TW, you're right about the cartoon. My question is, though, is it common? It may be irrelevant to ask it now, though since this thing has blown up into such an international news story. Common or not, I guess the question is how likely is it to result in dead Christians?
I decided to follow Paul's lead and just contact the guy myself. I don't know that my opinion mirrors anyone's here on the particulars, but I figured the best way to poke holes that he may see in his own argument is not to butt heads with him. Here's what I wrote, and I'd ask everyone to do the same in your own way. You can do it by the contacts link on his church's website at www dot doveworld dot org
Pastor Jones,
I'm a Christian in north Alabama. I share your opinion that Islam is a scourge on the planet. We have different views on why that matters; I believe that society cannot be reformed even by the most adamantly Christianized civil government. In other words, sir, if every evangelical, Bible-believing follower of Jesus Christ were to up and vote, be heard in political circles of power, etc., we'd still have believers piloting a sinking ship. It wouldn't even sink more slowly.
There simply is no reformation of society, no restoration. I disagree with you that God has a vision for either of them. The end of the matter is that God will, by His own hand, destroy all of it. That much is immutable. We Christians, in whatever nation and especially in America, are wholly incapable of bringing the world or even our nation to a point of "improvement" that God will find pleasing. It simply is not our role, and it is simply not His desire.
When confronted with the ultimate political power play, a situation where Jesus could have been tempted to mull over a really historical political career, here's what He said: "My kingdom is not of this world." That's always been so and ever shall be true.
I understand your motivations in wanting to follow through on this pyre of Korans. But, might I suggest that you are very off-base here. Burning these Korans is not going to change one iota of the problems you cite in all 15 of your reasons to burn them. Even if awareness is raised (a big "IF", mind you, since so many are so angry with you and it is unlikely they'll follow your reasoning), even if it IS raised, is it now going to be more so by completing this gesture?? It seems to me that you have already expanded your own pulpit to as large a stage as you'll find with this anti-Koran message.
I recommend another track. I recommend, in the name and love of our Lord Jesus, that you prayerfully announce that you have reconsidered the need for the actual burning of the Koran. I would ask that you announce also, with that, the success of your effort that you have made it known that true Christian faith must oppose Islam as a matter of spiritual warfare. I wish you would announce along with your decision not to burn Korans a world-wide prayer day where Christians may take heart against incursions of Islam throughout the world.
Read the oppressions that occur in Islamic nations on websites of Voice of the Martyrs, for example. Within 15 minutes, you can read accounts of brave Christians in Muslim lands doing God's work of preaching the Gospel of Christ. Let me ask you this: If God is truly in need of burning Korans in the world, isn't He capable of raising up prophets where Muslims already dominate but where Christianity is preached anyway?? Could God not easily stand against Islam by inspiring pastors, believers and teachers in our own faith to burn Korans in, say, Afghanistan??? Or, do you think that these brave men are somehow too afraid to make a stand? Might it be that the real stand that God is making is through them and their methods of apostolic evangelism and not through demonstrations such as your planned Koran-burning?
It is my prayer that you will stop and decide and announce that you will not burn the Korans. You're right --- the Koran is a book of Satan and Islam is the devil's counterfeit to genuine faith in God. But, Pastor Jones, you're also very, very wrong that doing this is going to matter. You simply must change your mind, sir. This is a terrible, terrible error on your part if you follow through with it. I ask you, please, don't do this. This is not God's way of dealing with Islam.
And, of course, I didn't do it anonymously.
Human government bears the same relation to hell as the church bears to heaven. (David Lipscomb, On Civil Government, 72).
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