The pastor from Florida burnt the Koran, and the Muslim-world exploded in riots and revolts.
It reminds me of this quote, from Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev:
"A penny candle, you know, was enough to burn the whole city of Moscow."
Many people are killed, in attacks on UN officials in Afghanistan, UN officials who were there to help them rebuild the country.
Was it worth it Mr.Pastor? Probably not. Burning a book is a very stupid act. You should rather read it. Maybe you will learn something.
But there's more to it. The Muslims must learn that the right to commit blasphemy is an important part of the freedom of speech. What's sacred to you is nonsense to me. The Christians have learnt to accept this (not without pain), and the Muslims need to learn it as well.
I respect anyone's right to choose their religion, but I don't respect their Gods. None of them. Actually, I have read quite alot in the scriptures, The Bible, The Koran, The Book of Mormon.
The more I read, the less I believe >:)
(I will not burn my copy. The picture above is from the bookshelf in my office. Can you see the Koran, between math and physics books? And next to it is Pretty is as Pretty Dies by Elizabeth Spann Craig)
Good post. It is so frustrating to watch these events unfold. I hate ignorance, and book burning is my least favorite ignorant act.
ReplyDeleteA very very good post. I don't believe either (other than in digressions), but I agree that we ought to respect each other's beliefs. How can anyone think it's a good idea to trash someone else's beliefs just because they have "the right" to do so? Yes, they have freedom of speech, but why in the world do they feel the need to exercise their freedom of stupidity?
ReplyDeleteLikewise, a hopeless response. First of all, burning a book no matter what book it is, does not give anyone the right to kill! Secondly, two pastors and a congregation of 50 or so do not represent an entire country or civilization. If they must express their anger (instead of calmly accepting that these book-burning idiots are just idiots who are getting waaaay too much attention), do so by sending an angry letter to them. Or have a peaceful demonstration (which, for the record, a lot of Muslims worldwide have done).
It all makes me so angry. And yet, I choose to express that by writing about it, here, in this comment. I will not go out and kill someone or burn something.
That's an interesting mix of books you have there. Excellent post. Excellent message. If only the right people would read and embrace it. You have it exactly right. And, yes, it's hard to figure organized religion. It seems to go against what a true loving God would want.
ReplyDeleteYou are too funny! My Myrtle would be happy to share space on your shelf with whatever book you want to put up there. Thanks for buying the book!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate moderate opinions on everything. Folks get dangerous when they lean too much one way or the other. As a Generation Xer (I think you're one, too), I believe we've gotten a reputation for apathy. I think of it more that we don't want to make trouble...which seems like a measured, sensible approach to me.
The world sure would be a nicer place if religion didn't exist. But yeah, I guess people should have a right to practice one if they want. I suppose the problem arrises when the religion you are practicing drives you to interfere with other people's freedoms. I really wish people didn't take religion so seriously.
ReplyDeleteI respect religions without being able to buy in, also... and I totally agree--reading the books is a far better use of them than burning them. I feel like it's a good way to discover how ALIKE most religions are underneath.
ReplyDeleteAs the man said, "You've got to fight...for your right...to blaspheme."
ReplyDeleteI love that you have Elizabeth's book in-between the two "bibles."
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the pastor who burned the Koran. He considers his St. James Bible as sacred. The Muslims consider their Koran as sacred. If you believe that a word can be sacred, then honor it, be it your word or someone else's.
KO: I agree. Book burning is something we associate with Germany in the 1930s. We should know better today.
ReplyDeleteCruella: Thanks. Believing in digressions is wise, I think. Conflict should be approached with words; dialogue and debate, not with book burning nor violence.
Mary: Thanks. Yes, I have a varied collection of books, too many. Sometimes I drop some books at the Salvation Army 2nd hand store, to free some space in the shelves.
Elizabeth: Yes, I'm Gen-X too. I brought your book to read on the plane on a business trip. That's why it ended up between The Koran and Morse and Feshbach in my office shelf >:)
id: I think so too. People have the right to believe in whatever religion they want, or to believe in none of them.
Hart: Islam and Christianity are similar in many ways. There's a difference in the status of Jesus, prophet or part of God (from a majority decission at the church meeting in Nicea in 325). But is it worth killing for?
ABftS: The right to blaspheme is very important, because criticism of religion is necessary to make progress. Religions always claim protection with anti-blasphemy laws when they are challenged.
Helen: You know, Dorian and I belong to the other side ... for us nothing is sacred >;)
The more I read the more I believe, but I really enjoyed your post. I'd like to read the Koran sometime, and certainly wouldn't want to burn it. Seems like the pastor maybe doesn't read his Bible that much or he'd know better. Perhaps he just worships it.
ReplyDeleteI've got the Glorious Koran in my bookshelf, too. Read it many years ago in college, and thought it so violent. But is it any more so than all the other religious bibles? The world, unfortunately, is flush with ignorance. That won't be changing any time soon.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if some Christian learn about it.
ReplyDeleteBargain with the Devil
Sheila: I think we disagree regarding the effect of reading, but that's fine with me >:)
ReplyDeleteJayne: I agree that the Koran is violent in many ways, and The Bible (Old Testament) is violent too. Jesus is a nice guy and in a sense I like him, but I don't believe he's more than a charismatic leader of his time.