A wicked plan
The plans by a church in Florida to mark the anniversary of 9/11 by burning copies of the Qur’an is horrifying.
This is an act of pure evil. It is an attack on Islam, an attack against Muslims — because it is an attack on what they hold most dear — and it is an attack against God — because the Holy Qur’an is the Word of God. Muslims cannot see it any other way.
It is Satanic, a sin of the worst kind because it is a deliberate one. That makes it far more than an act of ignorant stupidity. Those involved are being intentionally provocative. They know that actions have reactions and that there could be potentially horrific ones if the burning takes place — pray God that it does not.
There have been already anti-American protests in Afghanistan and elsewhere and the head of the NATO forces in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus has said he is very concerned. So is the US government. They are right to be concerned. There is every possibility that people will die because of this offense. Increased attacks on US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq are likely. The desecration plays straight into the hands of the militants. They want Muslims to believe that America and the Christian Church hate them — and here is a group of Christian militants in Florida handing them with apparent proof.
Muslims too may die. Protests around the Muslim world following the Danish cartoons scandal resulted in hundreds of deaths as authorities struggled to contain the violent response. There have been other deadly protests following allegations of the Qur’an being desecrated.
As Ramadan comes to an end and Eid festivities begin tomorrow, this should be a time of peace and celebration. The actions of a few threaten that. We would fervently hope that there is no violence ahead and that no one is put in danger as a result of this vile plan. If there are protests, may they be peaceful. We are fully aware that these bigots are wholly unrepresentative of the US or Christianity. The church involved is small — just 50 members. They are clearly out for publicity. Mainstream American Christian leaders have been united in condemning the act, as have American Jewish leaders and the American political establishment — and for that we thank them. Yet, in choosing to perform this obscenity, this small Florida church perpetrates a second offense, one in which others in the US and elsewhere are sometimes complicit — the great lie that Islam was responsible for 9/11. The fact that those who carried out the 9/11 attacks were Muslims and that 15 were Saudis are painful facts that cannot be wiped away. But they were deviants and no more represented Islam or Saudi Arabia than this small Florida sect represents Christianity or the US. Perhaps that reality will now finally get through to the American public and opinion-makers who believe the lie.
The US says it cannot prevent the desecration. Is that so? Those planning it claim that they are merely exercising their right to freedom of expression. But they know perfectly well that what they intend to do threatens the lives of others.
There surely has to be a law in the US against that.
Comments
ZEBUN NISHA
Sep 9, 2010 01:57
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Sep 9, 2010 04:19
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Sep 9, 2010 04:19
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Sep 9, 2010 04:35
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Sep 9, 2010 15:21
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