Oh, boy. Looks like someone just earned a Ph.D. in moron.
I’m referring to a man who distributed a few hand-painted signs that are stirring up hate and anger in Florida. Apparently the pastor (that’s a religious leader, right?) of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, posted signs that read, simply: “Islam is of the devil.”
Oooh. Don’t you just get all warm and squishy inside when someone tells you who to hate?
Could somebody explain something to me? Christianity, from what I understand, is about loving thy neighbor, turning the other cheek and accepting thy brother, right? I just need clarification, because I don’t see anything “Christian” about those signs and the fact that the pastor put them up is really confusing to me.
I know the majority of Americans aren’t privy to these types of stories and because of that, I choose to write about them on this blog. I believe knowledge is power and with that knowledge you can change the word one step at a time.
Or at least I’m hopeful.
But, then I read more about how an advocate for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) unsuccessfully met with the pastor. After a 25-minute dialogue, the pastor flatly refused to take any of the signs down and did not want to learn the truth about Islam or Muslims. (Click here, click here, click here, click here, and click here to read my other posts on related topics.)
“A lot of the things he was raising were not even about Islam. They were about countries with Muslim majorities,” said Ramzy Kiliç, the CAIR advocate. “Many Muslims come to America so they can practice Islam freely. I don't even consider Osama bin Laden a Muslim.” (News flash to readers: most Muslims do not believe Osama bin Laden is a Muslim.)
According to an article on Gainsville.com, Jones called the sign a "great act of love."
Wow. That’s love all right. Nothing like all that gorgeous, loving hatred in your heart to get you through the day, huh?
I believe in the First Amendment and I believe in America. I know hate speech must be protected because if not, we cannot protect any speech. But that doesn’t take away the fact that these signs incite hate, anger and violence against a majority of people who just want to live their lives the same way you do.
I’ll end with a poem by Martin Niemoller, a Lutheran pastor and head of the anti-Nazi Confessing Church. He was arrested for "malicious attacks against the state" and spent seven years in the Dachau and Sachsenhausen. In 1945 he was released by the Allies. I think his words say it all:
“In Germany, they first came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Catholic. Then they came for me - and by that time there was nobody left to speak up.”
Thursday, July 30, 2009
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4 comments:
Amen.
This sort of thing always gets me so worked up. I just don't ~get~ how anyone can be so convinced that they are Right. And that their rectitude obligates them to treat others with cruelty. This guy should be drummed out of his religious community for the nutcase he is, but instead people tiptoe around and don't want to cause trouble, or judge a fellow believer. It's a lot like people who see unsupervised children in public acting stupidly/dangerously and refuse to say anything.
This just makes my heart sad..... For many reasons...
One, because it makes a friend (you) take offense.
Two, because as a Christian I agree......with you, not him. I'm not the best Christian to some because I am WAY TOO LIBERAL for most.......but in my little world--you should love all, care for all, do for all. Like I said, I'm way too liberal for most churches with the Christian logo. That is why I choose to live my beliefs at home and pray in my own privacy. Not go to a church that tells me my open-mind is against god's will.
I'm so sad you have to face these idiots on a day-to-day basis. Please know you are very loved and accepted. I'm very glad I have found you as a blogging buddy.
You're pretty cool in my book.....for what it is worth.
Korisa, thank you for your lovely words. You know I feel the same way about you. I know many Christians, Muslims and Jews just like you - those who prefer to worship at home because they cannot bear the criticism and judgment from folks at religious institutions (usually hypocrites). To me, people like you are the ones who actually get it. They realize life is complicated and no one can tell them who or what to do with their lives other than God.
SWE, I don't get it, either. And I agree - he should be drummed out of his community, but sadly there are a lot of folks out there who agree with him.
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