The Dove World Outreach Center

Founder of "International Burn a Koran Day"

Ten Reasons to Burn a Koran

5 More Reasons to Burn the Koran

Does a voice of dissent deserve a hearing?

1. Shock the world into focus

In a day and age where ideas are confined to 140 character tweets, the violence of modern films dulls our senses, and the attention of most is on the frivolous dribble of celebrity gossip, sports and weather, we all know how much it takes to grab our attention.

So, World, got your attention? Good, please read on.

2. Get people to start asking hard questions

Before World War II, nobody wanted to think that Hitler would really do what he was plotting. It was much more comfortable to think that there would never be another World War and that we had moved past that. Wouldn’t you like to go back to 1938 and issue some warnings that the man was serious?

So here are some questions I recommend you start asking:

Is Islam really peaceful? (Hint: Surah 9 is chronologically one of the last things Muhammad said)

What is Islam’s goal? (Hint: Look up Sahih Muslim Book 041, Number 6981)

Is burning books really the right way to get this message out?

immediately followed by, what is the right way? (and if you answered “just don’t say anything”, you have unfortunately answered incorrectly.)

3. Remind the world we still have freedom of speech

Amidst the capitulation of US generals, municipal fire departments, and various religious leaders, it seems appropriate to provide a reminder for those who are not too familiar with certain inalienable rights of Americans:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or Abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

— United States Constitution, 1st amendment

Islam is incompatible with the 1st amendment. You are not allowed to leave Islam once you’re in. Suppression of free speech is standard in many Islamic countries, and even if it’s not done by law, when anyone speaks out against Islam they are immediately met with death threats, which causes most to back down. Even the Gainesville Fire Department has stepped in to aid the suppression of free speech by using an unconstitutional application of a burn permit.

4. Expose the truth

Pressure makes diamonds and fire purifies gold. Sometimes it takes undesirable means to get necessary results. Heat exposes things that are hidden:

"Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects." (Acts 28:3–5 NIV)

CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, likes to paint a pretty picture of Islam, hiding its evils. If you are unfamiliar with Islam, here are some suggested google search terms: “Al-taqiyyah”, “dar al-harb”, “abrogation”, “verse of the sword”. While you’re at it, you could google “Terry Jones Arrested” and find out the depths to which CAIR is willing to stoop in order to prevent our message from getting out. They published a completely false (feel free to research it) story that Dr. Jones was arrested on charges of sharing child pornography. If lying were not aloud in Islam, I would be shocked, but as it stands, it’s just another day for Islam.

We are in fact commanded by Paul in the Bible to expose the darkness, a good example of which is exposing the violence and lies of Islam.

"Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,

for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:

“Wake up, O sleeper,

rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.”"

(Ephesians 5:11–14 NIV emphasis added)

5. Force the world into action

Do you think we’re wrong about Islam? Go and study Muhammad’s life after he left Mecca.

Do you agree that Islam is dangerous but think we’re going about it the wrong way? OK, so go and find your own way, but go and do something!

Do you think Christianity is wrong? Then go and study the Bible, study History, and seek the truth.

So if you’re all worked up about us burning the Koran, then the time for action is now. We don’t make this stuff up. The truth is out there, and the truth shall set us free.

Finally

Let's just make one thing clear. A small church, in a small town, down a back road, burning copies of its own books, on its own property, is not responsible for the violent actions anyone may take in retaliation to our protest. Remember, Paul did not make the snake, the fire drove it out and he was bitten. If violence happens in reaction to this, the violence was not caused by us, it has just been exposed.

Interesting.  This pastor and this event has demonstrated, once again, the fault lines in America.  Before I went to his website I thought he was a crank.  Now, I'm on the fence.  I keep remembering that all it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing; and that's what we're being asked to do by our rulers: "don't do anything to get them mad at us."  That's not good enough.

UPDATE: Sarah Palin thinks it's a bad idea.

Book burning is antithetical to American ideals. People have a constitutional right to burn a Koran if they want to, but doing so is insensitive and an unnecessary provocation – much like building a mosque at Ground Zero.