by Last week, the Obama Administration publicly argued that Florida pastor Terry Jones should not burn Korans because to do so would lead to the deaths of many American servicemen overseas. This morning on Good Morning America, Richard Cizik, head of the New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good, argued that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf should not move the Manhattan mosque site because this would lead radical Muslims to kill Christians overseas. These are the wrong arguments.
Don’t get me wrong.
My fellow Christians should not burn Korans. Christians should address its ideas. That is the way to combat error and search for truth. Koran-burning will merely alienate Muslims and discourage conversation.
The mosque should remain in this location because this imam has consistently condemned terrorism and such Muslim leaders should be supported. The Bush Administration sent him around the world to build bridges to Muslims. He should attempt to build bridges in Manhattan.
A prudent concern for innocent lives may also support not burning Korans and leaving the mosque site where it is, but these should not be the public arguments. They should be made in private, if at all. If fear of terrorism is seen as the reason we don’t burn Korans or the reason we move the mosque, we will get more threats.
This situation has grow to the level of lampoonery. A fine article over at Front Porch Republic sums it up: http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2010/09/a-brief-history-of-time-wasted/
Point #7 is more directly addressing this matter.
I agree Bob. I think these arguments were made in a misguided effort to appeal to the “patriotism” of Pastor Jones and others who think Koran-burning signals support for America. The better argument on the “patriotism” front is that this kind of action is an affront to our basic democratic values of respect, tolerance, and peaceful pursuit of truth.