caught somewhere between real life, simple faith, & raw emotion
Burning the Koran Day a Bad Idea
I’m sure you’ve heard. Saturday is September 11.
To mark that day Reverend Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, FL is going to have a “Burn the Koran Day.” (source here)
This is guy is an idiot.
Yes, I judged him, but this is exactly the kind of person Jesus (and God) would have me judge. Jones is a man who claims to follow God and represent Jesus, but is doing something that is angry and damaging. So I believe I can call him an idiot with a clear conscience.
There is some warped irony in all this too.
“Dove” is in the name of his church. The dove in Christianity is a symbol of peace. In Genesis 8 after the flood, a dove returned to Noah with an olive branch in its beak, revealing the end of God’s judgment and the beginning of a new covenant with man.What he is doing is not peaceful not will not promote peace.
Also, the dove symbolizes God’s spirit. When Jesus was baptized by John (this symbolized the beginning of his earthly ministry) it is recorded that a dove descended from the sky. The dove represents the Holy Spirit in Christianity. The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove when he was baptized in the Jordan River:
Luke 3:22
… and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (NIV)
This was a symbol God’s love and approval. Jones is not being loving.
“Outreach” is also in the name. So who is this reaching? Plus, if you are going to do effective outreach it should build bridges not burn them.
Does Reverend Jones and his congregation have the right to do this? Yes, of course. the Reverend is well within his Constitutional rights to do have a Burn the Koran Day. I talked about this idea with regard to the Ground Zero Mosque here. Incidentally, anyone who is a strong advocate of that mosque being built should also be as a strong advocate of Jones burning the Koran as a matter of integrity. This issue is based on the same rights and freedoms. But I’m gonna guess most who support the mosque without reservation also condemn Jones without hesitation. Or would these individuals also stand passionately against burning Bibles as well? Just wondering. Perhaps that is another conversation.
But a “Burn the Koran Day” is unwise and not right (as a matter of conscience).
Furthermore, it is not peaceful. It is not loving. It is not a good representation of the teachings, life, and ministry of Jesus. In fact, Jones make a mockery of all this with his attention-whoring stunt. This is no way to get more people to go to your 15 member church.
I just can’t imaging God looking upon all this and saying:
“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Can you?
2 comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I’ll second that, Chip.
It’s even worse, Jason. This “church” is tied to the Westboro Baptist kooks, and is equally as cultish.
There is no love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control produced in this event. Christ tells us that we will know one another by our love, and that we are to discern others according to the fruit they bear. As this act bears none of the fruit of the Spirit, I would go beyond what you’re saying, even to the point of saying that what they’re doing, which amounts to little more than a political stunt, is un-Biblical and un-Christian.