Add to Technorati Favorites expat Abu Dhabi Dispatches: Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should, Part 2

Friday, September 10, 2010

Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should, Part 2

Tommorrow, September 11th, a Christian preacher in rural central Florida is threatening to burn a large number of Qur'ans in remembrance of the World Trade Center attacks specifically and in protest of the Islamic religion in general. The latest is that he is praying for guidance and has not decided to actually do the deed.

Pastor Terry Jones (New York Daily News photo)
Evangelistic fervor runs deep in the rural south. I know, I was raised in a small Florida town.The protestant ultra religious sects are powers that influence the social and governmental fabric of these areas. There are some jurisdictions where I can't purchase so much as a beer because of their religious influence on the laws. The inhabitants of these sparsely populated areas tend to be politically conservative and globally naive. I am not disparaging these folks as I feel somewhat of a kinship with them, I am a redneck too and understand the God and Country attitude although I am not in lockstep with them due to my travels and exposure to other cultures.. I find the predominately Muslim Abu Dhabi much more liberal than some of these places in certain respects.

However, I consider the Pastor Terry Jones of his self-made Dove World Outreach Center a raw attention whore. This whole thing smells bad. He wants his "Andy Warhol's" 15 minutes of fame and he is getting it. This story is on all the major American networks and I am embarrassed about that. Pastor Jones' congregation  is but 50 members strong! That's right, a marginal preacher has found a way to get international attention even though his flock would not even fill up a regular tour bus. 

One reason for this is the ongoing controversy over the proposed mosque near Ground Zero in N.Y.C. Today, Pastor Jones claimed he flew to New York to meet with the Imam Rauf to negotiate. The supposed deal was that if the Imam would abandon plans for the mosque, the rev would not burn the Qur'ans. The Imam quickly denied the deal so we will have to see what happens tomorrow.

As I posted earlier about my concurrence of the Imam's right to construct a mosque near Ground Zero, I also support the rights of Pastor Jones to express his opinions. That is the American way. Freedom of Speech and all that. But I question the motivation of both parties. Looks like we have a stand-off here.

In the few hours left, I predict no Qur'ans will  not be burnt. 

A final thought, I remember the Bell Curve when I studied statistics in university. Beware of the tails!!! Radical shit has no place in the modern  world.

And radicals of any religion suck!!!!!

Let's just sit in our living rooms and leave each other alone, fair enough? Let us enjoy our religions without having to feel the need to fuck with each other. We are all tired of that!


Casual  Friday ( From YouTube)
To my Muslim friends and coworkers who might be offended by this, please be aware that most Americans disagree with this display of defiance, Rest assured that the vast majority of Americans disagree with this asshole.

We have the freedom of speech ( first amendment)! but we must throttle our radicals......there are both Christian and Islam radicals who cause trouble. We must endeavor to eradicate the hate between us.

I love you Guys!!!!

I have Muslim friends and co- workers......no problem!!!

Let's just all get  along no matter our God?

I'll bet you $20 he won't do it!









4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Let's just all get along no matter our God?

Funny thing is in this case, and most of the cases of religious friction in the world, it is the SAME God in question.

Muslims have less issues with religions who believe in totally different God(s) and systems.

It's actually very funny to read the stories of, for example, Zacharias in the Christian tradition, then flip to Sura 19 in the Qur'an and see almost the SAME EXACT STUFF written. I mean, 96% the same.

So 96% the same, cant get along, 1% the same, we get along fine. It's insane.

BTW Ace, I dont know how religious you are, but here is a translation of Surah 19, Title... Mariam (Mary)

http://i-cias.com/textarchive/koran/019.htm

Then again, I get along with friends much better than I do my own brothers... Some of whom arent Muslim, So I can kind of understand.

As for most Americans being against this, We know, I was watching the Daily show with Jon Stewart, who is Jewish, and he had on the Mayor of NYC, Mayor Bloomberg, who is also Jewish, and wouldnt you know, but didnt see an issue with the mosque. Very weird. In many ways the US should be envied for this ability to put rights 1st. Sadly, it doesnt always work, even in the US, and especially in the middle East.

LMAO at the bell curves... NORMAL DISTRIBUTION! lol. Very true.

But I will say this, and I would get alot of heat for this, but you submit yourself to live by the laws of the country you choose to live in. The Pastor, although totally insane IMO, CAN do this if he wishes. Freedom of Speech to me, being from a country where it "exists" in a "controlled" way (doesnt exist for shit), is very dear. And I believe anything up till physical harm is acceptable.

I sometimes wish I could hold a bible burning! But I cant, simply because the 3rd pillar of Iman (Belief) in Islam is "The belief in All of God's Holy scriptures."

http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Pillars-of-Iman

In all cases, your country gives you a right that my religion gives me but my country does not. Be thankful for that Ace.

hemlock said...

burning books / effigies is a sign of impotence - as far as im concerned.

we've got a bunch of loonies who are always burning flags (mostly US and Israel) and previously effigies of Bush.

serves no purpose except to expose the morons what they actually are.
would i be offended if a priest in some godforsaken hole burnt copies of my holy book?
in all honesty, i doubt it - pearls before swines and what not.

i would though, be worried for the people who are members of his church - the same way i worry for kids enrolled in 'madrassas' in pakistan, that prohibit intellectual development.

Chuck said...

Looks like you won your bet, Ace:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/7196164.html

Ace said...

The best thing to do with these greedy attention whores such as our pastor is to ignore him. The US mainstream press just loves a story though. They like to pick at scabs until they are inflamed and infected. This story was too juicy for them too ignore especially with the concurrent mosque discussions in NYC.