Dear Pastor Terry Jones,
Let me start off by saying, I’m fully aware the bible says, “Touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm.” However, believe me when I say, if I were in a position to ‘club’ or ‘brush’ you across the head, I would. When I’m done, I would ask God for the forgiveness of my sins. What in the world have you been drinking in recent times? Hell, you are so on the wrong side of history and what the word of God says about heaping coals of kindness on the head of your enemies.
I would like to ask if God has spoken to you about this silly charade to burn Qurans since you started praying about it? It’s like a single man or woman going to God, and asking if he or she can have the spouse of a friend as their wife or husband? Knowing full well that the answer is no. I am sorry to inform you, your decision to burn Qurans in order to send a message to the extremists movement of Islam is nothing but stupid and wrong. And for you to justify that decision by using the example of Jesus getting angry in the temple and sending the traders out is nothing but ludicrous and preposterous and makes you a joke. There is nothing wrong with getting angry about a situation or act in society that you do not like but to turn around and do the very thing you condemn, makes you a joke like the jokers you are sending a message to.
I can try to understand what you are saying that they burn flags and persecute Christians among other things that we see the news media show us especially during times of contention between both worlds. However, it is no sound reason or justification for what you are about to do. I also understand that “The kingdom of God suffereth violence and violence taketh it by force,” but Mr, the best ‘violence’ you can partake in, is the one you carry out on your knees not burning Qurans. You may say, your aim is not to offend moderate Muslims or anyone but that is exactly what you are going to do if you go ahead with this ‘Quran bonfire’ business. It is going to blow up for a few days and of course pipe down but by then, the damage is irreparable. There are US troops fighting in Afghanistan, I wonder if you have given thought to their safety and wellbeing after this? I wonder if you have given serious thought to this act of defiance which will only ignite furore.
You say its okay for Muslims to come to America, live in your country, even build mosques but then you turn and disrespect ‘their’ Holy book especially at a time of heightened religious extremism around the world. Mr, you are dead wrong! I have often heard the saying that ‘two wrongs don’t make a right’ and as clichéd as that sounds, on this occasion, it is true. They are wrong with their acts of extremism against their fellow human beings and taking innocent lives as demonstrated in the recent bombings which took place in Pakistan, and you are wrong with your plan to burn Qurans. Both acts have consequences of a severe nature regardless of the fact that you are only burning paper.
I am trying to figure out your argument based on the interviews I have heard you give so far and the point you want to get across, which is that ‘America’ or ‘Christianity’ will back down no more but once again Mr, it is not by playing into the hands of the ‘FOOL’ you are dealing with. A man who has no regard for a human life, in my opinion is a fool. That is the very way, I view those with extreme religious views and take to violence in order to get their point across. In my view, you are also becoming an extremist. Imagine how different it would be if your ‘extremism’ was done with your lips and knees in your secret place seeking God’s face? By the way, has it occurred to you that God does not need you to defend him?
He can do that all by himself. He is not dead or stupid and is fully aware of what is going on or do I sound naïve to believe that he lives and is able. There is nothing godly about what you are about to do and to think that the anniversary of 9/11 is just around the corner makes me angry that you are going to bring a sour feeling to those still mourning their loved ones. I must add that his is disgraceful because to think that anyone with a bible would stoop this low to make a point, truly makes me angry. And there is a part of me that finds it embarrassing because we have a news media that lumps all of us together and uses the same carrot stick for us because we have the same name, Christianity. However, I take comfort knowing that I personally have a relationship with God like many other people out there and I do not do religion.
Have you taken count of those in support of what you are about to do? I do not recall seeing multitudes behind you, singing your praises. Let’s be clear about this – yes, it has been hyped by the media for sure and there are those who argue the Quran is a death and vitriolic text but Mr, there are people who say the same thing about the bible. I am fully aware that we live in a world that is hypocritical because if this was a group of people with or without an alliance to any religion and want to have a bible bonfire, it would be argued as freedom of expression, and Christians are being too sensitive. On this occasion, your intentions have political connotations attached to it and that is what I find disturbing because you are making a matter which is lame, major.
I am not arguing for Islam or the extremists, against whom you want to take a stand. I am simply arguing common sense, which tells me that what you are about to do has got nothing but ‘TROUBLE’ written all over it. In my book, it just ‘ain’t’ worth the stress. Pick your battles because this is certainly one that should be beneath you, not engulf you like it has in the last few days. If I may, it is not too late to walk away and there is nothing shameful about walking away either.
