As Terry Jones and his Quran-burning stunt grow smaller in the rear-view mirror of history, it is time to take the opportunity to acknowledge the good thing that we as a nation accomplished in reacting to Jones' threat. In fact, if not for the damage that he has done by endangering American people and interests abroad, the event might be viewed as a positive indicator of the health of our country. The episode marks an important and rare moment of national agreement on two fundamental American principles.
The first piece of good news is that there was not one person of any substance who supported Jones' effort -- not one. From the range of political affiliations to every religious community, even the atheists -- nobody supported this guy. In this fractured American political environment, we had a national consensus that there were limits to offensive behavior and Islam-baiting. We decided that burning books of any kind, and especially a holy book, was an un-American activity. And with one voice we condemned it.
My guess is that Jones was surprised by this. Jones probably thought that he would be embraced as a hero by Christians who wanted to "stand up against Islam," but not one person supported him. Sarah Palin told him to sit down and shut up, articulating what all Americans were thinking. In the end, it may have been the unanimous lack of support that finally convinced Jones that he was wrong.
We must not turn the page on this episode without underlining, for ourselves and for the world, that this proposed act was universally condemned by the American public. If we fail to shout that from the mountain tops, then we are missing an important opportunity to clarify the nature of America to people around the world, especially Muslims, as well missing a chance to affirm something good that we accomplished together as one nation.
The second piece of good news coming out of Jones' debacle is that it tested our commitment to freedom of speech -- and we passed. While it is frustrating and dangerous, freedom of speech is a constitutional right in America. I never heard anyone saying that Jones couldn't burn a Quran, just that he shouldn't. He was not jailed for what he was proposing, even though expediency might have supported such an action. It is in moments of heightened anxiety that a society is most likely to think that it can meddle with basic rights in the name of security. But it is exactly during those moments when we must be most vigilant.
And we were.
This dedication to freedom, even when that freedom is crazy and offensive, is hard for other nations to understand. But if we are really going to be a beacon of democracy -- a government for the people, by the people -- we have to show the world that freedom of speech is fundamental and that we will not waver from our foundations.
A great deal of damage has been done by Jones, and the narrative that the entire affair was embarrassing for the media and a failure for our country has become common. Yet our reaction, which combined interreligious solidarity and decency with a commitment to the constitutional right of freedom of speech, made me proud to be an American.
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There is vast diffenrence between burning a Book and landing planes in high rise buildings. If you can not see the difference check with your neurologist. They are burning churches and Christians in Pakistan.Where are the massive protests by American muslims.
Recently in UAE a man and woman were jailed because they had consesual sex but they were not married. You can say barbarism is in a lesser degree. What musllims need today is not more mosques; but more tolerance, family planning and education and empowerment of women. Let them do that first.
Same is the case when seventy percent of New Yorkers advised Imam Rauf that we are not saying you can not build the mosque at GZ but wisdom says he should not. Difference Jones obliged; Imam Rauf refuses the call of wisdom. He further compounds saying that in case the mosque is not built, violence against US will be unleashed. It is not the Book, but they are burning churches and Christians in Kashmir Valley. That is ok.
In God's Governement Laws, there is no such thing as Freedom of speech. God said. Your every word, that rolls off your tongue will be held accountable for, even ones very thoughts, for as one thought it, so one has committed it. God warns, Silence before ME. Christ said, Stop your judging, Christ was very careful with every word he spoke. christ did not even rebuke Caesar when Christ stood before Him. I AM who you say I AM. Christ knew Caesars end. Christ was first obedient to God only not man, nor mans laws period. Christ judged no one, Christ knew God had not even Christ the authority to judge anyone, only God is judge. The disiciple dare not even judged themselves. That would be sin. Only God judges. St Paul said, I do not even judge myself.
Ones Word can create, good or evil. God created all things first, by thought, then God said the word, and it came to be exist. Words can destroy, Words create wars, words destroys other humans words cause much innocent suffering, words divide, words spread fear, words are liars, words speak truth. But all will be held accountable for their words. One own conscience, will bare witness agianst themselves. Why God commanded us to stay out of politics. Christ said, I am the word of God.
Hear of this fear mongering. One new world order? Well not One world order coming, 2- World orders coming God"s, New World order will finally, destroy the one in the making. The great deciever will finally be decieved. Love all pray for all, and leave the rest to God. I AM victorious, greed will be destroyed in the end.
God said, I am coming to judge All Leaders of All Nations, on the terrible day of my Wrath. God said -ALL- means us to. Notice God does say, us sinners, but -ALL- Leaders on earth, past and present. God said I will gather on the day of my wrath.
God said. NO great military, power or might, wind, nor principality, what is in Heaven nor below not even the gates of Hell, will prevail against ME (I WILL do battle) on the day of my wrath. Will be a new Heaven (finally on earth, peace) New Jersualaem. Well God is saying not happy with either right? God said I WILL destroy this secon earth by Fire-not happy with anyone is He.
Christ said It will be like in the time of Noah. Well all you rapture people think again, those who boast of self righteousness, knew that is sin..In Noah time, only 1 man, one family was saved. Hello.
God said: He is destroying this second earth by -Fire. So God is destroying the whole earth by FIRE, hello? What is not important where the mosques is built, it is that we change our hearten hearts, and be rather obedient to God and God's Government Laws, not the foolish Laws of Man. For we are not judged or be saved by mans Laws, but God's Govenment aws
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Love your Enemies as I have Love you-MY Enemies-we are all enemies of God, when we disobey God's Laws. We serve our flesh first, ourselves, our egos, pride, vanity, sin in many many ways, break many many laws of God. Not humility. Pray God does not destroy us all, for what we to did to all His prophets, Moses, Elijah, crucified His own son Jesus Christ, all his family mock, all disciples died horrible deaths. Judge a whole race as one, then we to all will be judged harshly, by God as all one race also.
So if truly faithfull to God, one Calls himself a Christian, think ponder on that one.
Second: Its nice to see that no matter what, America is still America. I see from the posters here, that this didn't eliminate bigotry, or small-mindedness, or even anti-islam sentiment. But it showed that there is only so far you can go with those things. I kept saying this is what the President would like to call a "teachable moment." It was. We learned a lot from this jerk down in Florida.
Also, what's with all the muslim-hate? I get criticizing anyone that's doing something wrong. But what I see more of right now, is knee-jerk reactions, not reasoned inspection. Or worse, innuendo, and lies being treated as truth. My greatest fear since I returned to this country from fighting in Iraq, was that we would enter a new era of McCarthyism, only this time it would be, "Are you now, or have you ever been a member of a terrorist organization." We came very, very close to that a few times. We cannot let Islam become the new Communism. It's wrong.
Christ said. Do NOT think I come to change one title of Moses Laws, but to add even a harder one. Love your enemies as I have Loved YOu, my enemy. We are all tested, of our true faithfulness to God first. No one can say ONe if faithful to God, or truly Loves God, when we break God's Laws, and are disobedient and serve our own flesh first, that is not humility.
Christ . Let the dead (living) bury their dead, follow me. Meaning those who disobey God, serve self, are already dead in their own flesh. For ones flesh cannot save themselves. Why Christ flesh was torn apart, if we live eternally, we live eteranally in the spirit. God can put new flesh raise us up again. Why Abraham trusted in God first, new if Abraham killed his son, first obedient to God, God could raise Abrahams son a
back up in the flesh. We trust in our flesh to save ourselves, rather then trusting in God to save us from our enemies, ourselves.
"Even the athiests" - Glad to see athiest bashing is alive and well. See, even the scum of the earth think this guy was nuts.
News flash sparky...we think you are all nuts.
Really? Then burn a Quran to prove it.
Did no one "get" the whole lesson Bill Murray learned when he found himself forced to burn his most precious books?....
What got Christ curcified was Christ had no palls in Government period, Chrsit knew also Cesear. placed his ministers, to help spread Caesars fear mongering, selling wares, doves, forces others to give their land, charging for their ritual baths, to get $$$. Christ taught we needed to pay no one, to be OK with God. Christ taught that the Real Divine Authority over us, had been placed in every heart, the understanding to know right from wrong. We needed no teachers. We all who believe are the temple of the Lord. God, church is not a building. God said Do you not know you are the temple of the Lord (us)
Christ threaten, disturb the Empire Status Quo, which ruled by military oppressing, to maintain their greed wealth. Christ taught his listeners, God loved them all just the way their were, poor, outcasts, down trodden, widows, orphans, diseased. Christ said My Fathers House is a House of Prayer, not a Den of thieves. win win for both? $$$ Love all pray for all. Christ did not come to die for land, did he? Christ taught all races, greeks, believing Jews, non believing Jews, all skin tones, pagans, heathens, even Caesars military, all were sinners, being oppressed, came to hear Christ speak.