(RNS) The National Association of Evangelicals has condemned plans by a Florida church to burn copies of the Quran on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
“The proposed burning of Qurans would be profoundly offensive to Muslims worldwide, just as Christians would be insulted by the burning of Bibles,” the NAE said in a Thursday (July 29) statement.
“Such an act would escalate tensions between members of the two faiths in the United States and around the world.”
The Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., announced its plans on a Facebook page “in remembrance of the fallen victims of 9/11 and to stand against the evil of Islam,” reads the announcement. “`Islam is of the devil!”
Evangelical leaders said the plans should be canceled.
“The most powerful statement by the organizers of the planned Sept.
11th bonfire would be to call it off in the name and love of Jesus Christ,” said NAE President Leith Anderson.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights organization, joined the NAE in condemning the plans.
“The burning of the book holy to the world’s Muslims is morally repugnant,” said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, the center’s associate dean, and Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein, the center’s interfaith director, in a statement. “We urge leaders of this church to cancel this despicable act, which will certainly spawn a wave of new recruits for Islamist extremism and terrorism.”
Separately, leaders of the Baptist World Alliance warned against stereotyping Islam at their global assembly in Honolulu, Associated Baptist Press reported.
“As an American and a Christian, I am alarmed by the growing marginalization of Muslims in the United States — and especially disturbed that American Christians do not defend our Muslim neighbors more courageously,” said Robert Sellers, missions professor at Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon School of Theology in Abilene, Texas.
– Adelle M. Banks
Copyright 2010 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted August 2, 2010 at 6:28 pm
Good for them! Happy to hear that they are NOT in favor of a really stupid idea.
posted August 2, 2010 at 7:58 pm
“Where they burn books, they will ultimately also burn people.” Heinrich Heine
posted August 3, 2010 at 8:32 am
Under sharia law, if a Muslim turns Christian, he would be condemned to death. You pinheads would go back and hide underneath your rocks and not say a thing. It’s only when Christians are on the “attack” that moves you to expose your ungodly atheism. The fact that some Christian leaders have joined you in your chorus of squealing pig-like condemnation of the “book burners” only points to how soft and tiptoeing through the tulips these poor excuse for “masculine” men have become. Go ahead, squeal back, you freakin’ porkers! Maybe Christians should all go out to Sonny’s BBQ on 9/11 and have all-you-can-eat pork ribs in honor of the peace loving hijackers and their ilk. OINK,OINK! What would Jesus do? You’ll find out someday soon when He comes back in great clouds of glory, with fire and indignation in His eyes, to totally destroy all who would make war against Him and His own. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
posted August 3, 2010 at 9:33 am
cmaglaughlin:
Are you a fan of Hitler and his book burning? Guess so from your comments. Burn what books you don’t like, as that will solve all, and prove that some Muslims have even more reason to hate Christians and probably convert more Muslims into hating Christians because of that action. Good thinking on the part of the Dove Outreach Center. Doves usually stand for peace. That place is certainly not showing any peace if they carry out the Qur’an burning.
No one should be “under attack” as you put it, for their religious beliefs. Live and let live. That is impossible for some,however.
Sonny’s BBQ is really quite good. Maybe lunch today.
BTW, who has said killing off a Muslim who wants to be a Christian is OK?
In case you haven’t noticed, all Muslims aren’t out to get us. Ever here of the Crusades? Those Christians were actually out to get the “ungodly atheists” or non-Christians as the case probably was. Any non-Christian really had a reason to fear the sword used for that purpose. Convert or die. Great love there from those Christians. The extremists in any religion give the other followers a bad name.
So relax and wait for your Savior to get here. (Clouds of glory, with fire and indignation in his eyes to destroy bad folks etc.? You DO have an imagination). Might be a long wait so you might want to get some BBQ while you wait. Have a peaceful day.
If you had lived at the “right” time you could have been killed for being a Catholic or not being a Catholic.
posted August 3, 2010 at 10:16 am
My complements to all who oppose this supremely stupid and aggressive (but cowardly, since it’s our soldiers rather than the burners who’ll suffer from any reprisals) act.
posted August 3, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Maybe Christians should all go out to Sonny’s barbecue on 9/ll and have all you can eat porkribs in honor of the peace loving hijackers and their ilk.
I don’t think any of us would do that cmaglaughlin, and certainly not the families of the 59 Muslim victims in the World Trade Center, and in flights #11 and #175. There is a list in comments on CNN about the Muslim Bldg. in question in N.Y.C., read the names and info.
posted August 3, 2010 at 2:26 pm
This is appalling, and it makes me angry. Book-burning of any kind is obviously offensive to anyone who believes in the importance of freedom of thought. We ought to condemn this church for its stated intention to burn the Koran because of the spirit of hatred, error, and deliberate incitement behind it.
However, I would equally condemn anyone who responded to this provocation with threats of violence. Should burning anyone’s holy book be considered a forbidden act? I don’t think so. And, yes, this is deliberate incitement of Muslims, and I think it should be criticized for the act of provocation that it is, but I also think it should not be illegal to burn a book of scripture, of whatever religion, anymore than it should be illegal to burn the American flag. It should simply be criticized for the act of bad manners and provocation that it is.
posted August 3, 2010 at 6:27 pm
The members of this church do not preach the Way of Jesus. They preach hate of a religion who believe that Jesus was a great prophet although not divine just as the Jewish religion. Jesus is offended.
posted August 3, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Sherry, Jesus was a great prophet, and not divine.
posted August 3, 2010 at 8:30 pm
The purposal to burn Qurans must be condemned by all Christians. We can not stand by and passively observe such an outragious act. We are told to love. Burning books which others consider holy is an aggressive violent act. It is to be condemned.
We are called to proclaim the message of Jesus. God can overcome all obsticals which hinder faith in Him. Trust God! Col. 4:4-5 “Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act…”
posted August 8, 2010 at 7:00 pm
pagan you really do sat yourself on a lofty plain to be able to make that claim. I know pagans claim many gods but are you one?
posted August 8, 2010 at 7:52 pm
Once again, cknuck, I’m entitled to my opinion, and that is what it is, my opinion. As to my being a “Goddess” (Gods are male, cknuck…thought you knew that)only in the eyes of my husband. ;o)
posted August 14, 2010 at 9:20 pm
I like that reply,