No doubt you will be aware of plans by a small, and long may it remain small, church in America to burn copies of the Koran tomorrow. President Obama has said that such an act is against American values of religious tolerance and freedom, but Reverend Terry Jones of the 'Dove World Outreach Centre' claims that Islam is 'of the devil' and that Americans have a duty to burn its holy book.
Demonstrators in Kabul have responded by burning an effigy of Terry Jones in the streets, proving that hatred only begets hatred. Wouldn't it be wonderful if, for once, people celebrated our differences rather than burning symbols of each other?
Of course, it's easy for small-town folk in America, brainwashed by the emotive forces of fundamentalist Christianity, to believe that Islam is dangerous. However, look within the Bible, particularly some of the passages in the Old Testament, and see just how gruesome it can be. Just as many Christians reject violence in the name of God, many Muslims do the same. It's not the holy books that are the problem. It's extremism. And through his internationally controversial publicity stunt, Terry Jones is joining the ranks of the extremists.
Sad stuff :(
J xx
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