Thursday, May 19, 2005

Disrespect for the "Holy Koran"

Secretary of State Condi Rice had something "interesting" to say about those false reports of desecration of the Koran. Rice said "Disrespect for the holy Koran is something the United States will never tolerate." Sorry, Madame Secretary, but there is something a bit unnerving about your statement. If the violence spawned by the "religion of peace" is, in fact, based on the words of the Koran, then disrespect has been duly earned. We enjoy freedoms in this country, and that includes the freedom to "disrespect," as you put it, the Islamic religion and it's holy book. As an American I get to burn, flush, or tear up the Koran with impunity, and there isn't a thing you can do!

Oh, and on this issue of disrespect for the Koran. Here's something I lifted from James Taranto's Wall Street Journal Best of the Web column from Tuesday:

In fairness to Rice, she presumably was referring to government policy, not the actions or opinions of private individuals. Still, by way of comparison, recall that three years ago Palestinian Arab terrorists occupied the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Priests reported that "gunmen tore up Bibles for toilet paper." The Chicago Tribune noted after the siege that "altars had been turned into cooking and eating tables, a sacrilege to the religious faithful." Christians responded by declining to riot and refraining from killing anyone. They had the same response 15 or so years ago when the National Endowment for the Arts was subsidizing the desecration of a crucifix and other Christian symbols. This should also put to rest the oft-heard misnomer that America's "religious right" is somehow a Christian equivalent of our jihadi enemies.

Well said!

3 comments:

Ryan said...

I hate this notion that you may not say or do anything anti-Islamic in this country without drawing the ire of someone. I will NEVER forget the peacful religion of those who flew jets into buildings four years ago. Besides I reject this idolatry of Koran worship. There is much to disagree with muslims on. Their worship of their book is just one.

Charles North said...

Wanna stir the pot? Suggest that in the CofC we have been guilty of worshipping the Bible instead of Christ! Remember, "the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1).

Ryan said...

why no recent posts, Chuck?