Stop Burning, Start Caring

Written by Darren Hewer

I have to wonder: Is this what Jesus had in mind when he told us to “Love your neighbor as yourself”?

Terry Jones, pastor of the tiny (and ironically named) “Dove World Outreach Church” in Gainesville, Florida, plans to burn copies of the Qur’an on the anniversary of September 11: “Jones has said he sees Koran-burning as a way of confronting Islamist terrorism. But his plans have been widely condemned by U.S. religious, political and military leaders, who say it is jeopardizing the security of U.S. military personnel abroad. (Reuters Canada)

At the outset, we should note that burning the literature of other religions is not found in the Bible. The closest we find is in Acts 19:11-20

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where new converts to Christianity burn their own books, symbolic of their commitment to their new faith and leaving their old ways behind. Tony Reinke wrote a post exploring this text, and gives six points to ponder regarding it. Needless to say, there is no biblical support for burning copies of the Qur’an.

What does this man hope to accomplish? In an interview with ABC News, Jones was asked why he organized the event, and said “to remember those who were killed, murdered on September the 11th and [make people] more aware of the dangers of sharia law and the dangers of radical Islam.” Is this really the best way to accomplish these goals? How does burning Qur’ans help remember those who were lost? It may make people “more aware of the dangers of radical Islam” but it will do so by placing American troops abroad and Christians living in Muslim countries at risk, as even US president Obama noted. Can pastor Jones not see how foolish this is?

How is causing intentional offense in this way helpful? It’s sad how the misguided actions of a small group of people (representing about 0.0000025% of all Christians) can hurt the reputations of Christians all over the world. Please note, I’m not suggesting restricting Jones and his church’s freedom to act in this way (as irresponsible as it is) nor am I suggesting that the Qur’an is deserving of any sort of admiration in contrast to the word of God as revealed in the Bible. And I condemn terrorist attacks like we saw in 9/11 in the strongest possible terms. However I am suggesting that lack of wisdom and discernment can lead to grave consequences, and that love usually goes a lot farther to welcome people into the Kingdom than burning.

How can Christians seek to better reach out to Muslims with the gospel, with compassion and understanding, demonstrating grace and hospitality? If you have Muslim friends or coworkers who are upset by the proposed Qur’an burning, you might want to direct them to the article 9/11 and You on our website. You may also be interested in “September 11th: The Call That Shook My World”

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