Koran Burning :(
// September 10th, 2010 // thought for the week
The people of SCC would like to add our voice to those against the burning of the Koran. We pray that Pastor Jones will make his ‘suspension’ permanent.
I was going to write a small article about it, but Colin Hart from the Christian Institute sums it up much better in this article that I would.
I disagree with Colin Harts view. The story of the Israelites entry into the Promised Land is an object lesson in how we as Christians should view objects and practices which are not godly.
The ancient Israelites were commanded to destroy such things but they never quite were able to carry out fully the clear command of God. Their subsequent history is one of compromise as they married into heathen tribes and adopted heathen practices. The history of the Christian church is no different. Everywhere the church has been planted it has compromised to a greater or lesser extent with the world in which it finds itself. To live in peace with all men doesn’t mean that we have to accept their beliefs and practices.
When Jesus commanded us to love others as ourselves he meant the person, not their ungodly beliefs and practices.
Book burning is a very potent symbol. In the light of God’s word in Luke 21:23 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” how would you feel if someone burnt your Bible?
I mostly agree with what you say, but none of that justifies burning a Koran in the USA today. We can’t live at peace with someone if we perform acts which are insulting to what they believe, and as you say, how would you feel if someone burnt your bible?
We are called to hold fast to our beliefs and to love others. Respecting their right to hold different beliefs is an important part of that. We are not the Israelites, and this is not the promised land. They may have failed in their mission to wipe out the non-believers from their land as they were moving in, but we are not called to Jihad or to wipe anyone or anything out from this world.
I hold to the view that burning the Koran is a step in completely the wrong direction and nothing but inflammatory. We should be showing our Islamic neighbours the love of God, not scaring and upsetting them.
No, I agree we should not inflame people of other faiths but my question about how would you feel if someone burnt your bible was an invitation to consider how you would really feel. I think the mature response would be to ignore it. In spite of the best efforts of many over the centuries, no one has succeeded in totally destroying God’s word which part confirms the scripture I quoted. As far as I understand, the Holy Bible is banned in many Muslim countries, sometimes on pain of death. I do not believe the Koran to be the word of God yet the more militant elements of those who do, go out of their way to scare, upset and kill if they can, anyone who disagrees with them.