September 7, 2010 8:03 AM
Patraeus condemns church's plan to burn Qurans
Hooray for General Patraeus for making a public statement.You all know that I am by no means a politically-correct defender of Islam. I believe the US is actually on a suicide mission in terms of the crazy lengths we are going to to accommodate and placate Muslims. I am adamantly opposed to the deliberately provocative building of a victory mosque at Ground Zero by a duplicitous imam who says one thing to his US audience and another to his Muslim base in the Middle East.
But I am 1000% opposed to this deliberate and unnecessary provocation by a group that claims to be Christians. And I hope they will heed the General's words and not deliberately put our forces in greater harm's way.
Will you all please contact The Dove World Outreach Center (ironic name, no?) to beseech Pastor Terry Jones and his misguided flock to do something useful and helpful instead? Maybe to have a food drive to feed the hungry, visit the sick in hospitals, or just gather to pray for us all. . . .
Petraeus Condemns U.S. Church's Plan to Burn Qurans
By JULIAN E. BARNES And MATTHEW ROSENBERG
KABUL--The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said the planned burning of Qurans on Sept. 11 by a small Florida church could put the lives of American troops in danger and damage the war effort.
Gen. David Petraeus said the Taliban would exploit the demonstration for propaganda purposes, drumming up anger toward the U.S. and making it harder for allied troops to carry out their mission of protecting Afghan civilians.
Protesters stage an anti-U.S. rally in Kabul after an American church says it will burn the Holy Koran on the September 11 anniversary. Video courtesy of Reuters.
"It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort," Gen. Petraeus said in an interview. "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."
Hundreds of Afghans attended a demonstration in Kabul on Monday to protest the plans of Florida pastor Terry Jones, who has said he will burn copies of Islam's holy book to mark the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Afghan protesters chanted "death to America," and speakers called on the U.S. to withdraw its troops. Some protesters threw rocks at a passing military convoy.
Gen. David Petraeus said the planned burning of Qurans on Sept. 11 by a Florida church could put the lives of American troops in danger.
Military officials fear the protests will likely spread to other Afghan cities, especially if the event is broadcast or ends up on Internet video.
Mr. Jones, head of the 50-member Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., said in a statement that "We understand the General's concerns. We are sure that his concerns are legitimate." Nonetheless, he added, "We must send a clear message to the radical element of Islam. We will no longer be controlled and dominated by their fears and threats."
Mr. Jones has been denied a permit for the demonstration, but has said he plans to go forward with the protest.
Read more at Wall Street Journal
Posted in Islam issues | Permalink
Comments
The church's website is down... I'm guessing traffic overload. Wonder if there's another way to get the pastor's email...? I think writing them a letter is a very good idea. If they really want to make a point about the Koran, wouldn't it be better just to READ from it, aloud... it truly testifies against itself.
Posted by: Christina | September 7, 2010 5:04 PM
Do these people really believe they're doing God's will? This is wrong on so many different levels. Such foolishness is going to cost a lot of lives.
God help us.
Posted by: Sue from Buffalo | September 7, 2010 5:34 PM
Terry Jones is showing his ignorance and missing a great opportunity to convey the Gospel to Muslims.
Jesus is known as Isa - a living prophet, second only to Mohammed in terms of stature in the Islamic faith. WIth a good understanding of the 'Quran it's possible to have solid spiritual discussions with Muslims.
Posted by: Chris Arsenault | September 7, 2010 7:12 PM
Gainesville is the closest thing I have to a home town. I went to college there and lived there and worked there for over eight years. I visit several times each year. My church will be celebrating its 75 anniversary the very next day. That is the testimony against Islam, a celebration of God's love and victory in so many lives... I am literally on my knees, terrified for the lives of our soldiers (my family has a long history of military service) but also the people of Gainesville who are also terrified of what this wrong headed act will bring on their community. Several of my dear friends are on the police force in town. I pray for their safety. This whole incident can get ugly in the immediate moment as well as the long term. Lastly I pray, against all hope, that in light of all that we know this situation can stir, that the media stays away from this, publishes no pictures and shares no stories. Whether the fire happens or not the damage has been done, whether it happens or not, the pictures are not necessary and are frankly inflammatory. Recognizing the evil that they would bring, I pray the media stays out of this instead of whipping it up into a worse frenzy that it already is.
Posted by: Sandy | September 7, 2010 8:13 PM
Chris, I'm not sure that even with Jesus as a prophet to them that it would be all that possible to have a solid spiritual discussion. They don't view God as a Father and get furious when we call him that. Even Scott Hahn couldn't hold a discussion with them because of it. They walked out when he referred to God the Father.
Posted by: Sue from Buffalo | September 7, 2010 8:26 PM
Why should we bow to Islam when it was perfectly fine to urinate on the cross as "art"? In this country we should be able to burn the quron even though it is a stupid thing to do. It is his "right" just as those who urinated on the cross exercised their "rights" Otherwise we are bowing to another religion's demands yet afraid to speak up for ourselves.
Posted by: Laura | September 8, 2010 8:44 AM
If the Jihad's goal is to create a religious war, they are doing a great job of it. Both the Christians and the Muslims are being duped by them. They are inciting both sides into a fight, and once it gets started their job is done.
Posted by: Sarah | September 8, 2010 8:52 AM
Sandy, "Recognizing the evil that they would bring, I pray the media stays out of this instead of whipping it up into a worse frenzy that it already is."
You're dreaming. The media are the ones who made up the "flushing the Korans down the toilet" story, published it in Newsweek, which was followed by riots in Muslim countries with many deaths resulting.
They will LOVE this story. Love, love, love it. They will revel in the Christians Burning Books optics.
I absolutely deplore this. Not because of any insult to Islam or Muslims, but just because burning books is such a bad direction to go in. Mostly, it disgusts me that Muslims in Afghanistan decide to get violent about this. Their co-religionists are murdering them like cattle, but a handful of people in Georgia burning the Koran is the catalyst for protest. Maybe they could protest something a little more closer to home, like the Taliban.
Posted by: Amy K. | September 8, 2010 10:45 AM
Sue - it's better to let God's Word do the talking - then instead of making statements - you ask questions about the meaning.
Depending upon the degree of their orthodoxy, it's often quicker to go through the Quran than around it.
The other real key is not to use individual evangelism (as we understand it in the West), but to arrange a meeting between two "men of peace", who can discuss these spiritual matters. The only way that can happen is through a mutual building of respect between two groups.
As for having solid spiritual discussions using the model I describe above - it can and does happen already. While the Quran does have surahs which support the idea of extreme terrorism, that interpretation is not the common view.
Ultimately the question regarding this matter is: what would Jesus do (is he doing this?) Unlike the Pharisees and leaders of Israel who rejected Him with knowledge of his authority, I see most Muslims being unaware of Jesus' claims. It's the Holy Spirit who'll convict - we just have to avoid grieving Him!
Posted by: Chris Arsenault | September 8, 2010 1:02 PM
