Sep 8

Written by: tim
9/8/2010 1:36 PM 

 It has been a wonderful time for me to break away mentally and rest the creative bits of juice in my noggin.  Most recently my family and I jetted off to the beautiful city of San Antonio, Texas where we enjoyed the history, heat and hospitality that the land of the Alamo has to offer.  Not a day slipped by that didn't see the mercury climb well over the 90 degree mark and for us moist and chilly Washingtonians it was sure nice to dry out a bit.

My return to the office has brought with it an interesting revelation as our informed office manager shed some pointed this uninformed pastor to an article that you may or may not have read.  For those of you in the dark (as I was) here it is .

www.thenewstribune.com/2010/09/08/1332639/fla-minister-sept-11-quran-burn.html

Now let me declare right from the beginning that I believe Pastor Terry Jones is pursuing an act that is completely opposite to what we, as followers of Christ, are called to do.  I won't go into major detail here but two major thoughts formulate quickly: 1) If it resembles something Hitler did, it is probably not a good idea and 2) This will do nothing to further the spread of the Good News we call the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

What I find interesting about the article is that it reveals some important things concerning Islam.  The reason the government and military leaders are stepping in and trying to persuade Pastor Terry Jones from holding his ritual burning is that they are absolutely certain that there will be backlash and retaliation that will touch the lives of Americans all around the world and it won't be "an eye for an eye" burn some Bibles because you burned some copies of the Quran either.  People will die.

Is anyone else listening to this?

Friends, there is a fundamental difference between the Quran and the Bible.  There is a difference between Jesus, who wept over the city of Jerusalem as He entered it and Mohammed, who waged war not only in the name of religion, but in the founding of it.  I am not blind to the fact that there are people who claim to be Christians and do despicable things.  I am also not blind to the fact that there are peaceful followers of Islam who were as horrified at the events of 9/11 and other terrorist acts as the rest of us.  The truth is that all we have to do is look at the way the world is responding to one man's bonfire to understand that there is something very dark and broken at work here.

Perhaps I am wrong.  Maybe Pastor Terry Jones will have his Quran burning and the Islamic response will be to turn the other cheek or ignore the little charade altogether.  We will see soon enough.  How would I feel if a group of people decided to burn the Bible publically?  Yes, I'd be upset but no, I would not retaliate with hate or bloodshed.  I know that those who truly follow Christ would respond the same way.

Afterall, it was Jesus Himself who was mocked, beaten, spit upon, insulted and abandoned.  Even in those horrifying and lonely moments He continued to the cross to willingly lay down His life for you and I. 

May the Holy Spirit fill us and empower us to respond with the love and grace of Christ in all things!