Vatican: Burning Quran Is Outrageous, Grave Move

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican on Wednesday denounced as "outrageous and grave" plans by a Christian minister in Florida to burn copies of the Quran to mark the Sept. 11 anniversary.

The Vatican office responsible for relations with Islam issued a stern statement saying every religion has the right to expect that its sacred books, places of worship and symbols will be respected and protected.

While deploring those 2001 terror attacks, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue said such violence "cannot be counteracted by an outrageous and grave gesture against a book considered sacred by a religious community."

Pastor Terry Jones of the small, evangelical Dove World Outreach Center which espouses anti-Islam sentiments has said he would go ahead with plans to burn copies of Islam's holy book this weekend despite opposition from the White House, the U.S. military and others.

The Vatican said the proper reflection to mark the ninth anniversary of the attacks is to offer solidarity with those affected by the attacks and pray for them.

"Each religious leader and believer is also called to renew the firm condemnation of all forms of violence, in particular those committed in the name of religion," the statement said.

The communique was issued a day after the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, reported that Christians around the world were protesting the plans by Jones. "No one burns the Quran," the paper's headline read.

Comments

[pierre F Lherisson]

05:30 PM on 09/11/2010

If Pastor Terry Jones is not stupid or mentally defective then he is an agent provocateur. He is in the same league with the Evangelist Pat Robertson.
The Christians have been committing numerous atrocities around the world during various epochs but few people burned their Bible or destroyed their cathedrals, churches, convents and monasteries in account of those crimes. The atrocities committed by the church during the inquisition in Europe; the witch hunts that occurred in Salem, USA around 1690The Mountain Meadows massacre by the Mormons that occurred on September 11th 1857 to name a few are a grim reminder of Christianity. Refers to additional history:
http://www.turntoislam.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31394
During the 20th Century the following head of states who supposedly were Christians killed score of people and no one burned the Christian Bible for their crimes: Adolph Hitler killed 12,000,000; Leopold II of Belgium killed several millions; Benito Mussolini killed 300,000; Francois Duvalier killed 60,000; Francisco Franco killed 30,000; Anastasio Somoza and Augusto Pinochet killed scores of people all were Christians.

[pinkibus]

12:44 PM on 09/10/2010

The Crusades weren't a smart move either. Then their is the Inquisition where people were burned. Burn baby burn is the Christian way at times. Ask the women of Salem.

[BigBagel]

08:56 PM on 09/10/2010

Yes the Christians are terrible. Yet they feel free to criticize the Iranians for stoning a woman.

[Robert Mejias]

03:58 PM on 09/09/2010

Dear ,Pastor Jones if you listen to Ruben Diaz ,Thous Musalems feel that Americans are a bunch of wimps and don t dare follow through with our expressions of for what they did on 911 because we are weak and scared and if they smell fear America has had it it just Like the e man said a if he was to change the location for the masque in New York the muselems
would feel that American were victorious and would be offended and attract America may be if they give up the idea of building I the masque in N.Y..then may be then maybe you can consider not burning the Quran Its 50 50 adds up to 100pct of respect and love one another give and take. Remember Ruben Diaz only wants that spot light cause he is Politician. First Rev 2nd

[Raigerzero]

10:11 PM on 09/09/2010

Do you type like that on purpose?

[thereisonlyoneparty]

11:47 AM on 09/09/2010

Moral choice.

The Vatican would also say that abortion is morally wrong (and the vatican pushes moral absolutism so there are no real exceptions).

Most people ignore that moral advice.  Here though they like what the vatican says because they agree.

[BigBagel]

08:57 PM on 09/10/2010

I like moral relativism. Let's blur the lines. It assuages the guilt.

[clearwaterclearmind]

10:16 AM on 09/09/2010

real happy to have another group of make believe sky figure worshipers get some public scrutiny, eh vatvat?

[Arrech]

09:25 AM on 09/09/2010

عيد مبارك

EID MUBARAK, MUSLIM FELLOWS OF AMERICA AND THE WORLD!

MAY YOU BE BLESSED WITH PEACE AND PROSPERITY.

[CristineN]

09:19 AM on 09/09/2010

pot... kettle.... black.
If 99% of the world condemns this act, there will still be the 1% who will use it to fuel their hatred.

[sunshine14]

09:09 AM on 09/09/2010

I believe God is testing us all of our true faithfulness to God.,or is it to man? Man serves his own flesh, Our own pride, egos, vanity, we claim our own righteousness, that we are superior to others, is sin in itself. Even Christ said. Do not call me good, only my Father is good. Not even Christ boasted in the flesh, that  Christtwas superior to any one on earth.

Reason, why Christ came, was  to visibly teach, show, all His listeners,  through Christs , visible works on earth, to see,  what the invisible God's Image, God's Spiritual Character of who God is. Love, Mercy, a serving God. God sent His only dearly beloved Son, who suffered great persecution , was also tested, to show us all, that we to, will be tested of our true Faith in God,  possible.


Christ showed us all, He did not fear the fear mongers, was no coward, Christ openly walked among the radicals, rather, Christ,  feared God more, which is wisdom.  Man does not live by bread alone, but by the very word of God. Christ said. If God is for you, who dare be against you. What God was teaching Moses, Gideon, before God settlel them all in the Promise Land. The war of Moses, taught us all what not to do, but to trust in great faith only God .The war of Moses was a test, a teaching moment. God's math and measure, is not mans math and measure.

[sunshine14]

08:41 AM on 09/09/2010

There are religious, outrageous Radicals,  in every Nation, who persecute the innocent. God does not care, nor to me has it any value what title we give ourselves, in our faith,. nor will it matter on the day of judgment, nor will our title of faith save us either. It is God's House, not ours, God's House is not RCC Evangelical, Protestant, Muslims Faith,  Hindu, Mormon or what ever. God;s House is filled with the Righteous, those who have been tested, and found faithful to God, His laws not our laws will we be judged by.
 
Not even Christ ,dare to tell His own Father, who  worthy to enter, or this or that, oh no.
Christ said. It is My -Fathers House-.  It is NOT for me to tell my Father who shall sit  at my right or left hand. My Fathers House, has many Mansions,  also meaning where the unrighteous will also go. If even the devil had to ask God for permission to test Job of His faithfulness.

God said In heaven there is NO Jew, Greek nor man or woman. Meaning only the Faithful to Me.

[mydoghasfleas]

07:04 AM on 09/09/2010

Yeah, they're ready to give THEIR lives, but they don't give a hoot about other's lives who may suffer or end because of this. Way to go, pastor.

There's a special place in hell for people like you.

[eduardo fernandez]

06:20 AM on 09/09/2010

It is very encouraging to see people starting to come down on this zealot and expose him for the hate filled extremist he is .

Now if only we could get some of the rep leadership to say a few words .

Is that to much to ask from the Turtle Man or Agent Orange ?

[Occam123]

04:52 AM on 09/09/2010

Bruning books compares favorably to burning heretics at the stake or stoning women for dating and forgetting their burqas at home.

[DrFrann]

03:43 AM on 09/09/2010

Because we can do something, does not mean we should do it.
Because there is a thought in the head, does not mean it needs to be said.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.

“Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace.” Dalai Lama
The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be. ~Socrates
Go put your creed into your deed. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
“A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything.”
Friedrich Nietzsche
What is the first business of one who practices philosophy? To get rid of self-conceit. For it is impossible for anyone to begin to learn that which he thinks he already knows. (Epictetus)
No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says: He is always convinced that it says what he means. (George Bernard Shaw)
Man prefers belief to the exercise of judgment. (Seneca)

If you're headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns.

[rstewart3]

02:16 AM on 09/09/2010

"No one burns the Quran,"

I wonder how many Quran's were burned by the Catholic Church in their past.

[Hysterian68]

04:20 AM on 09/09/2010

Qurans? Not many, but plenty of Protestant heretics and infidels.

[Hysterian68]

04:21 AM on 09/09/2010

Oh, and don't forget the Puritans who burned witches and Southern Baptists who burned blacks.

[rstewart3]

08:28 AM on 09/09/2010

Don't forget the Crusader sack of Jerusalem in 1099. When it was brought to the attention that there were fellow Christians in Jerusalem, the order was given to slay them all, and "let God sort them out."

[firstcougar1]

12:23 AM on 09/09/2010

Is there any reputable religious group who has not come out against the actions of the christian taliban preacher and his burn a Koran day.

[BigBagel]

08:55 PM on 09/10/2010

I think the Quakers are backing the book burning.