Church plans to burn Korans on 9/11

[anointedteacher]

Petraeus Condemns U.S. Church's Plan to Burn Qurans

By JULIAN E. BARNES And MATTHEW ROSENBERG

KABUL—The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said the planned burning of Qurans on Sept. 11 by a Florida church could put the lives of American troops in danger and damage the war effort.

Gen. David Petraeus said the Taliban would exploit the demonstration for propaganda purposes, drumming up anger toward the U.S. and making it harder for allied troops to carry out their mission of protecting Afghan civilians.

."It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort," Gen. Petraeus said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. "It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community."

Hundreds of Afghans attended a demonstration in Kabul on Monday to protest the plans of Florida pastor Terry Jones, who has said he will burn the Quran on Sept. 11.

.Afghan protesters chanted "death to America" and speakers called on the U.S. to withdraw its military convoy. Some of the protesters threw rocks at a passing military convoy, although officials told the rock-throwers to stop.

Military officials fear the protests are likely to spread beyond Kabul to other Afghan cities. In interviews with various media outlets, Mr. Jones has denied his protest will put troops in danger. Mr. Jones has been denied a permit for the demonstration but has said he plans to go forward with the his protest anyway.

Mr. Jones leads a tiny church of just 50 people, but his threat to burn the Muslim holy book has been condemned around the world and has garnered him international attention.

Gen. Petraeus declined to elaborate on precisely what kinds of threats or violence could occur in the wake of such a demonstration. But westerners in Afghanistan have been warned away from restaurants and other public places as tensions arise over the matter.

A report in Newsweek, later retracted, that a U.S. interrogator at the Guantanamo Bay prison had flushed a Quran down a toilet set off riots in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the Muslim world.

.Officials fear that video of a members of Mr. Jones's church burning of Qurans could set off similar violence and stepped up attacks against U.S. troops.

Military leaders usually try to distance themselves from politics, so the decision by Gen. Petraeus to speak out to try and stop the burning is unusual. But last year Gen. Ray Odierno, the top commander in Iraq, asked President Barack Obama to stop the release of photos showing the abuse of Iraqi detainees, arguing pictures of Muslims being abused could touch off violence in Iraq and potentially slow down the withdrawal.

[krazeeboi]

Evangelical leaders try to reach out to the pastor who plans to burn the Koran

by Michelle Boorstein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 9, 2010; 3:07 AM


Geoff Tunnicliffe heads of one of the world's largest faith organizations - the World Evangelical Alliance - but on Wednesday morning, when he reached the Florida pastor planning to burn the Koran on Sept. 11, "I felt like a deer in the headlights," he said.

For weeks, Tunnicliffe had remained silent about the intention of the tiny Gainesville church to publicly torch Islam's holy book this Saturday, not wanting to lend legitimacy to the Dove World Outreach Center or its controversial pastor, Terry Jones. But after hearing from Pentecostal leaders around the globe who fear that the scripture-burning could spark sectarian violence, he decided he needed to appeal to Jones as a fellow Christian.

Tunnicliffe is among the religious leaders who have tried to reach out to Jones in recent days and persuade him to abandon his plan, which has been condemned by everyone from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to Gen. David H. Petraeus to conservative commentator Glenn Beck to actress Angelina Jolie. Even Franklin Graham, son of famed evangelist Billy Graham and an outspoken critic of Islam, tried twice without success to reach Jones on Wednesday to express his disapproval of defacing or destroying the sacred texts or writings of other religions, a spokesman said.

Jones did not return telephone calls Wednesday seeking comment.

Tunnicliffe described himself as "pleading" during a 10-minute cellphone conversation with the man whose plan has sparked angry protests in Jakarta and Kabul, a plan that some fear could put the lives of U.S. troops in Muslim countries at risk.

"I tried to talk about the impact this would have on his own stated goals of taking the Gospel to the world," said Tunnicliffe, whose group represents hundreds of millions of evangelicals, including those in Muslim countries.

He told Jones that Christian leaders and missionaries around the world were opposed to the burning, and asked, "What are you hearing from God that these people aren't hearing?" He asked how Jones would feel if the event led to the death of a pastor or the destruction of a church in another part of the world.

Jones listened but remained noncommittal, Tunnicliffe said. "He said they might not change their minds, but that they were praying about it."

At the end of the phone call, Tunnicliffe said, he prayed for Jones.

"Here's the reality: That video will never go away," he said. "It will be so detrimental to our work with religious liberty around the world. Everywhere I go around the world, I will have to address this for years to come."

He and others described their lobbying efforts this week as delicate and strange. Jones doesn't belong to a religious denomination and doesn't appear to know fellow pastors in his town.

Some religious leaders said they fear that Jones won't listen to strangers, or they are reluctant to fuel something that they hope will go away. Others said the fact that evangelical leaders aren't taking more action reflects a distant and sometimes tense relationship with Muslims and the fact that many evangelicals are skeptical of Islam.

"People don't speak out the way they should because they don't have personal relationships," said Richard Cizik, a former longtime lobbyist for the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), the U.S. branch of the World Evangelical Alliance. He noted that an NAE poll of evangelical leaders in 2008 found none who said they had a good friend who was Muslim.

Nevertheless, NAE President Leith Anderson issued a statement Wednesday asking Muslims not to judge "all Christians by the behavior of one extremist. One person with 30 silent followers does not speak for 300 million Americans who will never burn a Koran."

Christian leaders from other denominations echoed those sentiments Wednesday, saying there was no support in their communities for Jones. The question was how to reach the former hotel manager who sells furniture on eBay to make extra money.

Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said he decided not to approach Jones because he believes that the pastor would disapprove of Land's advocacy for the rights of religious minorities and his general engagement with pluralism.

"If I know my boy, he thinks we're apostate liberals anyway," Land said. "My guess is my call would be counterproductive. My calling him would just encourage him to do it."

City commissioners and the mayor of Gainesville have called Jones, as have local clergy, including the Rev. Dan Johnson of the 4,000-member Trinity United Methodist Church, the closest house of worship to the Dove Center. Johnson tried several times to make appointments with Jones before the Dove pastor called Johnson "yellow-bellied" in a local paper, said Troy Holloway, Trinity's director of stewardship development.

Tunnicliffe said he offered to come to Florida on Friday to speak with Jones's church and was planning to deliver a letter to the congregation and run an advertisement in the Gainesville newspaper.

Asked if evangelical leaders - including himself- had delayed trying to stop the Koran-burning because many Christians feel anxious about the spread of Islam, he said he didn't believe that was the case.

"They may have some concerns, but you'd only find the very fringe that would have any support for this, even among the most conservative," Tunnicliffe said. "I think there would be a strong consensus that this kind of approach is absolutely not acceptable and not biblical."

[Nikkol]

Scripture that comes to my mind:

14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva *, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said , Jesus I know , and Paul I know ; but who are ye? 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded . 17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified . 18 And many that believed came , and confessed , and shewed their deeds. 19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together , and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So mightily *grew the word of God and prevailed .

[krazeeboi]

So do you see this as largely a positive thing, Nikkol?

[Nikkol]

Sept 9, 2010 11:23:42 GMT -5 krazeeboi said:

So do you see this as largely a positive thing, Nikkol?

Not sure if I see it as either. I think it's negative that the church would stand behind a book (quran) that I believe that all Christians should believe is of the enemy and therefore not holy. I've heard things as bad as that his church needs to be burned down, etc.....from CHRISTIANS.

I don't know exactly how it started and/or became public news...all I read was that Afghans were passing out literature about this...but as many times as those of other religions burn the bible and those of that religion stand behind it...or those who kill any/everyone who will not be the "main religion" of the region, to see that those who you would assume would be for Jesus standing behind those that deny Jesus does seem somewhat weird/ironic.... you don't think so?

Maybe his church had a lot of Muslim converts and they're using this as a symbolic way of getting rid of the idols in their lives.....idk

[krazeeboi]

Sept 9, 2010 12:34:10 GMT -5 Nikkol said:

Not sure if I see it as either. I think it's negative that the church would stand behind a book (quran) that I believe that all Christians should believe is of the enemy and therefore not holy.

I'm not sure if I'm understanding you here. You say that the Church is "standing behind the Koran"? Just because Christian leaders are saying that it wouldn't be in Christianity's or the nation's best interest for this pastor to go on with his Koran burning? That's a really big stretch Nikkol.

I've heard things as bad as that his church needs to be burned down, etc.....from CHRISTIANS.

I'm not surprised. I don't agree, but I'm not surprised.

I don't know exactly how it started and/or became public news...all I read was that Afghans were passing out literature about this...but as many times as those of other religions burn the bible and those of that religion stand behind it...or those who kill any/everyone who will not be the "main religion" of the region, to see that those who you would assume would be for Jesus standing behind those that deny Jesus does seem somewhat weird/ironic.... you don't think so?

It seems as though you've got the "since they do it to us, we'll do it to them" mentality, which is not what Christianity stands for. Our entire premise is that we're different from other religions. If others wish to burn Bibles, that's fine. We don't retaliate by burning their scriptures. How does that show the love of Christ? Our goal is to win them over.

I'm not sure how you can take people not being behind the Koran burning (for those reasons I just listed) to mean that this means that they are somehow condoning the truthfulness of the Koran or Islam itself. Quite a perplexing stance coming from you here Nikkol.

And how about looking at this from a national security perspective? And I sincerely hope you don't say something like, "Well they already hate us, so this isn't going to change anything."

Maybe his church had a lot of Muslim converts and they're using this as a symbolic way of getting rid of the idols in their lives.....idk

Not at all. This pastor is clear that he wants to "send a message" to radical Muslims; it has nothing to do with a bunch of Muslim converts in his church. You can check out several clips on YouTube where he's done interviews to verify this.

[Nikkol]

Did you read Acts 19?

Additionally, there are reasons why I keep things in the paragraphs that I do...and when you pick out certain parts to argue, you change my whole point....

Saying this:
Not sure if I see it as either. I think it's negative that the church would stand behind a book (quran) that I believe that all Christians should believe is of the enemy and therefore not holy. I've heard things as bad as that his church needs to be burned down, etc.....from CHRISTIANS.

And saying this:
Not sure if I see it as either. I think it's negative that the church would stand behind a book (quran) that I believe that all Christians should believe is of the enemy and therefore not holy.

I've heard things as bad as that his church needs to be burned down, etc.....from CHRISTIANS.

Mean two separate things..... And I know that we've had this discussion on MANY times before, KRAZEEBOI

[krazeeboi]

Sept 9, 2010 14:11:56 GMT -5 Nikkol said:

Did you read Acts 19?

Yep. I like this take on it.

Additionally, there are reasons why I keep things in the paragraphs that I do...and when you pick out certain parts to argue, you change my whole point....

Saying this:
Not sure if I see it as either. I think it's negative that the church would stand behind a book (quran) that I believe that all Christians should believe is of the enemy and therefore not holy. I've heard things as bad as that his church needs to be burned down, etc.....from CHRISTIANS.

And saying this:
Not sure if I see it as either. I think it's negative that the church would stand behind a book (quran) that I believe that all Christians should believe is of the enemy and therefore not holy.

I've heard things as bad as that his church needs to be burned down, etc.....from CHRISTIANS.

Mean two separate things..... And I know that we've had this discussion on MANY times before, KRAZEEBOI

I fail to see how I changed the overall point you were making. You were arguing that it seems as though the Church is "standing up" for the Koran just because many Christian leaders are against burning the book. I thought that point was pretty clear, and I fail to see how you can make such a connection.

Also, I'm genuinely interested to know what you think of this from a national security perspective.

[krazeeboi]

Christian Leader: Quran Burning Could Endanger Persecuted Church

Tuesday, 07 September 2010 02:52 PM EDT Adrienne S. Gaines News - Featured News

The head of an international advocacy organization for persecuted Christians is calling on a Florida church to cancel its plans to burn the Quran Saturday, saying the move could bring a backlash of attacks.

Carl Moeller, president of Open Doors USA, said the protest to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks could endanger Christians in predominantly Muslim nations and violates Jesus' command to love one's neighbor.

"The burning of Qurans will only confirm what many Muslims believe - that Christians hate Muslims," Moeller said. "That is exactly the opposite message we as Christians want to send."

Indonesian Christians also warned of possible backlash after Muslims organized a protest Saturday condemning the proposed "International Burn a Koran Day."

Terry Jones, pastor of Dove World Outreach Centre in Gainesville, Fla., which is leading the Quran burning, said his group wants to warn of the dangers of Islam.

"Islam and Sharia law was responsible for 9/11," Jones told AFP. "We will burn Qurans because we think it's time for Christians, for churches, for politicians to stand up and say 'no. Islam and Sharia law is not welcome in the U.S.'"

This week, Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, warned that the church's move could endanger U.S. troops.

"It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems," Petraeus said in a statement. "Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community."

On Monday, hundreds of Afghans reacted to the proposed Quran burning by torching a U.S. flag. "We know this is not just the decision of a church. It is the decision of the president and the entire United States," Abdul Shakoor, 18, told the Associated Press (AP).

Roughly 3,000 people protested the Florida church's plans in Indonesia on Saturday in a demonstration organized by an international Muslim group called Hizb-ut-Tahir (Party of Liberation).

After the protest, the Indonesian Protestant Christian Churches Union (PGI) sent a letter to President Obama asking him to prevent the burning, AFP reported. "We're deeply concerned as it could create tension here in Indonesia," PGI chairman Andreas Yewangoe said.

Jones said the church planned to proceed with its plans but was "weighing" the decision.

"We have firmly made up our mind, but at the same time, we are definitely praying about it," Jones told CNN Tuesday morning.

Later in the day, he told the AP that he wonders how many times the U.S. can back down. He said he has received more than 100 death threats and carries a gun.

"We think it's time to turn the tables, and instead of possibly blaming us for what could happen, we put the blame where it belongs - on the people who would do it," he said. "And maybe instead of addressing us, we should address radical Islam and send a very clear warning that they are not to retaliate in any form."

Moeller asked Christians to pray this week that the church will cancel its protest. The Vatican on Wednesday denounced the planned Quran burning as "outrageous and grave." Other Christian organizations including the National Association of Evangelicals and the World Evangelical Alliance also have condemned the move.

[Nikkol]

Sept 9, 2010 14:25:56 GMT -5 krazeeboi said:

Sept 9, 2010 14:11:56 GMT -5 Nikkol said:

Did you read Acts 19?

Yep. I like this take on it.

Additionally, there are reasons why I keep things in the paragraphs that I do...and when you pick out certain parts to argue, you change my whole point....

Saying this:
Not sure if I see it as either. I think it's negative that the church would stand behind a book (quran) that I believe that all Christians should believe is of the enemy and therefore not holy. I've heard things as bad as that his church needs to be burned down, etc.....from CHRISTIANS.

And saying this:
Not sure if I see it as either. I think it's negative that the church would stand behind a book (quran) that I believe that all Christians should believe is of the enemy and therefore not holy.

I've heard things as bad as that his church needs to be burned down, etc.....from CHRISTIANS.

Mean two separate things..... And I know that we've had this discussion on MANY times before, KRAZEEBOI

I fail to see how I changed the overall point you were making. You were arguing that it seems as though the Church is "standing up" for the Koran just because many Christian leaders are against burning the book. I thought that point was pretty clear, and I fail to see how you can make such a connection.

Also, I'm genuinely interested to know what you think of this from a national security perspective.

(last sentence of the paragraph was emphasizing one way that they are showing how they "stand behind" the Koran)

Naturally speaking, it could be nasty.....but what if (key word being "if) this is something that God has told him to do?

KRAZEE: I want you to learn how to add links to your posts....LOL.

[krazeeboi]

Sept 9, 2010 15:02:16 GMT -5 Nikkol said:

(last sentence of the paragraph was emphasizing one way that they are showing how they "stand behind" the Koran)

I don't think so. That's one person going to another extreme to show their opposition to something already considered extreme. That doesn't prove they "stand behind" the Koran; only that they are also extremists.

Naturally speaking, it could be nasty.....but what if (key word being "if) this is something that God has told him to do?

For one, God doesn't ordain rogue operations in His kingdom, so that's not even something for me to entertain. I refuse to believe that out of all of the Christians and Christian leaders out there that are pleading with him to not do this that he's the only one hearing from God.

KRAZEE: I want you to learn how to add links to your posts....LOL.

Well, the format on this board doesn't make it easy, but essentially you just highlight the word/phrase you want hyperlinked and click the "insert hyperlink" icon. Then you add = after "url" and put the URL in quotes.

[krazeeboi]

Fla. minister cancels burning of Qurans on 9/11

By ANTONIO GONZALEZ, Associated Press Writer


GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A Florida minister who had created an international furor with his plan to burn the Quran on the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks canceled the event under intense pressure Thursday, saying he agreed to back off after reaching a deal to move the location of a controversial mosque near New York's ground zero.

The Rev. Terry Jones announced his decision Thursday afternoon, standing outside his small church alongside Imam Muhammad Musri, the president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida. However, Musri and the imam planning the New York mosque disputed Jones' contention that a deal had been cut.

After the news conference, Musri told The Associated Press there was an agreement for him and Jones to travel to New York and meet Saturday — on the actual anniversary of the 9/11 attacks — with the imam overseeing plans to build a mosque near ground zero.

"I told the pastor that I personally believe the mosque should not be there, and I will do everything in my power to make sure it is moved," Musri said. "But there is not any offer from there (New York) that it will be moved. All we have agreed to is a meeting, and I think we would all like to see a peaceful resolution."

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf said he was surprised by the announcement and that he would not barter.

Jones, the pastor of a Florida Pentecostal church of 50 members, has said that he believes the Quran is evil because it espouses something other than biblical truth and incites radical, violent behavior among Muslims.

Jones on Thursday said he prayed about the decision and that if the site of the mosque was moved, it would be a sign from God to call off the Quran burning.

"We are, of course, now against any other group burning Qurans," Jones said during the news conference. We would right now ask no one to burn Qurans. We are absolutely strong on that. It is not the time to do it."

His decision comes after a firestorm of criticism from leaders around the world. President Barack Obama, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan and several Christian leaders had urged Jones to reconsider his plans. They said his actions would endanger U.S. soldiers and provide a strong recruitment tool for Islamic extremists. Jones' protest also drew criticism from religious and political leaders from across the Muslim world.

They warned that the plan would put Americans in danger around the world. In Afghanistan, hundreds of angry Afghans burned an American flag and chanted "Death to the Christians" to protest the planned Quran burning.

Musri thanked Jones and his church members "for making the decision today to defuse the situation and bring to a positive end what has become the world over a spectacle that no one would benefit from except extremists and terrorists" who would use it to recruit future radicals.

Russ Blackburn, Gainesville city manager: "It's very good news for Gainesville and good news for everyone involved."

Jones' neighbors in Gainesville, a city of 125,000 anchored by the sprawling University of Florida campus, also have said they disapprove. At least two dozen Christian churches, Jewish temples and Muslim organizations in the city have mobilized to plan inclusive events — some will read from the Quran at their own weekend services.

Jones' Dove Outreach Center is independent of any denomination. It follows the Pentecostal tradition, which teaches that the Holy Spirit can manifest itself in the modern day. Pentecostals often view themselves as engaged in spiritual warfare against satanic forces.

[Nikkol]

I don't think so. That's one person going to another extreme to show their opposition to something already considered extreme. That doesn't prove they "stand behind" the Koran; only that they are also extremists.

Christians are also calling it a holy book....it's not.

One person was talking about how because this guy was going to do this, it outraged Muslims to action....yet we have Christians overseas being martyred and burning of bibles all the time....yet no real outrage. Truth be told, there's more outrage and publicity regarding this man burning books than the outrage of what's going on with our Christians overseas.

For one, God doesn't ordain rogue operations in His kingdom, so that's not even something for me to entertain. I refuse to believe that out of all of the Christians and Christian leaders out there that are pleading with him to not do this that he's the only one hearing from God.

Throughout the Bible we see what some could consider "rogue operations". It's possible that there are other leaders standing behind him but haven't "become public". Elijah thought he was alone....and he wasn't. I know there was at least one more Major prophet in scripture that had a different word than everyone else. So, I could say that many may not agree...but for me to say that he didn't hear from God because others are saying something different isn't something that I'd feel comfortable saying. (but that's for ME). I do think that it's showing that a pastor is taking a stand against false religions.......

*thinking out loud by typing* It does make me wonder that if Christians are telling this pastor to not do this because ppl will die, etc what would their stand be if they are told to deny Christ or ppl will die/be tortured/etc? Because if we look at it from the big picture/high level, he's not hurting anyone...but just making a stand against one particular false religion.

Well, the format on this board doesn't make it easy, but essentially you just highlight the word/phrase you want hyperlinked and click the "insert hyperlink" icon. Then you add = after "url" and put the URL in quotes.

It's the putting of the url in quotes that causes it not to come through. So if you take out the quotes, it's all good. :-)


Side Bar:

One thing in the article you sent said: In Afghanistan, hundreds of angry Afghans burned an American flag and chanted "Death to the Christians" to protest the planned Quran burning.

But isn't that happening already (ie killing of Christians) since freedom of religion isn't really practiced there?

Here's something else: At least two dozen Christian churches, Jewish temples and Muslim organizations in the city have mobilized to plan inclusive events — some will read from the Quran at their own weekend services.

Why would Christian churches read from the Quran DURING service?

[anointedteacher]

Pastor Terry Jones expects his followers to obey all his commands, according to bizarre rule book

Fanatical Florida pastor Terry Jones wants to burn the Koran, but he expects followers to live by the Book of Jones.

Jones' guide for prospective ministers, which was written by his wife Sylvia, is rife with misspellings and grammatical errors and reads like a brainwashing manual.

"The student is required to be obedient to all commands," the "Academy Rulebook" states.

Students at Jones' Dove World Outreach Center who don't obey "will be corrected instantly."

Under Jones' rules, students are "not allowed to visit family members or friends."

"Family occasions like wedding, funerals or Birthdays are no exception to this rule."

Mail and e-mail is allowed, but "no phone calls."

"Exceptions can be made under certain circumstances but only after receiving permission," the rules read.
Jones also forbade "Singles" from having "romantic relationships to the opposite sex."

"There is no need to talk at all, or even flirt!" according to the rulebook.

The focus, the Joneses insisted, should be on God.

"The student is responsible to share the gospel with one person each day," the book states.

The Joneses also tackle personal matters with what The Smoking Gun, the web site that obtained the six-page manual, called "creepy" detail.

Alcohol, candy, and eating out at restaurants is banned.

"Students will be put on the scale once a week," the rules state.

The Joneses also insisted that students "wash or shower at least once a day but not more then (sic) 2 a day."

Make sure to cleanse "Mouth, sweat areas, hair, feet hands," the rules state.======================================================

We need to do a background check, before defending a minister or ministry.... This is a cult not a church! I knew there was something not right about this pastor and his congregation... He was knick out of Germany and had a much higher followers, of 2000... We need to check out the roots of their behaviors... As a Christian, we should speak out and expose cults like this and let the public know they are not apart of us....

This is the student's handbook:
www.thesmokinggun.com/file/dove-church-rulebook

[krazeeboi]

Sept 10, 2010 7:27:27 GMT -5 Nikkol said:

Christians are also calling it a holy book....it's not.

Of course it is. The definition of "holy" is "specially recognized as or declared sacred by religious use or authority." The Koran is Islam's holy book. I think we forget that we as Christians (especially Pentecostals) don't have an exclusive patent on words that are part of our church lingo.

One person was talking about how because this guy was going to do this, it outraged Muslims to action....yet we have Christians overseas being martyred and burning of bibles all the time....yet no real outrage. Truth be told, there's more outrage and publicity regarding this man burning books than the outrage of what's going on with our Christians overseas.

That's because, for the most part, we're speaking about this from a national security point of view. We can't help that some people overseas hate America and Christianity for what it is, but the last thing we should be doing is provoking them--which puts our national welfare and our troops in danger. Read the article I posted earlier about how the now suspended Koran burning could put the persecuted church in other parts of the world in further danger.

Throughout the Bible we see what some could consider "rogue operations". It's possible that there are other leaders standing behind him but haven't "become public". Elijah thought he was alone....and he wasn't. I know there was at least one more Major prophet in scripture that had a different word than everyone else. So, I could say that many may not agree...but for me to say that he didn't hear from God because others are saying something different isn't something that I'd feel comfortable saying. (but that's for ME).

I don't think any of that is applicable here. The point regarding Elijah is that he wasn't alone. Furthermore, we're not in the OT where only a select few people were anointed by the Spirit and had a message from God. In the NT, we are accountable to each other as members of the Body of Christ and if someone says they have a message from God, it is to be judged by the church or other prophets. There are no rogue operations within the new testament church of God.

I do think that it's showing that a pastor is taking a stand against false religions.......

So the only way to stand against false religions is to publicly burn their holy books? Should all true Christian churches be doing this? Is this what my church should do? Will your church schedule a burning soon?

*thinking out loud by typing* It does make me wonder that if Christians are telling this pastor to not do this because ppl will die, etc what would their stand be if they are told to deny Christ or ppl will die/be tortured/etc? Because if we look at it from the big picture/high level, he's not hurting anyone...but just making a stand against one particular false religion.

I'm not getting what you're saying here. Can you explain a little further?

One thing in the article you sent said: In Afghanistan, hundreds of angry Afghans burned an American flag and chanted "Death to the Christians" to protest the planned Quran burning.

But isn't that happening already (ie killing of Christians) since freedom of religion isn't really practiced there?

Not really. Certainly, the church in Afghanistan is more underground, but they aren't going around slaughtering self-proclaimed Christians. An incident did happen earlier this year with members of a Christian multinational medical team being killed by the Taliban (which was horrible), but outside of that, there's not outright and explicit killing of Christians in Afghanistan. And even if it were, why would you want to exacerbate the situation unnecessarily?

Here's something else: At least two dozen Christian churches, Jewish temples and Muslim organizations in the city have mobilized to plan inclusive events — some will read from the Quran at their own weekend services.

Why would Christian churches read from the Quran DURING service?

You know all churches aren't evangelical Protestant churches and some are more liberal than others. Even then, I remember an evangelist on TBN one time who had converted to Christianity from Islam who was quoting from the Koran on the show to demonstrate some kind of truth about Jesus, and about how he used these passages to convert Muslims to Christianity. It was pretty interesting.