Qur'an: If You Won't Burn It, Read It
Pastor Terry Jones did the nation a service by bringing a burning issue to the front burner and let it down by failing to fully exploit the issue. He should have explained in detail why the Qur'an should be burned and and exhorted people to read it. He should especially have exhorted preachers to read the most egregious ayat from their lecterns to educate their congregations.
Jones did another great disservice to the nation and the free world by backing down in the face of Islamic threats and governmental condemnation. Backing down to threats reinforces those who make the threats. When we back down, the bullys experience triumph and are encouraged by it to issue more threats in the future.
There was no need to burn hundreds of Qur'ans and no benefit from it. Burning one is sufficient for the symbolic act of resistance to Islamic intimidation, infiltration, sedition and conquest.
Had he burned just one English translation of the Qur'an, he could have answered the hordes of Muslim protesters with a simple statement that he did not burn their sacred book; Muslims do not consider translations to be sacred.
Another Christian activist and associates gathered near the White House to protest Islamic violence. They crumpled pages torn from a paperback translation of the Qur'an. The torn pages were selected for their violent, anti-Christian content. Think Progress reports that Andrew Beacham did the tearing while Randall Terry explained which verses were selected and why. In a radio interview with Sean Hannity, Terry urged listeners to read the Qur'an. Hannity agreed and announced that he would have a special Qur'an reading hour this week, possibly as soon as Tuesday September 14.
Randall Terry also gave the url of his blog, which contains two papers he wrote for one of his courses in a Masters degree program. I did not catch it off the air, but hope I found it with a Google search. A press release revealed that two papers were distributed at the protest. Earth Times published a list of the torn ayat. 9:5-6 are listed, 9:29, 30, 33 & 123 are interesting omissions.
There is one thing more important than incinerating a Qur'an: becoming familiar with its evil content. Noel Yatom published a list of 164 violent verses. The Calcutta Qur'an Petition lists some critical ayat which establish the doctrine of jihad: offensive conquest.
Click those links, print the verses, take them to Sunday school, and ask the teacher to identify them, "what part of the Bible is this from". Change Allah to God, and you'll have them stumped. If that does not get you shunned or disfellowshiped, spring them on the preacher; ask him to read them in church.
It is not necessary to read the entire Qur'an to discover its true nature nor is there any mystery about it. Allah's commands are contained in clear verses which are the foundation of the book. If you read Surahs Al-Anfal & At-Taubah, you will have a pretty good understanding of the bottom line.
The hierarchy of your church probably believes the standard lies, that Islam is a "great religion of peace" and an "equally valid pathway to God". They probably believe that Islam reveres Jesus as a Prophet, too. Of course they don't know that Islam denies his paternity, divinity, crucifixion, death & resurrection, depicts him as inferior to Muhammad and a genocidal warlord who will "kill the Jews" when he returns. What if you prove it to them? My blog post "The Defamation of Jesus Christ", contains the evidence you need, from the Qur'an, hadith & Tafsir, to show your church the anti-Christian core of Islam. Will you do it? If you won't. who will?
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