Evangelicals Condemn Burning of Quran by Pastor Terry Jones

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Evangelical leaders strongly condemned the burning of Qurans by Florida Pastor Terry Jones on Saturday in protest of Iran’s continued imprisonment of Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani.

Jones burned copies of the Quran and an image depicting Muhammad on Saturday evening in front of his church Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., where about 20 people gathered to witness the event, OCALA.com reported. Gainesville police were stationed near the church and patrolled the area.

The event was streamed live over the Internet.

Gainesville Fire Rescue issued the church a citation for violating the city’s fire ordinances. Fire Chief Gene Prince was quoted as saying that Jones had approval for a burn but did not have the required authorization to burn books, which can harm environment. The fine is $271, which includes court costs.

Iranian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani

“The burning of a sacred text is wrong and unwarranted. The burning of the Qur’an is especially grievous to Muslims and does not reflect the biblical values nor the spirit of the Lord Jesus whom we serve,” Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, secretary general of the World Evangelical Alliance, said in a statement Saturday. “We appeal to Islamic leaders worldwide to understand that this self-proclaimed antagonist does not represent Christians. Indeed he violates the call of Jesus to love people everywhere. Such violence does harm to us all.”

Jones’ public burning followed a personal meeting and intense conversation just one day earlier with representatives of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), including Tunnicliffe.

“We appeal to Islamic leaders worldwide to understand that this self-proclaimed antagonist does not represent Christians. Indeed he violates the call of Jesus to love people everywhere. Such violence does harm to us all.”

“Tunnicliffe had personally challenged Jones to listen to fellow Christian leaders from North America – and if not them – at least hear concerns of a Christian pastor from an Islamic country. Rev. Daniel Ho of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was at the meeting requesting that Jones divert from this course of action, along with Dr. Joel Hunter, pastor of Northland Church in Orland and Dr. Brian Stiller, Global Ambassador for the WEA. The group met with Jones for approximately 90 minutes,” said the WEA statement.

“The handful of people taking this action represents no one but themselves,” Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, said in a statement hours before the burning incident Saturday. “Our Christian faith calls us to respect and love… The handful of people taking this action represents no one but themselves. They periodically make threats that are offensive to Christians, Muslims and peace-loving people everywhere.”

The Pentagon had also reportedly urged Jones to reconsider his plan, expressing concern that it could put U.S. troops in Afghanistan and elsewhere at greater risk.

“Christians don’t burn Qu’rans,” said NAE President Leith Anderson. “Our Christian faith calls us to respect and love… The handful of people taking this action represents no one but themselves. They periodically make threats that are offensive to Christians, Muslims and peace-loving people everywhere.”

Although his previous protests attracted violent reactions in various parts of the world, Jones had told The Christian Post he would burn Qurans and speak on “the last 1,400 years of Islamic persecution of Christians, believers, nonbelievers, homosexuals, and women.” Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who has been imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith since October 2009, represents “all of the death and destruction caused by Islam, and the apathy and the lack of us really doing anything. Of course if our government would put pressure on Iran, we could do more, [as well as] with the help of the United Nations,” he added.

In July 2010, Jones threatened to burn 200 Qurans on the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. He deemed the controversial event “International Burn a Koran Day.” Although he canceled the event, his threat to burn the Muslim holy books sparked riots in the Middle East and Asia.

Another event in 2011 caused even more concern when Jones held the “trial of the Quran” in March inside his church. He burned the Islamic book, prompting massive riots in Northern Afghanistan city of Mazar-i-Shairf. Protesters attacked the United Nations Assistance Mission, reportedly killing 10 U.N. staff members.

Christian Post

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18 responses to “Evangelicals Condemn Burning of Quran by Pastor Terry Jones”

  1. wargame1 Avatar

    This crazy act do not represent true Christianity. These are the work of devil to incite violence among The Muslims and the Christians. Muslims do understand that. 

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Seems not the ill-educated, wargame.

    2. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Seems not the ill-educated, wargame.

  2. wargame1 Avatar

    This crazy act do not represent true Christianity. These are the work of devil to incite violence among The Muslims and the Christians. Muslims do understand that. 

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Seems not the ill-educated, wargame.

  3. It’s people like Geoff Tunnicliffe that will hear the Lord Jesus quote Matthew 7:22-23. The world has believed a lie that the bible commands us to respect false religions when in truth in command exactly the opposite – 1 John 3:8.   

  4. It’s people like Geoff Tunnicliffe that will hear the Lord Jesus quote Matthew 7:22-23. The world has believed a lie that the bible commands us to respect false religions when in truth in command exactly the opposite – 1 John 3:8.   

  5. ffinder Avatar

    “Acts 17/ 16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols.”

    Yet Paul didn’t speak against their religion, in fact he said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. 

    And used their religion to give them the Gospel!

    Pastor Terry Jones still lives in the Old Testament

    ff

  6. ffinder Avatar

    “Acts 17/ 16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols.”

    Yet Paul didn’t speak against their religion, in fact he said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. 

    And used their religion to give them the Gospel!

    Pastor Terry Jones still lives in the Old Testament

    ff

  7. antar2011 Avatar
    antar2011

    there are many pple who claim to be religious and following the teaching of their religion but are in fact very far away from what their religion teaches them. this applies to any believer in any religion because as human beings we are weak, we tend to lead ourselves astray because we get tempted and follow our desires be it fame/power/wealth.

    the lucky ones amongst us who make tawbah [ask forgiveness from Allah] and tries not to fall to temptations again and Allah swt will forgive us. hence it is our fault for straying away from the correct away rather the fault of our religion or God [astaghforullah!].

    i hope the agnostics/athesists i this forum understand this point.

    i am sure as muslims [i at least] can understand that christianity certainly does not tell the pastor to tell to do what he did. i do understand that in this icident this man has made a mistake and followed his own desires and forgot about mercy and forgiveness that christianity sends to pple.

    [Quran 5:66] and if they would but truly observe the Torah and the Gospel and all [the revelation] that
    has been bestowed from on high upon them by their Sustainer, they would indeed partake of all the blessings of heaven and earth. Some of them do pursue a right course; but as for most of them -vile indeed is what they do!

    [Quran 2:62] VERILY, those who have attained to faith [in this divine writing], as well as those who follow
    the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians, -all who believe in God and the Last Day and do righteous deeds-shall have their reward with their Sustainer; and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve.

    [Quran 3:113] [But] they are not all alike: among the followers of earlier revelation there are upright people, who recite God’s messages throughout the night, and prostrate themselves [before Him].

    [Quran 3:199] And, behold, among the followers of earlier revelation there are indeed such as [truly] believe in God, and in that which has been bestowed from on high upon you as well as in that which has been bestowed upon them. Standing in awe of God, they do not barter away God’s messages for a trifling gain. They shall have their reward with their Sustainer – for, behold, God is swift in reckoning!

    to some’s suprise, during our Prophet’s Muhammad [pbuh]’s life, there were christians fighting shoulder to shoulder with the muslims in the army against the disbelievers.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Yea Verily, Antar. Humans will fight together when all seems against their lives. Give them enough death and destruction to deal with and they will then decide to die trying to make it stop. Pick a side, and go for it.
      But the later concepts of the earlier books are somewhat of a problem it seems.

      “Some of them do pursue a right course; but as for most of them -vile indeed is what they do!” ?? … Suppose you switched the words ‘some’ and ‘most’? Wouldn’t that seem a better line to throw at he masses if we wanted some peace?
      Im sure all writers would love to consider their writings ‘devine’.  Yet there have been many additions and footnotes made since Mohammed penned those immortal verses. Not so different from the bibles, in that, I suppose.
      “[But] they are not all alike” …. Well, we know that for sure … no two humans ARE.  But why not admit all humans are different, and not try to make them identical?
      “for, behold, God is swift in reckoning!”  And somehow that gets twisted slightly and they add … ‘So we’ll help you to meet Him faster’.   Isn’t a large asteroid or a huge sulfuric volcano fast enough?

      Yah … I know … everything is interpretation … like the symbolism of book-burning. The book is simply paper – unless it becomes a symbol … in which case, hatred flows from two sides because it is burned.
      Intentionally is one thing. Accidentally is another. The book itself is nothing – otherwise we would still have every book ever written and libraries would be sagging under the weight.  

      1. antar2011 Avatar
        antar2011

        so speaks a person who has absolutely no clue what is in those “papers”….but that’s you opinion…fair enough.

        don’t think you know everything about the Quran because you don’t. i don’t. even the scholars don’t. the unique way of the Quran that there are still things in it that is to be “discovered’  so to speak.

        for those who think that islam is not flexible and so not able to keep up with the times, alhamdulilah we have been given the choice to interpret the Quran verses that fits in with the places [very important!] and with the times…but there are conditions for tafseer/interpretation of Quranic text. any student of islamic studies will tell you that….but i am sure you haven’t asked the reason of difference of interpretations….of course why would you want to? it is best for you to assume that Quran is just pieces of paper…..*shrugs*

        tafseer/interpretation of Quranic text is a science in itself in islam… there are conditions for mufassir’s …if anyone would like to know these conditions just google “conditions of mufassir” better yet, find the nearest muslim sheikh that can lead you to a resource to read.

  8. antar2011 Avatar
    antar2011

    there are many pple who claim to be religious and following the teaching of their religion but are in fact very far away from what their religion teaches them. this applies to any believer in any religion because as human beings we are weak, we tend to lead ourselves astray because we get tempted and follow our desires be it fame/power/wealth.

    the lucky ones amongst us who make tawbah [ask forgiveness from Allah] and tries not to fall to temptations again and Allah swt will forgive us. hence it is our fault for straying away from the correct away rather the fault of our religion or God [astaghforullah!].

    i hope the agnostics/athesists i this forum understand this point.

    i am sure as muslims [i at least] can understand that christianity certainly does not tell the pastor to tell to do what he did. i do understand that in this icident this man has made a mistake and followed his own desires and forgot about mercy and forgiveness that christianity sends to pple.

    [Quran 5:66] and if they would but truly observe the Torah and the Gospel and all [the revelation] that
    has been bestowed from on high upon them by their Sustainer, they would indeed partake of all the blessings of heaven and earth. Some of them do pursue a right course; but as for most of them -vile indeed is what they do!

    [Quran 2:62] VERILY, those who have attained to faith [in this divine writing], as well as those who follow
    the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians, -all who believe in God and the Last Day and do righteous deeds-shall have their reward with their Sustainer; and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve.

    [Quran 3:113] [But] they are not all alike: among the followers of earlier revelation there are upright people, who recite God’s messages throughout the night, and prostrate themselves [before Him].

    [Quran 3:199] And, behold, among the followers of earlier revelation there are indeed such as [truly] believe in God, and in that which has been bestowed from on high upon you as well as in that which has been bestowed upon them. Standing in awe of God, they do not barter away God’s messages for a trifling gain. They shall have their reward with their Sustainer – for, behold, God is swift in reckoning!

    to some’s suprise, during our Prophet’s Muhammad [pbuh]’s life, there were christians fighting shoulder to shoulder with the muslims in the army against the disbelievers.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Yea Verily, Antar. Humans will fight together when all seems against their lives. Give them enough death and destruction to deal with and they will then decide to die trying to make it stop. Pick a side, and go for it.
      But the later concepts of the earlier books are somewhat of a problem it seems.

      “Some of them do pursue a right course; but as for most of them -vile indeed is what they do!” ?? … Suppose you switched the words ‘some’ and ‘most’? Wouldn’t that seem a better line to throw at he masses if we wanted some peace?
      Im sure all writers would love to consider their writings ‘devine’.  Yet there have been many additions and footnotes made since Mohammed penned those immortal verses. Not so different from the bibles, in that, I suppose.
      “[But] they are not all alike” …. Well, we know that for sure … no two humans ARE.  But why not admit all humans are different, and not try to make them identical?
      “for, behold, God is swift in reckoning!”  And somehow that gets twisted slightly and they add … ‘So we’ll help you to meet Him faster’.   Isn’t a large asteroid or a huge sulfuric volcano fast enough?

      Yah … I know … everything is interpretation … like the symbolism of book-burning. The book is simply paper – unless it becomes a symbol … in which case, hatred flows from two sides because it is burned.
      Intentionally is one thing. Accidentally is another. The book itself is nothing – otherwise we would still have every book ever written and libraries would be sagging under the weight.  

      1. antar2011 Avatar
        antar2011

        so speaks a person who has absolutely no clue what is in those “papers”….but that’s you opinion…fair enough.

        don’t think you know everything about the Quran because you don’t. i don’t. even the scholars don’t. the unique way of the Quran that there are still things in it that is to be “discovered’  so to speak.

        for those who think that islam is not flexible and so not able to keep up with the times, alhamdulilah we have been given the choice to interpret the Quran verses that fits in with the places [very important!] and with the times…but there are conditions for tafseer/interpretation of Quranic text. any student of islamic studies will tell you that….but i am sure you haven’t asked the reason of difference of interpretations….of course why would you want to? it is best for you to assume that Quran is just pieces of paper…..*shrugs*

        tafseer/interpretation of Quranic text is a science in itself in islam… there are conditions for mufassir’s …if anyone would like to know these conditions just google “conditions of mufassir” better yet, find the nearest muslim sheikh that can lead you to a resource to read.

  9. i believe saint Paul burned a lot of books in his travels, its written in the bible.

  10. i believe saint Paul burned a lot of books in his travels, its written in the bible.

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