Jesus Commands You To Burn the Koran

This is a report from last night's ABC's "Nightline", where Terry Jones, the pastor of Dove World Christian Center in Gainesville, Florida is preparing for a Koran burning, which is scheduled for this Saturday- on the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Now, I don't have to agree with this guy- who does, with the possible exceptions of neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan members, and the fan bases of Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck?- but unfortunately, he does have the right to burn the Koran, thanks largely to the First Amendment. Jones has received death threats over this, but he remains bound and determined to create an inferno made of wood and over 200 copies of the holy book of Islam.

I can't help but wonder if Muslims across the world were to plan a mass burning of the Christian Bible- no matter the translation. Of course, if Muslims do burn the book many Christians believe is inspired by God- and here on good ol' American soil nonetheless- just imagine the outrage that would be expressed. Picture the cross burnings, and mosques being destroyed (and you can thank the KKK, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Terry Jones, and their rabid fan bases for this...okay, maybe Mr. Beck and/or Ms. Palin may be among the voices who are telling Pastor Jones not to go through with this, though I sure as hell can't tell, given their lack of responses thus far). Kristallnacht would have nothing on the rampage that would ensue if Muslims burned the Bible here in the U.S. Okay, I may be exaggerating a bit on the aforementioned, but still, some nutcases who identify as Christian would be on a hunt until every Muslim is either hunted down, or deported.

And why the fuck would this church even carry the name "Dove"? Given that some of the members openly carry firearms, it's so wonder the church logo doesn't have a dove with a Glock in its beak. Yes, the members- all two of them- does the speaking of tongues and play the "in the fire of the Holy Spirit" dance (or whatever those conniptions they go into are), but I see them as some little church- and pastor Jones- as entities who are nothing more than some hideaway social club. One that denies membership to anyone who isn't white, Christian, and members of the National Rifle Association. Now I'm not saying that the Dove Christian Center and its members are racist, and I'm not even saying that they're xenophobic or even Islamophobic, though I'm having a hard time telling that. All I can say is that when this conflagration takes place Saturday, many folks will no doubt pray that pastor Jones would only jump into the fire. But then, he'd only be a martyr. Damned if you do...

Copyright 2010 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.