Support the troops! Don't burn the Koran

Why do these Christians hate American troops so much?

The top US commander in Afghanistan has warned that troops' lives will be in danger if an American church sticks to its plan to burn copies of the Koran [on 11 September 2010].

[ ... ]

Pastor Terry Jones, of the Dove World Outreach Center, plans to put copies of the holy book in a bonfire to mark this week's anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

There have already been protests in Afghanistan and Indonesia.

[ ... ]

"It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort," Gen Petraeus said in a statement to US media. "It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems.

"Not just here, but everywhere in the world, we are engaged with the Islamic community," added Gen Petraeus, who heads a 150,000-strong Nato force against a Taliban-led insurgency.

(BBC.) There have been protests outside the U.S. embassy in Kabul already. A young man who was interviewed there appears to believe that the church's Koran burning plans aren't isolated to some four dozen brainwashed, ignorant fundies. Rather, he believes, "[T]his is not just the decision of a church. It is the decision of the president and the entire United States." I'd dismiss the young man's brainwashed, ignorant, fundie ranting as harmless, except that last time the mere rumor that an American desecrated a Koran got out, 15 people died.

Fundamentalists are the same the world over, no matter which religion they profess and which other religion they call sorcery. This Pastor Jones is merely one example, though a striking one. BBC quotes him saying on CNN, "How long do we back down?"

Jesus christ -- so to speak -- hasn't this guy ever read the Sermon on the Mount?

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. [ ... ] Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

(Matt. 5:38-47, KJV.)

Why hasn't Facebook taken down the related event page, which is basically just a shill for Pastor Jones's hate-mongering, misinformation-spreading book? (For example, the book claims that there is only one, single, united Islamic faith. This lie distorts the truth that there are four major branches or schools of Islam, with their own sub-groups, as well as some very small sects, not to mention the various Black Muslim organizations here in the States.) And how can the church call itself the Dove World Outreach Center with a straight face?

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Or maybe Pastor Jones is taking a page from Fred Phelps's playbook, and is trying to get the burn shut down so that he can win § 1983 damages for a violation of his free speech rights. The church's local municipality rejected their application for a burn permit, because "[t]he only open burning allowed in the City of Gainesville is for cooking, such as barbecue grills, smokers, or other devices designed specifically for that purpose" (cityofgainesville.org). The fire chief says he'll cite the church if they go ahead with the burn anyway. -sniff sniff- What's that I smell? It's not smoke! It's a First Amendment challenge! Liberty Counsel and the American Center for Law & Justice to the white courtesy phone, please!