Burning the Koran

Excellent post from Tony Reinke on why the idea of burning the Koran Saturday is a bad idea and unbiblical.  He draws these points from Acts:

The Bible, as far as I can tell, mentions one account where religious texts are thrown to the flames (Acts 19:11-20). On the heels of the great work of God in Ephesus, the people had come to fear God and to trust in the Savior. As a result, “a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver” (v. 19). In modern terms they ignited a bonfire using very expensive magic books....

From this account here are six points to ponder:

1. The Ephesian people burned their own books. These new believers renounced their past. This was not an act of Christians barging into homes to ransack libraries for kindling, or weeding out the public library, or buying up all available copies from the local bookshop. They gathered the valuable books from their own houses.

2. No Christian leader encouraged the book burning. At least the text doesn’t say it. Or would have been better for the books to be sold and the money given to the Apostolic ministry? Perish the thought. There there is no indication that Paul advised the people to burn (or sell) their occultist books.

3. The books posed no threat to the gospel. The gospel overcame the magic power of the books. The gospel is like a hurricane and nothing will stop its wind, certainly not a book of demonic spells.

4. God’s display of power convinced the people that their books were worthless. There was no need to address the value of the magic books directly. Once God’s power and his gospel were seen in the city, the matter was settled.

5. The book burning was a display of godly sorrow. The recently converted Christians wanted to confess their sin before “all.” The high value of the books (50,000 days wages worth!) made a strong statement. It was an act of personal sorrow for their own sin.

6. The burning illustrated the victory of the gospel. The magic books were burned because the gospel was spreading like wildfire: “So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily” (v. 20).

These six points should make us very hesitant about burning other people’s religious books.

(HT: Between Two Worlds)

Comments

[Stephen Bedard]

I strongly agree and I recently had a similar discussion on Facebook. Here is my suggestion for how Christians should respond.
http://1peter315.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/responding-to-the-quran-burning/

[Kevin Guillory]

As I noted on the Puritan Board, it now is beyond a matter of right vs. wrong. Regardless of whether one agrees, or disagrees, with the decision to burn the koran, mohammedans will think the church weak and lacking in respect if they decide NOT to go through with the project. On the other hand, non-mohammedans will think that church to be bending to the will of the mohammedans and/or fear if they back down. Either way is a loss to the church. Consequently ... burn the books.

[francis]

Why the fuss by the media and politicians about the burning of the Koran which is not a desirable thing anyway, at least, from the Christian and rational view point. America is a free country and it is not unconstitutional not to burn any book just as it free to build in any legally approved place in the country, though not charitable in certain circumstances. Since there is time to avert an offensive situation, instead of condemning and make the situation worse, but insidiously engendering it, why not plea from the authorities (say, the president Obama or Mrs Clinton) to the parties involved to desist from their actions. It is then we can see the genuineness of spirit of those involved. It is very likely that the Christian spirit well respond positively.
- Francis

[Mr mouse.]

Why this is getting press i have no idea but i will throw in my two cents anyway. Should the books be burned? no. its intolerant hate speech rooted in ignorance. Do they have the right to burn the books? absolutly and im not going to stop them. I might protest against the mesage and to Kevin...your argument is all about who has the biggest balls, very counter productive from a spiritual point of view, you know...the suposed foundation of all religons.

[KWM]

>>”Why the fuss by the media and politicians about the burning of the Koran…”

Well, for starters people get killed. It’s interesting that the intolerance is more focused on the book burner than on the ones that seek violent retribution. The media should not forget that little detail. The Danish cartoon incident had more people denouncing the cartoon than the killing that succeeded it.

All that said, burning the Koran –not a good idea. Neither his killing for it.

BTW - Keep a lookout for the art exhibit with a crucifix submerged in urine coming to a museum near you.

[Jim Stair]

I went to the church's web site http://www.doveworld.org/contact and asked them if they had sent missionaries to Muslim countries themselves. If they have, then they would be putting their own young people in increased danger and would be showing some semblance of "personal sacrifice." But even then, I do not agree that they should be putting other Christian missionaries in increased danger by their provocative actions. I will let you know if I hear back from them. I can imagine their inbox is overwhelmed.

[dave]

Jones is picking a fight for everyone else to settle. But then, how is this different from corporate America's military industrial complex and their politicians creating the entire Middle east fiasco in the first place?

[Alan Grey]

Wow...a few comments...
1) I don't think they should be burning the books

2) The Israelites burned the other religions prophets not the books.

3) This wouldn't endanger many lives if the press had ignored it instead of blowing it up into a big media storm. They share much of the blame

[Adam]

While I think burning the Koran is stupid and pointless, I don't see how the account from Acts is relevant. At best it shows us one situation where it is permissible to burn religious books, but it really doesn't speak to this situation at all. It certainly doesn't suggest that we ought to be "hesitant" to burn any books.

[Jarrod]

A friend of mine wrote the best response to this issue that I think can be given.

http://doccochran.wordpress.com/2010/09/07/burning-fears/

[dave]

Next weeks headlines written in tea-bagger jargon:

Moran Burns Koran, starts WWIII

[KWM]

Hi dave,

What is "tea-bagger jargon"?

[jirah]

The media is pushing this because the media has a left wing bias and the guy who is aranging this is a perfect version of what the media right wing or conservatives are like. whenever they interview a tea party member they go straight to the guy with the rebel flag (not anything wrong with that) or a birther. I don't believe in the koran but this is a great way to make all christians or conservatives look like an intolerant nutcase.

[dave]

>Hi dave,

What is "tea-bagger jargon"?

>> Awhile back it came to light that many from the Tea Party anti-government movement can't spell, or construct complete sentences. One placard in particular set the internet a-buzz with the phrase "Get a brain Morans", which became iconic for the movement since it was a misspelling of the word "morons".

[Agilius]

The idea behind this Pastor's decision to burn the Koran has nothing to do with disrespect for Muslims.

The Pastor plainly said this issue was about radical Islam. Terrorists.

The catalyst is that the Community Center with a Mosque in it very much seems to follow radical Islam's tradition of building Mosques on symbols of great importance to people they have conquered.

By burning the Koran, the Pastor is sending a message that in America, we are not bound to adhere to any religious doctrine, qua religious.

I support this Pastor's idea. In fact, to prove the point that he is not merely trying to irritate people, he should burn a Bible as well. Seems a simple enough proof.

They're all just books. If the words in the books represent the truth about god, then we can use logic to prove it.

But we are free in America, and I will burn any religious book of mine that I like. I am not a citizen of any other country, and I am not a "citizen of the world", as President Obama considers himself.

[Richard R]

Hey dave [sic],

Ever seen the placards at an anti-war rally? It's funny how myopic people like you enjoy straining a gnat but swallow a camel.

Leave it to an atheist to bring politics into a theological/religious tolerance thread.

[KWM]

Dave,

>>”Awhile back it came to light that many from the Tea Party anti-government movement can't spell, or construct complete sentences. One placard in particular set the internet a-buzz with the phrase "Get a brain Morans", which became iconic for the movement since it was a misspelling of the word "morons".

Oh, ok - that's what I thought. Just note the average Tea Partier is more educated and highly compensated than the average American. This is fact. By the way, would you make the same comment if this were a minority group - if you saw such a sign? For instance, would you say, NAACP type jargon?

Or is that yucky?

[Mike Westfall]

There is no need to burn Korans now. The violent reaction of Muslims everywhere to the news that one inconsequential pastor with a tiny flock was going to do just that makes the pastor's point adequately.

[KWM]

Mike,

Agreed. I think that is the most underreported storyline of this whole mess. As Americans everywhere urge the pastor to refrain, radical Muslims are free to place their thumb on the detonator. It’s almost presented as if the Koran burning deserves retribution.

[KWM]

Can I make a comparison? Someone show me where I’m off.

A: Burning the Koran (reprehensible and legal)
B: Aborting a baby (reprehensible and legal)

A1: Responding to burning the Koran with violence (reprehensible)
B1: Responding to abortion with violence (reprehensible)

A2: Media outrage over burning Koran due to it being reprehensible and for potential violence
B2: Media outrage over violence against abortion providers only – not of the abortion

I’ve always said: If the media got as energized about the huge number of radical Muslims as they do about the one or two lone abortion vigilantes we’d be better off.

As Christians, which is worse? Aborting a baby or burning a Koran? Not even close.

I guess there's no point to my post other than to put these things into perspective.

[dave]

Re:KWM on the tea-baggars.

I used one of their frequent misspellings, the word "moran" because it rhymed with "Koran". Had the NAACP or anyone else shed a few IQ points and misspelled it, I probably would have used their version.

[dave]

Re: Richard R

I haven't followed the anti-war protests, but did notice Glenn Beck's 87,000 moron march recently in Washington on MLK day. Since his movement is essentially the KKK going mainstream, it was as much in bad taste as the planned burning of the Koran, or the building of a Mosque near ground zero.

[dave]

the above reference to MLK Day Should read, MLK legacy Day.

[Agilius]

>> The violent reaction of Muslims everywhere to the news that one inconsequential pastor with a tiny flock was going to do just that makes the pastor's point adequately.

The point wasn't prove that radical Muslims will react violently, and it wasn't to make anyone mad.

Again, the point was, in the face of what the Cordoba House Islamic Center is to mean to radical Muslims (that they have conquered us), to assert our right as citizens of America, and of a sovereign nation, to refuse to adhere to doctrines of religions and countries with which we disagree, and to pursue those doctrines which are consistent with reason.

No one should respect either Islam or Christianity unless they can prove the truth of their religion.

I am not at all offended when someone who honestly disagrees with Christianity burns a Bible they own - that is consistent with their belief, and it doesn't harm anyone.

[Damian]

Don't forget the most important reason. It hampers the proclaimation of the gospel to those who need it.

[Mo]

It's sad to see STR taking this stand.

For one thing, anyone who has read the Quran knows the hatred, intolerance and violence it teaches.

That aside, while I don't think burning any book accomplishes much, the fact remains that in America, we have 1) the right to do as we wish with our private property (as the GZ Mosque supporters claim) and 2) the right to our expression of free speech.

Bowing to the bullying and threats of Muslims like the GZ imam Rauf or Islamic apologists in the media and elsewhere means we are giving in to intimidation and giving up our freedom of speech.

I'm sorry, but that's not right either.

[Agilius]

Better wake up, people.

This is the real reason the Obama Administration is doing things like apologizing to other nations on America's behalf:

HOWARD DEAN TO EUROPEAN SOCIALISTS: LET’S WORK TOGETHER FOR ‘GLOBAL NEW DEAL’
http://www.breitbart.tv/howard-dean-to-european-socialists-lets-work-together-for-global-new-deal/

[Chris]

Funny how Obama worries that burning the Koran might get Muslims riled in violence but he has no such worries when bombing Muslims in their lands.

[dave]

Re: Chris,

Not to mention killing thousands of innocent Iraqis who had nothing whatsoever to do with 9/11.

[KWM]

Hi, Dave.

Violent Islamists killed innocent Iraqis– on purpose. The larger the body count, the better. They purposefully inflicted suffering of the worst kind on women and children. They strapped bombs to handicapped children, they walked into crowded market places and blew apart innocent lives – not because of the US - but because that’s what they do. The US efforts were to defeat such evil people and end the killing of innocents.

[Agilius]

Hey, I support this Atheist, too. :)

[video removed by the blog moderator]

Both the Koran and the Bible are just books. If the words are true or false, burning them doesn't change that fact.