Tuesday 3 May 2011

The issue is not Pastor Terry Jones and burning the 'Holy' Koran but 'al Quran' inspired violence

Whilst I believe the burning the Koran was wrong and the threatening of doing it provocative it is necessary to understand pastor Jones' frustrations and why he felt the need for this stunt. Pastor Jones was trying to raise the profile of christians constantly under attack in moslem countries where freedom of religion, thought and expression is anathema. Such freedoms are vilified in the Koran and as such the pastor felt justified in raising the issue in this way in order to break the silence of the established church and western media. If western media were not complicit in suppressing references to the pogroms and murders of christians happening on a daily basis throughout the muslim world, even in the supposedly moderate regimes in Pakistan and Indonesia, then the Pastor would not have felt driven to this desperate act. It is notable that the media has totally ignored Pastor Jones' message regarding persecuted christians portraying him simply as a crank. He has been condmned for having caused riots in the muslim world.
We in the west rightly have little understanding for citizens who resort to violence in order to resolve their disputed yet we manage to absolve violent muslims of blame for their actions with the excuse that they were provoked. In a court of law provocation might be an argument for some mitigation of a sentence but not to declare a violent attacker innocent of his guilt.

What needs to be condemned is the fact that muslims in their own countries feel they may wrent their wrath on innocent victims whenever they feel outraged. Such behaviour is the law of the jungle and the very antithesis of civilisation. The west must put islamic countries on notice that spilling innocent christians' blood will not go unnoticed or be lightly forgiven. Mrs Clinton should be made to point out to countries like Indonesia and Pakistan that a child's life is every bit as holy as that of the 'holy' Koran and that the US and its allies will aid Christian communities under attack.

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