Burning

All over the internet, there is a cry out from Christians.  They are trying to get the message across that not all Christians are burning Qur’ans.  They want everyone to know that it’s not ALL christians that act this way.  These people are radicals.  Somehow, non-believers are taking this one act, and grouping all of us together. 

It’s not fair.

Let’s take that idea a step further.  What if, just pretend, a group of Christian’s hi-jacked some air planes and flew them into a couple of buildings?  I imagine we’d be crying that ten fold.  We’d be shouting out, “Hey! That’s not us!”

You see where I’m going with this?

We are no more responsible for a church in Florida burning some Qur’ans than most of the Muslim population is for the 9/11 attacks. 

“Well, it’s different, burning some Qur’an’s isn’t killing thousands of people.” you might say.  And, you’re correct, kind of.

Here’s the problem.  When people are burning a book, in the name of God, Muslims, Buddhists, and Athiests all over the world are watching.  With this one act, they are deciding that they cannot even think about hearing a message from a God like this.  How could they?  Who would want to follow such an awful, mean, radical God? 

When these people decide that they are not going to hear the message of Jesus Christ, guess what?  You are killing them.  Your act of burning something out of hate, fear, or “God’s Name” could very possibly become a deciding factor in these people’s salvation.  Your act, could be the reason these people will spend an eternity wondering what Heaven is like.

Is this extreme?  I don’t think so.  I know the arguement can be made that these people had their mind made up, or that the Holy Spirit can do anything.  I agree with that statement, but I also believe 100% that it is our job to show people what Love is.  It is our job to soften the hearts of non-believers to be accepting of the Holy Spirit moving in them.  I believe that it is our job to show the Love of Jesus Christ in every action we make.  I believe that, in a whole, we are failing miserably.  My guess is, that more than 2000 people are seeing this and deciding that this “Christian God” is not a God they want anything to do with.  These people are commiting spiritual genocide.

So, today, I want to ask you two things:

1. Rethink your image of a Muslim.  Take what you learned about Muslims from Google, after 9/11, and rethink it.  You may find that not everyone of them is out to kill your family, and destroy America.  You may even find that not even the majority of them have this goal.  You may even find, it’s a small number of them, like the Church in Florida, who happen to make headlines, because good deeds and loving deeds go unmentioned by American media.

2. Pray.  Pray for the Dove World Outreach Center.  Pray that someone would stand up and say, “This is not right.”  Pray that the pastor will hear this.  Pray for the pastor.  Pray for every person who has heard about this, and made up their mind on God.  Pray for the people who are overcome with fear.  Pray for the Muslims.  Pray for your ability to Love your neighbor.  Pray.