Burn A Koran Day

[Rhianne]

It seems to me that symbolism is a big thing for Americans and those in certain parts of the Middle East – or perhaps it’s really just with religious folk.

You may, or may not find this relevant (and tedious).

Back in the late eighties or thereabouts, early days for what we now call ‘reality TV’, they ran a short series of programmes over here filmed in a small Spanish hotel. Tourists from four countries – England, Germany, the US and (I think) France stayed in the place for free on consecutive weeks understanding that they would be filmed. The guests didn’t know much about the show or that there were stooges in residence too – the idea being to see how the different nationalities would react to different situations. Meals would be served late, the bus driver taking them to an outing would be drunk, one of the stooges would steal drinks from the bar (the English helped him, the Germans tried to stop him and reported him immediately when he wouldn't) – that sort of thing.

Anyway, on their respective last days the groups returned to the hotel from an outing to find a large national flag that had hung in the dining room for the duration of their visit had been partly burned. No-one cared much, in fact if I recall correctly the Germans found it funny. Not so with the Americans though – there was anger and something approaching violence to the hotel staff. With the show over the participants were told that all the incidents, including the flag burning, had been faked for the show, and they all showed the expected amusement – but not, as you guess, the Americans. They were fine with everything else but not the flag, women were in tears, one of them insisting she be allowed to take it home to American soil for burial. Some of the production crew took refuge behind their equipment after someone from the team suggested that it was ‘just a piece of cloth’.

My point? Oh, you think I have one?

Well, I suppose it’s only that just because you find something important doesn’t mean everyone else does and if you do find some kind of symbol important to you be aware that others might have their own. Flags and Bibles and Korans don’t mean much to me but while I might be happy to toss one in a bin or burn it while clearing out I certainly wouldn’t do it in attempt to upset or antagonise others.

IF you feel so strongly about blaming Islam for flying planes into the buildings, murder, bombing, kidnapping, rape, stoning, terrorism..why not blame Christianity for the extreme Christian Identity movement that relies on the novel The Turner Diaries for their mantra to exterminate Jews and non-whites in America and overthrown the government by force.

Or blame Christianity for Scott Turner acting on his Christian beliefs by murdering an abortion doctor in cold blood in Church.

Repeat...when you promote ignorance (Islam is a terrorist religion), you are part of the problem, not part of the solution.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Redux

IF you feel so strongly about blaming Islam for flying planes into the buildings, murder, bombing, kidnapping, rape, stoning, terrorism..why not blame Christianity for the extreme Christian Identity movement that relies on the novel The Turner Diaries for their mantra to exterminate Jews and non-whites in America and overthrown the government by force.

Or blame Christianity for Scott Turner acting on his Christian beliefs by murdering an abortion doctor in cold blood in Church.

Repeat...when you promote ignorance (Islam is a terrorist religion), you are part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Complete straw man argument. Stop trying to compare the recent violence of a limited number of extremist in this country to the immediate death of over 2800 people on 9/11.

[classicman]

I pointed no finger at anyone - just listed a few more examples of things done as a "result of fear promulgated by haters" to add to your list.

[squirell nutkin]

Lamplighter's question reminds me of the story about Nasruddin traveling with a Jew and a Christian. They are hungry and have no food and come to an oasis where they see a chocolate cake cut into 4 pieces, so they each eat a piece of cake, leaving one. After a while they fall into debate about who should have the last piece. Eventually they agree to sleep on it and whoever has the most spiritual dream should be rewarded with the cake.

The next morning they awake and share their dreams. The Jew tells how Moses came to him, walking through the parted Red Sea, bearing the tablets, surrounded by burning bushes, telling him that he was most deserving of the cake. The others agreed that his dream was full of very spiritual imagery, but then the Christian went on to describe and equally elaborate, significant dream with angels and seraphim bearing gold, frankincense, myrhh, and chocolate cake. And again, they all agreed it was na exceptionally spiritual dream. They asked Nasruddin about his dream and he said, "I dreamed Allah told me to wake up and eat the cake, so I did."

[classicman]

or better yet - fell into his own fire ... Now THAT would be symbolic!

[wolf]

Burning the Koran seems a little inflammatory, doesn't it?

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by wolf

Burning the Koran seems a little inflammatory, doesn't it?

Groooaaaan

[jinx]

Originally Posted by wolf

Burning the Koran seems a little inflammatory, doesn't it?

Win.

[wolf]

I was just surprised that nobody else said it.

[classicman]

We were hoping that leaving it to you might put a lil fire under your ass to get back here and posting.

[wolf]

Vacation was rough. I had wifi everyplace I went, only tried to turn on the computer once, and that was in the one with the crappy signal that never managed to connect.

[classicman]

REV: THE BURNING WILL PROCEED...
'Meant to Be a Warning'...
Vatican: 'Outrageous'...
NYPD: 'Dangerous'...
Holder: 'Idiotic'...
Clinton: 'Disgraceful'...

Looks like all aspects of one side" have no problem with public condemnations of stupidity or outrageous behavior, why not the other?

[Juniper]

I've always been a member of the "catch more flies with sugar" camp. As a Christian, I am very much anti-evangelistic. If I should ever manage to sway anyone to join my religion, it shall be because they see how happy I am and how I choose to live my life and think, hm, I might want that for myself. Tell me how you got there.

So, here's a somewhat-related news item:

A Muslim teenager from Ohio says her father threatened to kill her because she converted to Christianity.
http://articles.cnn.com/2009-09-03/j...im?_s=PM:CRIME

Now, I'm not saying it's right or wrong to attempt to sway anyone away from Islam--just that IF you were wanting to do that, would burning their holy book be a good way to start?

But why, you might ask, would I point that out? Is that indeed the goal of this Dove-hick-backwater-crazy-Christian church?

Yes. At least it says so on the church's Web site:
God loves you so much.. you can escape Islam and be free!
http://www.doveworld.org/shelter

[Scriveyn]

Just some more facts about this man (according to the German news channels):

He has lived and started his cult (or whatever you want to call it) in Cologne/Germany. He stated that this town was the gate of hell, because (1) the mother of the Roman emperor Nero had founded the city and (2) because Karl Marx had lived there for a while. He said he founded and ran his group to watch over this gate of hell.

Also, a German court has found him guilty for assuming an academic title (Dr.), that he had not acquired.