Poll: International Burn a Koran Day

[duchaked]

it's not exactly wrong but it doesn't make it right
burning religious books out of anger and disrespect is what they do over in the mideast
I don't think it's dignified to do the same here in the U.S. just cuz
I mean, there's no reason we can't [try to] be civilized

but whatever
initially I thought the thread title said "International Bum a Korean Day" hahaha... that woulda been [more] interesting

 

[Soushi]

The priest apparently attended the "Two wrongs make a right" school of thought, which has left this whole world in such wonderful shape hasn't it.
Besides, this whole situation is nothing new. Americans destroy just as much shit that represent other countries as other countries do to them.

 

[Keava]

however, muslims frequently burn american flags, american effigies (it was almost ironic to see arabs burning effigies of Obama to protest the burning of a symbol of import) and all sorts of things, is it that much of a outrage for a christian to want to do the same?

First things first. Not Muslims. Extremists and unhappy, manipulated people that happen to be Muslims along the way. Catholics burned US flags too. Plenty of people dislike your nation and States aren't without a blame.

Back in the times of Cold War it was America and Soviet Russia that pumped millions into Afghanistan, supporting local crime lords. Both those nations armed the today's suicide bombers and terrorists, but back then it was 'right thing to do'. Cold War ended, and everyone left the middle east to it's own problems, leaving only tons of weapons behind. Neither of those 'super powers' spent money on eduction, infrastructure or humanitarian help along the way, creating a perfect environment of poverty for an extremist uprising.

Also.
Books are not to be burned. Never, ever. We've seen it already. Inquisition burned the 'forbidden' books, Nazi's burned books, do we want to uphold those 'noble' traditions? Furthermore, Koran is a religious book. Destroying it wouldn't show your disdain for the extremists, it would show your ignorance and lack of tolerance for different beliefs. Majority of Muslims doesn't go around blowing themselves up, why do you wan't to act against them? Further more, there is enough of catholic extremists that do similar things.

And finally, flag of USA is not a religious symbol. No matter how much brainwashing you wish to take. It's a symbol of government and national pride. Nothing more. So yeah, the backlash was deserved and thank god it happened. Last thing the world needs is escalation based on idiotic religious prejudice.

 

[Sub_par]

also we (the U.S. where i happen to reside) are not at war with Islam. let me say that again in big easy to read letters for people who don' get it the first time WE ARE NOT AT WAR WITH ISLAM. A small group of people who happen to be Islamic are twisting and abusing a misunderstood and very small aspect of what is ultimately a peaceful religion to, basically, trick others into fighting a war to benefit the aforementioned small group. also what a lot of people don't know, and i find to be hilarious, is ALLAH, the god that Christians tend to speak of as being "evil" is the same god worshiped in the Judea-christian religions, and in Islam Jesus is actually worshiped as a minor prophet. but I'm sure you all knew that already, its not like people attack things without doing thorough research on the subject first.

 

[Whobajube]

They burn American flags and effigies, because America is all up in their face in the middle east. Not really comparable to burning their Holy book. When they start burning Bibles, burning the Koran would be a little more comparable.

They're extremists. You get them in every religion. Like those who decided to burn the Koran.

 

[The Procrastinated End]

1. There is a difference between a religion and a nationality.
2. Anyone who reacts with such narrow-mindedness deserves every bit of backlash.
3. Not all Muslim's hate America.
4. Stop being an idiot.

 

[Baradiel]

Burning a book is wrong. Burning a book that means that much to a large amount of people is even worse. When burning said book could lead to a violent backlash, it gets pretty bad.

Yes, the pastor was in the wrong. He was being religiously intolerant simply because there was going to be a Islamic centre (not sure if it was a mosque) near the site of the World Trade Centre.

Now, I never understood the reaction to this. Its an ignorant, intolerant idea that an Islamic centre by Ground Zero was offensive to the families of the victims. Islam is just as peaceful as Christianity. It's just organisations like al-Qaeda use an extreme version of Islam as an excuse to commit atrocities such as 9/11 and 7/7. It's only a minute group of fundamentalists that give Islam a bad name, just like Christianity has it's extremists.

The pastor could be considered one of these Christian extremists. He was willing to cause hurt, violence and religious intolerance because of his own narrowminded, bigoted views. He backed down because of the pressure from more openminded, sensible people.

So yeah. He was an absolute tool.

 

[Qmonster]

So, I have a degree in Religions, and basically the problem with comparing burning the Qur'an to burning a picture of Obama or the US flag is this: within Islam, the Qur'an (read: ANY Qur'an in original Arabic) is considered a holy artifact. It holds a much greater significance than the Bible, where it is simply the words that are holy rather than the book itself. You really can't compare burning the Qur'an to burning a picture of some flag or a picture of some guy. People sometimes mistakenly compare Muhammad to Jesus, but it would be closer to say the Qur'an is the Jesus of Islam.

... flame on

 

[Baradiel]

So, I have a degree in Religions, and basically the problem with comparing burning the Qur'an to burning a picture of Obama or the US flag is this: within Islam, the Qur'an (read: ANY Qur'an in original Arabic) is considered a holy artifact. It holds a much greater significance than the Bible, where it is simply the words that are holy rather than the book itself. You really can't compare burning the Qur'an to burning a picture of some flag or a picture of some guy. People sometimes mistakenly compare Muhammad to Jesus, but it would be closer to say the Qur'an is the Jesus of Islam.

... flame on

Here here. If only you'd spoken to this pastor before he made an utter fool of himself.

 

[Deshin]

No, I think it's an insult that the guy would burn someone else's holy doctrine and make a publicity stunt out of it.

However having said that, how many times have you seen the exact same people in uproar burning Bibles, flags, and killing the odd Christian here and there? I HATE double standards so in the one regard I can see where he's coming from. He's not burning the Qur'an out of hate, more out of a hate for the fact the other side does it and gets away with it.

No seriously, how can we have a modern working world when there're people who react to insults with suicide bombing puclic areas? I know that the actual culprits do not reflect the views of the majority and you can't blame a whole country for a few nutjobs, but I've not read in the paper about any angry Italians getting mad about Mafia 2's stereotyping so they blew up a couple of buildings.

That one a few years ago with the pope was the best one though, he alluded that islam was a violent religion so the followers acted in outrage of this notion with violence.

 

[Private Custard]

Kind of off-topic... But building a freaking mosque on groundzero is a freaking horrible idea. and dont come here and tell me they didnt know it would make a scene...
Why not build a monument to Hitler in Auschwitz while we´re at it?

(I do realize that the mosque - hitler isnt the best comparison, since not all muslims are terrorists, but really...)

Agreed. I'm not even American, but the fact that someone thought it might be a good idea to build a mosque on ground zero absolutely fucking disgusts me.

Sure it's not a war on Islam, but Islam and 9/11 will be forever related in the worst possible way. To think that a mosque at that particular site would do anything but wind everybody up is just insane.

I've known a lot of Muslims over the years, most of them pretty sane. But, as with most things in life, the vocal and irrational minority seem to be getting heard more and more

OT: My opinion is this. If the extremists are allowed to protest, accusing soldiers of murder and, as was the case in Luton, England a while back, wave banners demanding beheading of infidels, then why shouldn't he be allowed to burn a Koran?

Yeah it's idiotic and will only be the equivalent of adding petrol to an already roaring bonfire, but the extremists are already as needlessly irritable as a hornets nest suffering from steroid withdrawal symptoms, what's the worst that can happen?!!

I don't care what people burn. If they own it and they're not endangering anyone elses property or life, they should be free to set fire to it if they so desire.

 

[Freshman]

Like you said, people in other countries burn U.S flags all the time, seems fair to light up a few qurans. And it is totally ironic and hilarious that people burn Obama pictures to protest burning things. lol

 

[S-Unleashed]

Kind of off-topic... But building a freaking mosque on groundzero is a freaking horrible idea. and dont come here and tell me they didnt know it would make a scene...
Why not build a monument to Hitler in Auschwitz while we´re at it?

(I do realize that the mosque - hitler isnt the best comparison, since not all muslims are terrorists, but really...)

I agree with this but really no one should burn any books/ Live and let live.

 

[discordance]

It's not a mosque and it's not at ground zero. It's two freaking blocks away and it's a community center that will contain a mosque.

That people regard this as offensive seems a little bit ridiculous to me.

 

[NeedAUserName]

It annoys me that because the genius that came up with the day spelt "Qur'an" wrong every second post has now spelt it Koran. It just looks stupid. Anyway, its not like every Muslim burns the American flag its just a few, so to burn the Qur'an in retaliation is just being petty and racist.

 

[PoliceBox63]

Yes. If we can't rise above our personal feelings on what the extremists muslims have done and show respect for Islam, the people who follow it, and ourselves as human beings, how are we ever going to progress as a civilisation?

 

[vanthebaron]

my responce to this

Spoiler

 

[Deshin]

It annoys me that because the genius that came up with the day spelt "Qur'an" wrong every second post has now spelt it Koran. It just looks stupid. Anyway, its not like every Muslim burns the American flag its just a few, so to burn the Qur'an in retaliation is just being petty and racist.

This right here is an example of double standards and you didn't even notice it.

If a muslim burns a flag/bible = "It doesn't reflect the religion as a whole so it's ok"
If an american burns a qur'an = "It reflects the country as a whole so it's not ok"

Much in the same way we don't blame the big country for the small groups of nutjobs who want to cash in on their 72 virgins, why do we hang our heads in shame when someone in the west decides to want to do something like burn a book and act as if this one nutjob reflects us as a whole?

You can go say anything you want, draw any cartoon, and make any joke about anyone you want... UNLESS it's the muslims; then it becomes taboo. That is how terrorism wins, by making you afraid at the mere thought of doing something that'll piss off the guy with bomb.