Koran burning

[Sky]

How come only the West is tasked with self-examination?

Could it be that the media you follow is not reporting the non-Western self examination?

 

[RJDiogenes]

If you own it, you can burn it.

That first Post could have used a link.

 

[clint g]

But if displays of intolerance and hatred are to be frowned upon, how come nobody seems to tell the Muslim world (or American anti-war protesters) that burning an American flag is an act of hatred and intolerance, and that many Americans are horribly offended by it? Heck, making American flags just to burn at protests is a cottage industry over there, just like printing Korans just to burn them could, in an alternate universe, be a cottage industry over here.

I don't give a crap about is allowed in the Muslim world. The Muslim world isn't run by the US Constitution. Over here we have the Bill of Rights.

How come only the West is tasked with self-examination? Why are only we asked to show tolerance and why is anyone denounced who even suggests that certain Muslim groups stop acting like three-year olds throwing a tantrum?

So your response to a three year old throwing a tantrum is to throw a tantrum of your own? This is not productive.

The number of Muslims afraid of horribly offending Western Christians must be close to zero. The number of Christians afraid of even slightly offending Muslims must be nearly all of them, minus the thirty to fifty at the wacko church in Florida.

There is nothing offensive about building an Islamic Community center at the location they choose. Have you even been there? Well I have, and it's not the holy ground people are making it out to be.

But back to the point. Everyone is outraged at the actions of the Florida Church, with even General Petraeus warning that such actions might embolden terrorists attacking our troops. Where were these prudent warnings when people who aren't fundamentalist wackos chanted "America is Satan!" and "Bush=Hitler!", showing fake videos of Americans raping Muslim women and such (without bothering to find out if the story was fake) or running fake stories on American atrocities?

It's inapproriate for a General to become openly involved in politics. The fact that General Petraeus was dragged into this shows just how serious of an issue this is.

Nobody seemed to have a problem with outraging Muslim sensibilities back then. In fact, it seemed to be a goal. But now that a redneck is doing it, it's suddenly wrong, counterproductive, and even dangerous to our soldiers.

Um, cause it is counterproductive and dangerous to the military.

 

[Holdfast]

These cowardly bigots have the right to burn any book they want to.

Pretty much my position too.



Of course, the real solution would be to burn ALL the books.

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^ You'll change your tune, Guy Montag.

 

[Jan]

Moot point anymore. The 'event' has been cancelled. Now the publicity seeker will fly to NY to talk about the community center.

Jan

 

[JarodRussell]

Well, "they" are burning flags and Christians to make their point. Why can't "we" burn books?

And the funny thing is that people are not upset because it's disrespectful, they are only upset because they are afraid of the backlash. That's interesting because "we" have to fear to get killed on the street for drawing cartoons, but "they" can do anything they want anywhere they want and have to fear nothing. Because "we" stay cool and sensible, but "they" react like fucking spoiled brats.

If the situation were reverse, if Islamists would burn bibles, nobody would really care.

 

[Robert D. Robot]

....One Koran was kicked, one was stepped on, and some accidentally got wet during a water balloon fight.....

...during a water balloon fight?

What operation was being run at the time down there? A detention center or a 3rd grader's birthday party? What a mess....

 

[Rii]

Unsurprisingly, the available options fail to encompass my position. I would oppose attempts to restrict this individual's freedom of speech, however that does not translate to support for his actions. Conversely, whilst I am personally opposed to his actions, it is not because religion is inherently deserving of respect or because I support the United States' imperialist ambitions in the region.

 

[Robert D. Robot]

I heard on the radio today that the local Fire Department claims that the 'pastor' has no permit to create such a fire/burning, so they'll be on hand to put it out as soon as it is lit.

We can only hope that the scene will go like in the Warner Brother's cartoons where the hillbillies are trying to roast Daffy Duck in the oven, but each time a match is lit, Daffy
sticks his head out of the oven and blows out the flame. THAT would be excellent.

 

[JarodRussell]

Actually, I'm hoping for a lightning strike to start the fire. Now THAT would be awesome. How'd you explain that away?

 

[Robert D. Robot]

^ The act of SOMEBODY'S angry God, I guess!

..... Zeus, maybe. He's tired of being ignored!

 

[Jan]

Reposting: It's cancelled.

 

[Rii]

I heard on the radio today that the local Fire Department claims that the 'pastor' has no permit to create such a fire/burning, so they'll be on hand to put it out as soon as it is lit.

That's awesome.

 

[JarodRussell]

Reposting: It's cancelled.

The God of Lightning doesn't care!

 

[Brent]

Don't Burn.

I am a Christian, and I do not think we should burn it.

I just want to say, from the bottom of my heart, that this Christian church does not represent all Christians, in fact, I think they are severly giving us a bad name and doing more damage than good. Jesus would never do such a thing. As Christians, we are to strive to be like Jesus, and I just can't see him doing this.

It all goes back to the point of this, which I've made in regards to the building of the Mosque at 9/11 site also. The question is not "is it allowed/legal?" (we all know it is allowed and legal) but rather..."should it be done?" The answer on the topic of both is No, IMO.

I believe that burning this book sends the wrong message, and is not the Christian thing to do, just my opinion. We have to be real careful here, we have to make sure we are doing what is right, and this is not right IMO. I am actually pretty upset about it, equally with the building of the Mosque.

 

[Robert D. Robot]

Reposting: It's cancelled.

Yes, I had heard that, too. The 'pastor' is supposed to be flying up to NYC to meet with the imam who is proposing to build the Islamic center up there, but the 'pastor' also claimed at the press conference this afternoon that he had cancelled the burning because Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf (up in NYC) had reconsidered and said that the center now would be built at a different location. This deal and trip was supposedly arranged through Imam Muhammad Musri of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, who was also at the news conference.

When asked to comment, the Imam Rauf denied the 'pastor's' claim. Imam Musri also made a statement that Imam Rauf had had only agreed to meet with Musri and 'pastor' Jones-- nothing was ever said that some decision had been made to move the center. This indicates to me that the 'pastor' is either confused or lying during the latest page in his run for his 15 minutes of fame.

Wonder if his cancelled event will be put back on the front burner if it turns out he misunderstood the imam....

 

[-Brett-]

I'm glad it's cancelled. I was having trouble deciding if I disliked islam more or less than I dislike book burning. I dislike them both pretty strongly.

 

[InklingStar]

If a tiny mosque decided to host a Bible-burning, nobody would care. So I can't be bothered to care what some nobody is going to do or not do to a Qur'an.

 

[J.T.B.]

^ But freedom of speech does let you (and everyone in the press) release pictures of Abu Ghraib, release classified documents, classified combat footage, and faked photos of Jews burning Korans, all of which incited religious hatred and Islamic terrorism, so why not this?

Actually no, releasing some kinds of classified or secret documents is a crime and is not protected by freedom of speech.

But if the extremist fringe twat wanting to stir up trouble is an Al Qaeda defender wanting to build a victory mosque at Ground Zero, we claim it's a right under free speech, religious freedom, etc, and denounce opposition to the incitement as bigotry.

First of all, very few are saying that people don't have the right, under the 2nd Amendment, to burn a Qu'ran or any other book.

Second, the term "victory mosque" is inaccurate and obviously intended to be prejudicial, and "at Ground Zero" is also inaccurate in conventional usage.

Third, it is bigotry. Grouping all Muslims together as some kind of bloc that is tied to terrorism makes as much sense as linking Christians in general to "Christian terrorism." Would anyone give a second thought to a proposal of building a Christian church within a couple of blocks of the Atlanta Olympic Park?

--Justin