US church to burn Koran on 9/11 anniversary...crazy!

[MelanieM]

A US church plans to publicly burn copies of the Koran on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The announcement, from Florida's Dove World Outreach Centre, has prompted threats from Islamic groups and warnings the move will trigger a rise in hate crimes.

The church said on its Facebook page it will hold an "International Burn a Koran Day" on September 11, asking other religious groups to join in standing "against the evil of Islam. Islam is of the devil!"

"Islam and Sharia law was responsible for 9/11," pastor Terry Jones said

"We will burn Korans because we think it's time for Christians, for churches, for politicians to stand up and say no; Islam and Sharia law is not welcome in the US," the organizer of the burning action added.

"We've got many death threats from jihad groups, but we cannot react by fear and we cannot compromise our beliefs. Somebody must stand up," Jones added.

Reactions to the Koran burning announcement were swift.

Members of the Al-Falluja jihadist forum have threatened to "spill rivers of your (American) blood" and "a war the likes of which you have never seen before."

Mainstream Muslim groups also denounced the move and lamented the sentiments promoted by the Gainesville church.

"Unfortunately in (Florida) and nationwide, Islamophobia are actually on the rise," Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) spokesman Ramsey Kilic told AFP.

"I'm more afraid of those who have anti-Muslim sentiments and may think this is a legitimate action and may want to attack a mosque or attack a Muslim on the street," he added.

However, Kilic said, "we are not taking any action to avoid this... we don't want to give attention to this, because that's what they want."

The Dove church's Facebook site, since the announcement, is rife with threatening messages and corresponding anti-Islam rants.

Besides the Koran burning ceremony, the Dove World Outreach Centre also plans an anti-homosexual event August 2 outside Gainesville's City Hall. The "No Homo Mayor Protest" targets the city's first openly gay mayor, Craig Lowe.

The website also has for sale "Islam is of The Devil" T-shirts and books by pastor Jones.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/793...11-anniversary

[Stephen Spiteri]

*Sigh*

And Americans wonder they are so despised my Middle-Easterners.

[DavidObeid]

The Dove World Outreach Centre?

Dove? hardly.

World? Ahhh, yeah, probably not.

Outreach? Well, you know, there are outreaches and there are outreaches. These guys are probably not into either kind.

[+ Allen +]

"pastor Terry Jones.." Nuff said.

[cmnunis]

I grew up in a Muslim country, and in fact, have family members who are Muslims. I believe that the Catholic faith is the way to salvation, but this is not the way for a Christian to act.

[Lagrange]

burning literature was not uncommon in the Middle Ages, e.g. the talmud. We gona say that was all wrong then? I think not .

I suppose back then it served a functional purpose, and not just a symbolic one (as today, burning a book does not mean it is inaccessible, due to so many copies, not to mention the internet).

[Matthew]

Hi Lagrange,

I think the problem is not that burning it is evil (certainly not!) but rather whether it is a prudent idea.

Your last point is a good one.

[jissa]

Thats truly sad, thats not promoting Christian values at all!!

I dont think they are practising what they "supposedly" preach!!

We need to show respect to other religious groups!!

[Lagrange]

Yes Matthew, the question of prudence is another issue altogether. But suffice to say, a lot of people who condemn such a burning aren't thinking of 'prudence'. Instead, it's more along the lines of religious indifferentism, all religions being equal, etc.

[shmuel-the-confessor]

Good point Lagrange