have a Christian to thank! In the Book of Acts we learn that anyone who wants to follow Jesus, should get ready to start burning books at the drop of a hat. The Book of Acts teaches us that burning someone's books is a great way spread God's word.

"Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men and they counted the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed." Acts 19:19-20
[...]
The truth is, burning a book is one of the most loving things a Christian could do for a person they really care about. The Landover Baptist Church is proud to be sponsoring America's Largest Book Burning on Satan's Birthday, October 31st. This will be the third consecutive year we have held the event. Last October, we had 152,800 American Christians show up for the event. We burned over 3.4 million books! That's right! Don't let the numbers dissuade you from holding a book burning at your local church this Halloween. Thousands of churches in America have collected millions of Harry Potter books to be burned that very night. As a Christian, you should be eager to participate in this Bible based tradition. Burning books just like the first Christians did in New Testament is a great way to say "no" to Satan and "yes" to Jesus.
[...]

All kidding aside Book burning is historically a Christian tradition, to the detriment of all humanity.

Bob