PASTOR TERRY JONES WANTS TO BURN THESE WORDS

Pastor Terry Jones's bushy bracket of a talking mustache and the body to which it is attached have certainly made themselves famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) in recent weeks, as they have peddled their ignorance on every available medium to people who can't seem to focus on anything even resembling a real issue during an election season. While the publicity has certainly been a boon to his book sales, it hasn't done much for his public image, at least among mainstream Christians and other reasonable people (I use "reasonable" here pretty loosely; even Caribou Barbie has come out against TJ's plan, although she stopped short of asking all "peaceful" Christians to "refudiate"). (By the way, the book sales can't really be the motive behind the actions of this beacon of patriotism in his crusade (jihad?) against evil, can it? No true patriot would ever intentionally put American lives at risk to further his own narrow self interests. That would be pretty despicable, wouldn't it?).

Now while I really didn't start this blog to talk politics, a statement made by Pastor Jones this week really struck me as interesting and worthy of some type of response. On AC 360 (degree sign) this week (see embedded video below), Pastor Jones admitted that he has not read the Quran, only "parts" of it. I would think that sort of acknowledgement would kind of throw into question the scholarship behind the entire apparent premise of his book ("Islam is of the Devil;" currently out of stock on Amazon.com), but maybe I overestimate the importance of thoughtful consideration. "Doctor" TJ seems to have little use for it.

Here's the video from AC 360 (degree sign) (question comes at about the 10:00 mark):

Well, assuming you are still with me after watching that remarkable exchange (I'm censoring myself here so I don't say something downright mean), I thought I'd point out some of the words TJ wants to burn on the "International [?!] Burn a Koran Day" (from 6pm - 9pm EDT).  Here are some ayahs (or verses, see here for an explanation of the word) of the Quran that come to mind. 

... and you will find that the nearest among men in love to the Believers (in Islam) will be those who say, "We are Christians," because among them are those who are devoted to learning and those who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant. And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger, you will see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth. They pray: "Our Lord! we believe; write us down among the witnesses. What cause can we have not to believe in God and the truth that has come to us, seeing that we long for our Lord to admit us to the company of the righteous?" And for this their prayer, God has rewarded them with gardens, with rivers flowing underneath-- their eternal home. Such is the recompense of those who do good. [5:82-85]

Those who believe (in the Quran), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and theChristians and the Sabians-- any who believe in God and the Last Day and work righteousnessshall have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. [2:62]

Behold! the angels said: "Oh Mary! God has chosen you and purified you; chosen you above the women of all nations. Oh Mary! worship your Lord devoutly, prostrate yourself and bow down (in prayer) with those who bow down." This is part of the tidings of the things unseen, which We reveal unto you by inspiration. You were not with them when they cast lots with arrows as to which of them should be charged with the care of Mary, nor were you with them when they disputed (the point). Behold! the angels said: "Oh Mary! God gives you glad tidings of a Word from Him, his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to God. He will speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he will be (of the company) of the righteous.” She said: "Oh my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?" He said: "Even so: God creates what He wills. When He has decreed a plan, He but says to it, 'Be,' and it is! And God will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel, and (appoint him) a messenger to the Children of Israel, (with this message): "'I have come to you, with a Sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by God’s leave; and I heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I give life to the dead, by God’s leave; and I declare to you what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely therein is a Sign for you if you did believe; (I have come to you), to attest the Law that was before me, and to make lawful to you part of what was (before) forbidden to you. I have come to you with a Sign from your Lord. So fear God, and obey me. It is God Who is my Lord and your Lord, then worship Him. This is a Way that is straight.' When Jesus found unbelief on their part He said: "Who will be my helpers to (the work of) God." Said the Disciples: "We are God’s helpers. We believe in God, and do you bear witness that we are from those who have submitted to God’s will? Our Lord! we believe in what you have revealed, and we follow the Messenger, then write us down among those who bear witness." And (the unbelievers) plotted and planned, and God too planned, and the best of planners is God. Behold! God said: "Oh Jesus! I will take you and raise you to myself and clear you (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme. I will make those who follow you superior to those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection, then shall you all return unto me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein you dispute.” [3:42-55]

And Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent her our spirit, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. She said: "I seek refuge from you to God Most Gracious, (come not near) if you fear God." He said: "No, I am only a messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a holy son." She said: "How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?" He said: "So (it will be), your Lord says: 'that is easy for Me, and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us;' It is a matter ordained." So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree; She cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had died before this! Would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!" But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-tree): "Grieve not! For your Lord has provided a rivulet beneath you, and shake towards yourself the trunk of the palm-tree, it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon you, so eat and drink and cool (your) eye. And if you see any man, say, 'I have vowed a fast to God, Most Gracious, and this day will I enter into no talk with any human being.'" At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "Oh Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! Oh sister of Aaron! Your father was not a man of evil, nor your mother a woman unchaste!" She pointed to the babe. They said: 'How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?' He (the babe) responded: 'I am indeed a servant of God. He has given me revelation and made me a prophet. And He has made me blessed wherever I be, and has enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live. (He) has made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable, so peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)! Such was Jesus, the son of Mary: a statement of truth about which they (vainly) dispute." [19: 16-34]

Those Messengers We endowed with gifts, some above others: To one of them God spoke; others He raised to degrees (of honor); To Jesus, the son of Mary, We gave Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit." [2:253]

One day God will gather the Messengers together and ask: "What was the response you received (from men to your teaching)?" They will say: "We have no knowledge: it is You who knows in full all that is hidden." Then God will say, "Oh, Jesus the son of Mary! Recount My favor to you and to your mother. Behold! I strengthened you with the holy spirit, so that you did speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught you the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel. And behold! you made out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird by My leave, and you breathed into it and it became a bird by My leave, and you healed those born blind and the lepers by My leave. And behold! you bring forth the dead by My leave. And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from (violence to) you when you showed them the clear Signs, and the unbelievers among them said, 'This is nothing but evident magic.' And behold! I inspired the Disciples to have faith in Me and My Messenger. They said, 'We have faith, and do you bear witness that we bow to God in Submission?' Behold! the Disciples, said, "Oh, Jesus the son of Mary! can your Lord send down to us a table set (with viands) from heaven?" Said Jesus: 'Fear God, if you have faith.' They said: "We only wish to eat thereof and satisfy our hearts, and to know that you have indeed told us the truth; and that we ourselves may be witnesses to the miracle." Said Jesus the son of Mary: "Oh God our Lord! Send us from heaven a table set (with viands), that there may be for us-- for the first and the last of us--a solemn festival [Note: commentators have suggested that this likely is a reference to the Last Supper] and a sign from you; and provide for our sustenance, for you are the best Sustainer (of our needs)." God said: "I will send it down unto you, but if any of you after that resists faith, I will punish him with a penalty such as I have not inflicted on any one among all the peoples." [5:109-115]

And remember she who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her Our Spirit, and We made her and her son a Sign for all peoples. [21:91]

Say, "We believe in God, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord; we make no difference between one and another of them, and we bow to God in submission. [2:136]

And Zachariah and Yahyia (known as John the Baptist), and Jesus and Elias; all are among the Righteous. [6:85]

...nor is it [the Quran] the word of a devil accursed. Then wither go ye [Then where do you go]? Verily this is no less than a Message to (all) the Worlds: (With profit) to whoever among you wills to go straight; But you shall not will, except as God wills-- The Cherisher of the Worlds. [81: 25-29]

Their similitude is that of a man who kindled a fire; when it lighted all around him, God took away their light and left them in utter darkness. So they could not see. Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path). [2:17-18]

God is the Light of the heavens and the Earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp, the Lamp enclosed in Glass, the glass as it were a brilliant star lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous though fire scarce touched it; Light upon Light! God does guide whom He will to His Light. God does set forth Parables for people, and God knows all things. (Lit is such a Light) in houses that God has permitted to be raised to honor for the celebration, in them, of His name. In them He is glorified in the mornings and in the evenings, (again and again), by men whom neither traffic nor merchandise can divert from the Remembrance of God, nor from regular Prayer, nor from the practice of regular Charity; Their (only) fear is for the Day when hearts and eyes will be transformed (in a world wholly new), that God may reward them according to the best of their deeds, and add even more for them out of His Grace: for God does provide for those whom He wills, without measure. But the Unbelievers, their deeds are like a mirage in sandy deserts, which the man parched with thirst mistakes for water; until when he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing, but he finds God (ever) with him, and God will pay him his account: and God is swift in taking account. Or (the Unbelievers' state) is like the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean, overwhelmed with billow topped by billow, topped by (dark) clouds-- depths of darkness, one above another-- if a man stretches out his hands, he can hardly see it! for any to whom God does not give light, there is no light! [24: 35-40]

God is He, other than Whom there is no other god; Who knows (all things) both secret and open; He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. God is He, other than Whom there is no other god; the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory be to God. (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him. He is God, the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms (or Colors). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names: whatever is in the heavens and on Earth declares His Praises and Glory, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. [59:22-24]

...

Burn, baby, burn? Of the devil?  I can't help but feel that TJ, and others like him, might benefit from a little light reading.

The above are just excerpts I randomly thought to include, obviously with emphasis added. Feel free to add more in the comments below.

Peace to all, and happy holidays to all my Muslim and Jewish readers.

- The QB

Update on Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 11:29PM by The QB

As you may have heard, since this post first went up TJ announced that he was canceling the event ("I say Koran, you say Quran, let's call the whole thing off"...?), then promptly announced that he is re-thinking the decision.  Whatever the outcome, I hope he reads what he plans to burn, or at least inadvertently inspires others to read it.

Peace

Comments

[Ahmad]

In some strange way, I think TJ is a blessing in disguise. Personally, all this talk of the Quran has sparked a personal interest to go beyond my current superficial relationship with the Quran. I am sure it will do the same for other muslims that merely gloss over the text.

I cant think of a more relevant time for your blog than now.

[yousaf]

Personal reflection: I take the Quran for granted. Reading your post, which is essentially just a compilation of verses is more powerful than any argument I can conceive to defend the Quran. Nice to see you writing again (might motivate me iA)!