Thanks for your comments. I just wanted to clarify that I was not saying Koran and Bible burning were the same things, I was pointing out that they have “played” the media well (as opposed to the relative silent treatment to Bible burning that is, I assure you, still offensive to this Christian). You can also find lots of Koran burning videos on youtube, but this one by a bunch of wackos has struck a nerve.

My main goal was drawing attention not to this small fringe group but to an initiative to actually help Muslims in need. I think that is much more important.

“Terry Jones, the pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center claims that his church is holding the event in order to ‘bring to awareness to the dangers of Islam’ and declare it ‘a violent and oppressive religion that is trying to mascarade [sic] itself as a religion of peace.’”

“We Chr.stians respect the Bible, but we know the physical book is just a symbol. We take notes in our Bible, have it in paperback, carry it in our back pocket, offer it to others on the streetcorner: all these things would never be done with the K.ran. Followers of Is.l.m believe that their book is divine, that their god dictated it to their leader M.hamm.d directly, that the physical book is sacred in itself, and that attacking it is akin to attacking God. They would never write in their book, they do not set it down where it might fall or be disturbed, they don’t stack other books on top of it. They treat it with supreme respect. Harming their book is worse than killing them personally.

We are stunned and shocked to think of the backlash this will cause around the world. We know this could have dire consequences for our American troops abroad. As we pray, we fear that every missionary who serves in any Ms.lm country, any Christian who seeks to influence his neighbors about their beliefs, anyone abroad who is identified with Christ will be a target of vengeance for that burning attack. We have students and student Christian workers who may be killed over this. We feel like traveling to Florida to throw our bodies on the pile of books, to save them and save the lives of believers who will suffer for this. ”

There are direct cause and effect consequences regarding people’s LIVES because of this pointless action. Not only soldiers, but missionaries who have been trying to spread the message and love of Christ to those in the M.slim world. By burning the K.ran, he is putting lives in danger and hindering the spread of the Gospel. I pray with all my heart that this man changes his mind.

Or that none of the matches light.

I hope you have a great class this semester!

About 20 years ago, I was visiting the Chums in Winters, & Dick Mills did a leadership meeting at their church that Joni & I got to attend. He was speaking scripture over people, & when he got to us, he quoted the Shammah passage – & said something to the effect of: “God made you to stand. And after the battles, you’ll come out smelling like a rose. Everybody, tell them, ‘You’ll come out smelling like a rose…’”

It was great. And has stuck with me to this day…