Burn A Koran Day

[Juniper]

This is really bugging me. I don't generally get too upset about political stuff--I keep up, I listen, I have opinions but don't usually find it worthwhile to bother expressing them. Yeah, I'm a wimp. But this one hit a nerve.

First off, I just flat-out on general principle think that burning books is seriously retarded. But that's just the literature-lover in me, I guess.

On a sentimental, nostalgic note, this reminds me of the Waltons episode in which the townsfolk got together to burn a bunch of books printed in German. John-Boy rescued one big book from the eager pastor's hands (John Ritter!) only to find that, to everyone's shock, it was the Bible! Lesson: if you destroy something an enemy holds dear, you risk destroying something you also might treasure. Or something like that.

See, in the old days, when they burned books they did it right--they gathered up copies from personal libraries. But in some backwater redneck town, who's gonna have a copy of the Koran? How are they going to GET enough of these books to have a respectable conflagration? Order a couple cases from Amazon? Does this not seem a bit illogical?

Support your Koran publisher! Special book-burning packages available, just ask for our Crazy Christian discount.

My oh, so conservative hubby says he's in favor of it. Says we're teaching them a lesson. We won't stand for this Islam invasion. After all, he says, they do it to us. And worse.

But, I said, can't we be . . . I dunno, better than that?

Screw that, he says. After we send all kinds of aid to their people in times of need, they still think we're the enemy.

Well yeah, but we're doing what is right. Helping.

I wanted to say: I'd rather die doing what is right than live knowing I'd done something ethically wrong to protect myself. But I'm nowhere near that good. I'm certainly no Mother Theresa.

But you know, that's not really the point. The point is, if you're gonna have a protest, do it right. Don't support your enemies in the process.

[GunMaster357]

Burning a Koran won't serve anything aside from making Saudi Arabia richer with all these nice books we'll have to purchase to build this nice little "autodafé".

They don't want help... Stop sending it.

[xoxoxoBruce]

You're absolutely right on every count, Juniper.

[Rhianne]

*Self Sensored*

[xoxoxoBruce]

Aw let it out, otherwise you'll get heartburn and ulcers.

[Sundae]

To me, it just shows how silly religion is.
I hate you because your magic book is different than my magic book.
So I'ma gonna burn it. Serves you right.

Ridiculous.

And I wish that the Muslims could realise that burning things means nothing.
And Christians could get over it too.
It's like the practice of burning or hanging people in effigy.
If your religion really is the one true faith, then burning a bit of writing means nothing. If you are a country with great power and weaponry, burning a flag means nothing.

Anti-Christian is not anti-American. Otherwise I'm anti-American, being an atheist.
Pro-Islam is not pro-terrorist - I live with churchgoing Catholics but I don't support paedophiles or the "real" IRA (or whoever the murderers were who left a pipe bomb in a school playground in Co Antrim THIS WEEK)

I honestly don't care what some chap said 2,000 years ago.
And to be frank, neither do many of the people doing the killing, maiming and shooting.
Give it up, let it go, and try to live by the stated ideals of the men you purport to follow.

[Cloud]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

To me, it just shows how silly religion is.
I hate you because your magic book is different than my magic book.
So I'ma gonna burn it. Serves you right.

Ridiculous.

this

[TheMercenary]

I am completely against this event. It goes against most of what we think and believe.

But on the other hand, I am also against the KKK and NeoNazi's, the hate of Louis Farrakhan, and the support of NAMBLA members by the ACLU. And they all get to do what they want under the guise of Constitutional protections, so why should these idiots be treated any differently?

The best thing we could do as a country is prevent the press or anyone from showing up, no pictures, no front page reports on the NYT, and let them do what ever the hell they want. Just don't give them any press over it. The press is going to inflame this event by the coverage they give it. Just like any terrorist, give them the stage and they achieve their means. Take away the stage and no one can hear their BS.

[glatt]

He's trying to prove the hornet's nest is dangerous by whacking it with a stick. I'd call him an idiot, but I think he knows exactly what he is doing, which makes him evil.

But I stand by his right to freedom of speech, and I'm not going to prevent him from burning anything he owns. The asshole.

[squirell nutkin]

Originally Posted by glatt

He's trying to prove the hornet's nest is dangerous by whacking it with a stick. I'd call him an idiot, but I think he knows exactly what he is doing, which makes him evil.

But I stand by his right to freedom of speech, and I'm not going to prevent him from burning anything he owns. The asshole.

I'll make the argument that his speech is not protected speech under the first amendment as it is tantamount to "inciting to riot" and "hate speech" neither of which is protected. While he is not literally inciting people to riot, his actions are dangerously close to that.

He is an asshole.

[monster]

I'm not a book-burner at heart, but I do believe in equal opportunities and freedom of religion, so I'm thinking the authorities might want to intervene and make sure the religous book-burning is open to people of all faiths. I might show up and toss a few bibles on myself, just to balance out the pot as it were..... and perhaps a copy of "Oh Yuck". That's my kids' guidebook to life, apparently. I thought you were supposed to burn stuff you liked to appease deities anyway?

[monster]

Do you think the Koran Burner(s) has actually read the Koran? If not, what do we all think about people who dismiss things without actually knowing about them? Judging a book by it's cover, as it were.....? Shallow, vain? Isn't vanity one of the Sins?

[ZenGum]

Koran, shit, you reckon he actually read the Bible?

I think I'm with Glatt. Free speech is an important thing, even if some dick has too be a total dick about it. Best thing is to ignore them, but it is too late for that, so a widespread public condemnation of the act is the next best thing.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

I am completely against this event. It goes against most of what we think and believe.

The press is going to inflame this event by the coverage they give it. Just like any terrorist, give them the stage and they achieve their means. Take away the stage and no one can hear their BS.

Originally Posted by glatt

I stand by his right to freedom of speech, and I'm not going to prevent him from burning anything he owns. The asshole.

Bold for emphasis.

It amazes me the stupidity of the press to cover this piss-ant (sp?) preacher and his church with 50 friggin people. Why the hell are they giving him the world stage. Who benefits? The nutters on one side get all worked up and carry signs and the nutters on the other just use it to convince more people to join their cause ... leading to more killing and fighting and and and. WTF?

[Spexxvet]

I'm with Monster. Imma gonna burn a bible.