The case of Florida pastor Terry Jones presents Christians with an easy judgment but a difficult dilemma. This publicity-seeking pastor of a tiny congregation deserves to be condemned in every way for his act of putting the Qur’an “on trial” and for then burning a copy in a staged act of inflammatory showmanship. The judgment is the easy part. The difficult dimension of this is the fact that even our condemnation gives this pastor what he most desires - public attention.
The murderous gangs of Muslims who responded days later by murdering United Nations personnel and sending death and fear into the streets in Afghanistan were sadly predictable, as was the fact that Pastor Jones’ actions would have international repercussions. The condemnation of his actions by Gen. David Petraeus was swift and appropriate. We can only wish that the general had condemned the violence in Afghanistan with even greater urgency.
Pastor Jones and his church incited a riot, and put human lives in jeopardy. There is no excuse for theatrics as a substitute for Gospel ministry.
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