The organizer, Christian pastor Terry Jones, hopes to "send a clear message to the radical element of Islam." Unfortunately, the only message this ludicrous act of religious hatred will send to any member of the Muslim or non-Muslim community is one of intolerance and ignorance generating hatred towards America and Europe even from non-radical and peaceful Muslims. American General David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, has openly pleaded that the event be canceled because "images of the burning of a Quran would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan — and around the world — to inflame public opinion and incite violence," http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129701795
General Petraeus is one of thousands of leaders around the world who have spoken out against this idiotic event, and there are many reasons for this international condemnation. Firstly, we are in the middle of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, a nearly universal Muslim time of prayer, sacrifice, and charitable giving. Try to imagine a televised ceremony where a pile of Holy Bibles were burned at the height of the Christian Christmas or Easter holiday seasons, and you will begin to feel how this will be viewed by ordinary, peaceful Muslims, not forgetting the violent extremists already obsessed with war against the west. This event will incite tremendous backlash by murderous extremists the world over. There is no doubt that innocent people will die if this book burning is carried out.
Finally, Pakistan, the world's second largest Muslim country by Muslim population, is in the midst of the worst humanitarian disaster in recent world history. One-fifth of Pakistan, an area as large as all of England, was completely underwater for weeks destroying billions of dollars of agricultural products and livestock and displacing tens of millions of now starving refugees. In the weeks and now month following the start of this disaster, humanitarian donations are still less than in the first 3 days of donations following the disastrous earthquake in Haiti.
If we really want to send a message to the Muslim world, I recommend we make it a message of compassion to those millions of innocent men, women, and children starving and homeless following one of the worst natural disasters in recent history. That is a message that anyone of any faith can appreciate.
For those who care, here is a link to the American Red Cross Donation Site for Pakistan Flood Relief Efforts: https://american.redcross.org/site/Donation2?idb=826262064&df_id=4932&4932.donation=form1
