Burning Koran? The 'Wing Nuts' are at it again. Mainstream Pulpits Should Speak For Moderation.

Written by Ben B.Boothe, with thanks to David Nakamura

Note from Editor:

Burning or destruction of religious icons causes powerful emotional reaction

Religious symbols have deep emotional connections. Note even how these images affect you. Therefore when a person or organization sets out to destroy the religious icons of another person, a strong reaction can be expected. Destruction of a house, or building, a secular novel, a coloring book, will get a notice, but not near the emotional reaction of destruction of a religious symbol. Destroy a church, a temple or mosque, a Bible, a religious monument or a Koran, and the reaction will be emotional and strong.

It is important that we respect the symbols of religion. I recall once, a Tibetan seeing a Bible in a bathroom in the USA and saying: "If you consider this a Holy Book, you would not put it in a dirty place."

For many, just the sight or thought of this creates an emotional response

Religious symbols speak to the heart, and normally have multiple meanings. They bring back memories of tradition, family, funerals and births. For some people religious symbols help hold their mental and spiritual lives together. So when we heard the story of the little church, run by a man with a big ego,announcing that he would “burn” the Koran, we again were amazed at the lack of discernment and the ignorance that exists among some church leaders .

The USA allows freedom of speech but that when mixed with the freedom of ignorance can cause damage, even get innocent people killed.

Unfortunately, ignorance isn’t considered a “vice” with fervent fanatics. This act, merely fuels flames of radicalism. The USA’s leading General, David H. Petraeus sees it first hand on the battlefield, and we file this report, showing how serious he believes this is. Certainly the act of publicly burning this religious book, will cause American boys to be killed and create more strife.

I suggest that religious leaders pursue means of reconciliation, peace, and not conflict and violence. It would be wise for American pulpits (and Islamic mosques) to speak out and proclaim the responsibility to be respectful of the religious symbols of others.

Of course, “peace and reconciliation” does not provide small minded people headlines or notoriety. Perhaps that is why radical groups throughout the world, use destruction of religious symbols as tools to for access to media, to stir things up.

Again it is up to the vast majority of moderate and thinking people to “clean up their messes”. It is time that Americans speak out for moderation, wisdom and steps toward reconciliation.

–BootheGlobal Perspectives

By David Nakamura

Washington Post Tuesday, September 7, 2010 KABUL --

Gen. David H. Petraeus on Tuesday denounced plans by a Florida church to burn copies of the Koran this weekend, saying the demonstration could "endanger troops" and damage the U.S. war effort in Afghanistan. "It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems," Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO leaderin Afghanistan, said in a statement. "Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic world."

Petraeus spoke a day after 500 residents protested at a Kabul mosque, burning American flags and chanting anti-U.S. slogans.The Dove World Outreach Center, a 50-member evangelical Christian church in Gainesville, Fla., announced plans to burn the Islamic holy books on Saturday, the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. At the Kabul protest, residents burned an effigy of Dove World pastor Terry Jones.

"I am very concerned by the potential repercussions of the possible Koran burning," Petraeus said. "Even the rumor that it might take place has sparked demonstrations such as the one that took place in Kabul yesterday. Were the actual burning to take place, the safety of our soldiers and civilians would be put in jeopardy and the mission would be made more difficult."

NATO forces are in the midst of a surge of troop levels in Afghanistan to root out Taliban insurgents in increasingly dangerous areas in the south and east. At least 500 foreign troops have been killed in the country this year,512 in 2009, the highest annual toll in the nine-year-old war.

"Images of the burning of a Koran would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan - and around the world - to inflame public opinion and incite violence," Petraeus said. "Such images could, in fact, be used as were the photos from [Abu Ghraib]. And this would, again, put our troopers and civilians in jeopardy and undermine our efforts to achieve the critical mission here in Afghanistan." Petraeus referred to the prison in Iraq that gained notoriety when the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. guards was revealed in 2004.