Pastor Jones: If you have hate in your heart, let it out
It’s not about the right to burn a Qur’an. Of course he has that right. But as someone who claims to be a man of faith, I don’t see how this is productive at all. He is clearly trying to bring attention to himself. He is not representative of Americans and he does not have a following. He has been in the media spotlight only because of the absurdity of his logic and the controversy surrounding his actions.
We’re supposed to be educated and civilized Americans that believe in respect. This ‘pastor’ certainly isn’t responsible for the deaths in Afghanistan as a result of the book burning. However, his actions (in combination with the irresponsible media and the gullible people that keep on eating the tripe the spew), are empowering a radical group of people that believe in a very radical brand of Islam. These actions are fueling thugs and extremists and playing into their hands. They know that they only way they can continue to recruit and grow stronger is if they perpetuate the myth that America is waging a new Crusade against Islam. These thugs will do whatever they can to stifle debate, kill anyone that gets in their way, and make sure that no compromises are never made. Purity in the name of extremism is an awfully dangerous thing.
We must fight extremism with our intellect and we must understand that we are completely desensitized to shock value. Yes, it is clearly silly to us that burning a bound book is just a way for us to excercise our freedom to do so. However, to uneducated Afghanis that will believe anything that is told to them, they probably think there are thousands of Americans who are burning Qur’ans all over the streets plotting how they can completely destroy Islam and kill all the followers. Believe me… if people can be convinced that real estate is always a great investment in America, the uneducated, iliterate, and jobless in Afghanistan can be convinced that there is an American plot to Crusade against Islam.
One side of your mouth, you say he is not responsible,on the other side he is responsible.
This is the reason we are in this mess, say what you mean dont garner support from all sides
I’m not sure there is a such a thing as a moderate religion. Believers tend to hate people who don’t believe the same things they believe, and in the US, most people are christian of one denomination or another. In predominantly muslim cultures, christians are targeted instead, and both of them seem to hate the jews. And all three hate those who don’t believe in a supernatural being at all. I guess I don’t see how this pastor is any more extreme than some muslim or jewish leaders. I DO get that burning a qur’an is worse than burning a bible to a muslim, just as this pastor sees burning a bible as worse than burning a qur’an. They’re both just books, and books that there are other copies of, so the burning is symbolic only. Personally, I’d prefer children not be allowed to read either as both contain material that is not suitable for children. Out of both sides of my mouth I say, “Keep your religion between you and your god. Leave everyone else out of it.” That way we can all be free.