More amazing to me has been the extension of the "Burn the Koran Day" activity to liken it to Nazi book burnings and the destruction of religious materials in totalitarian regimes. The fact that there is a distinct difference between an individual choosing to destroy his own book on his own property by his own free choice and the intentional repression of thoughts and ideas by government is overlooked. This isn't Fahrenheit 451 here.
Turn the Other Cheek? Extend the Hand of Love?
It is a book. The preacher isn't doing a Christian thing or a wise thing, but he is doing a politically illustrative act. He is pointing something out and apparently there are a lot of folks who aren't seeing it. But consider this mature, adult, 21st century response to the burning:
Postings on the Al-Faloja website included a forum member writing, "I wish to detonate myself in this church now. ... I want to become a martyr and detonate myself in this filthiest filth."
There is a guy who can't take a joke. But, he isn't alone.
Another member warned, "Oh you Americans, I swear by Allah if you do this deed await a war that you have not witnessed ... we will not rest until we kill tens of you in place of every letter in the book of Allah. ..."
Apparently a practicing Muslim is not obliged to turn another cheek or to recognize any sort of restraint. Proportionality in response is not a factor nor is reciprocity in their own actions.
UPDATE: Burning Called Off!
I was kind of looking forward to the event. Maybe I'll toast up a couple of holy books myself this weekend and see if I can offend someone.
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Update 2: The Koran burning was called off supposedly because of an agreement by the Imam to build the mosque elsewhere. Immediately after, the Imam denied any agreement. Now the pastor says they may be back to square one (meaning to me they may do the Koran burning after all).
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