Flaming Korans and My Take On It

[All of Troy's comments are in italics to avoid confusion]

About 2 hours from where I live, a potential firestorm is brewing that many people are talking about and thinking about. I know a lot of people are wondering...
... what is right?
... what should I think?
... what if my church did that?
... what does my minister think?
Well, here's one OPINION.
Two blogs from the church's website in Gainesville, Florida are telling about the proposed Koran burning on September 11. If you did not know, the Koran is the holy book of Muslims.

They state:
The Koran teaches that Jesus Christ, the Crucified, Risen Son of God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords was NOT the Son of God, nor was he crucified (a well documented historical fact that ONLY Islam denies). This teaching removes the possibility of salvation and eternal life in heaven for all Islam's believers. They face eternal damnation in hell if they do not repent.

Most of what they state here is true.  The Koran does deny the deity and death of Jesus Christ.  But, so do many other people in the world who have no connection with Islam (Islam is not the ONLY one).  Muslims will not enter Heaven based on their beliefs because Jesus is the only way.  It is the same with any other religion.  

They state:

The Koran does not have an eternal origin. It is not recorded in heaven. The Almighty God, Creator of the World, is NOT it's source. It is not holy. It's writings are human in origin, a concoction of old and new teachings. This has been stated and restated for centuries by scholars since Islam's beginnings, both Moslem and non-Moslem. 

They speak the truth that Allah and the Christian God are not one and the same.  People who say they are fall into 3 categories: misinformed, ignorant, liars.  Christians do hold that the Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God and believe it holds this position by itself.

They state:
The Koran's teaching includes Arabian idolatry, paganism, rites and rituals. These are demonic, an ongoing satanic stronghold under which Moslems and the world suffer.

Actually, as I understand Islam, Mohammad was trying to get the Arabic people away from idolatry and paganism by offering one god.  As to the satanic nature of the Koran, would not any holy book of any religion that draws someone away from God be an opportunity for Satan?  It certainly can be used by Satan.  Anything can! 

They write:
The earliest writings that are known to exist about the Prophet Mohammad were recorded 120 years after his death. All of the Islamic writings (the Koran and the Hadith, the biographies, the traditions and histories) are confused, contradictory and inconsistent. Maybe Mohammad never existed. We have no conclusive account about what he said or did. Yet Moslems follow the destructive teachings of Islam without question.

To be honest, I am unsure about these details.  Mohammad's family members took over leadership after his death so I cannot imagine that they waited 120 years to write stuff down.  I do know that Muslims sure do follow the teachings without question.  I hope that I follow Jesus Christ in the same manner.  I hope that my faith permeates my life.

They state:
Mohammad's life and message cannot be respected. The first Meccan period of his leadership seems to have been religiously motivated and a search for the truth. But in the second Medina period he was "corrupted by power and worldly ambitions." (Ibn Warraq) These are characteristics that God hates. They also led to political assassinations and massacres which continue to be carried out on a regular basis by his followers today.

From my study of Islam, these statements would be correct.  Mohammad perhaps began with pure motives, but it developed into armed murderous war very soon.  Mohammad sought to change the fabric of his Bedouin (herding, mobile, polytheistic) lifestyle and did it with religion.  He took up arms when he did not get his way.  He did this from the beginning.  Make no mistake, Islam is a bloody religion.  Of course, Christians have a little thing called the Crusades which bloody our hands as well.  

They state:
Islamic Law is totalitarian in nature. There is no separation of church and state. It is irrational. It is supposedly immutable and cannot be changed. It must be accepted without criticism. It has many similarities to Nazism, Communism and Fascism. It is not compatible with Western Civilization.

I believe this statement to be 90% factually accurate and 10% opinion.  The theocratic (religion + government) nature of Islam is its greatest strength and danger.  Israel was just as strong and itself was a theocracy before Saul and David in the Old Testament.  

Opinion = irrational

Opinion = similarities to Nazism, Communism, Fascism (what doesn't... pretty broad categories here)

They state: 

Islam is not compatible with democracy and human rights. The notion of a moral individual capable of making decisions and taking responsibility for them does not exist in Islam. The attitude towards women in Islam as inferior possessions of men has led to countless cases of mistreatment and abuse for which Moslem men receive little or no punishment, and in many cases are encouraged to commit such acts, and are even praised for them. This is a direct fruit of the teachings of the Koran.

Theocracy is in fact opposed to democracy.  Islam does teach morals so I'm not sure about he truthfulness of all that.  Women certainly are looked at differently and in my American view... poorly.  Yet, that is my American (cultural) view.  Some may look down on my belief that a woman should not preach.  That is a religious conviction of mine.

  

They state:

A Muslim does not have the right to change his religion. Apostasy is punishable by death.

100% true.  It is commanded in the Koran and practiced.  We had a case here in Florida about a young girl running from her family up north because she converted to Christianity.  Don't forget the terror of that teenage girl.

They state:

Deep in the Islamic teaching and culture is the irrational fear and loathing of the West.

100% true.  Don't forget, Islam is BOTH religion and government.  Therefore, if the West makes a political move... they see it as a religious one.  For us they are different.  For them, it is one and the same.  Politically "the West" and other parts of the world have been enemies.  Thus, enemies of Islam.  This is why a President or Premier or Secretary of State cannot make political moves in the Middle East without taking religion into full consideration.  You deal with both.

They state:

Islam is a weapon of Arab imperialism and Islamic colonialism. Wherever Islam has or gains political power, Christians, Jews and all non-Moslems receive persecution, discrimination, are forced to convert. There are massacres and churches, synagogues, temples and other places of worship are destroyed.

100% true.  The tenets of Islam state that all should convert or die.  The Great Commission also tells Christians to go and convert the world, but death is not part of the equation... but it has been part of the practice... make no mistake.  The Dark Ages were called the Dark Ages for a reason. 

Well, to be honest, this post is longer than I would like it to be.  I hope perhaps this post has shed a little light on Islam and the church in Gainesville.  To be honest, I am still reading about the church and forming my opinion.  I am searching the Scriptures (not the ones they sight exactly) to see what my God-informed opinion should be. 

Won't you do the same?