"Instead of Burning..."

Not that I want to dwell on the subject, because quite frankly I think we can all be a little immature when the subject turns to religion, and who's is best, but... I happened across a blog post on Facebook this morning that falls in line with what I've been trying to say all along.

Brian McLaren is a very well respected pastor/writer/theologian/speaker in the evangelical church, and a forerunner in exploring the Christian faith in a postmodern world. 


Essentially,his blog and my thoughts intersect at these points:  How can we judge either the Koran, or the Bible, without having actually taken the time to read it and learn about it?  How can we fairly judge another religion if all we're ever doing is comparing our best aspects against their worst aspects?  And why would we bother taking offense when one is burned?  If you're carrying your holy text around with you on paper, then you're doing it wrong.  Your holy text should be carried with you in your mind and in your heart - that way it can influence your life and your interactions with others.  A paper copy is no more than a reference book, and an easily duplicated one at that.  The bible is apparently the best selling book of all time; I'm sure there are millions of copies of the Koran floating around too.  Go ahead and take my paper copy, tear it apart, burn it if you must; it can easily be replaced.  I'll probably be a little annoyed at you, but it's not going to ruin my day, or my faith, because I carry around the essentials with me, within me, and the rest I just Google!

Brian's whole blog post can be read here:  "Instead of Burning, try Learning"

Maybe a little better use of your energy?

By far, the best comment I have heard regarding this whole Koran burning thing went something like this:

If these idiotic religious extremists (the ones who fly planes into buildings, and burn books/flags, kill people, or play with little boys) would focus their energy on something useful like feeding starving children, or helping the homeless, or drilling wells in Africa, this world would be a much better place.

Ain't that the truth.

Because of a comic, I have learned that Emily Dickinson's poem, "Death", can be sung to the tune from Gilligan's Island.  I now have a new found appreciation for poetry.

Here, try it yourself:


Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste,
And I had put away
My labor, and my leisure too,
For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove
At recess, in the ring;
We passed the fields of gazing grain,
We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;
The dews grew quivering and chill,
For only gossamer my gown,
My tippet only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed
A swelling of the ground;
The roof was scarcely visible,
The cornice but a mound.

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horses' heads
Were toward eternity.

How many politicians does it take...?

This article showed up on my news feed today:

Obama administration mulls call to Florida pastor over Koran burning

The Obama administration is discussing whether to call a Florida pastor to ask him to call off plans for a Koran-burning day that U.S. leaders have warned could endanger American troops abroad, the Pentagon said on Thursday.
“That possibility is currently under discussion within the administration,” Pentagon spokesman Geoffrey Morrell said when asked whether U.S. leaders would call the head of the small Florida church. “I don’t believe they’ve come to any resolution yet.” 

Really??  Really, really??
It takes 30 seconds to make a phone call. 
Maybe they just can't find the phone number?  Well, here:

Dove World Outreach Centre
5805 Northwest 37th Street
Gainesville, FL 32653, United States
(352) 371-2487

 ...a name like 'Dove World Outreach', you'd think they'd be a little more peaceful.


And from here, this blog could turn to any number of subjects such as:

a) Muslims are wrong
b) Christians are wrong
c) Book burning is wrong
d) This is why people hate religion
e) Leave it to a 'Bible-thumping, USA-loving' Southerner
f) Violence begets violence
g) Tolerance & goodwill & grace

But, really, what's the point?  It doesn't matter what is said in regards to this, differences of opinion abound and we'll all just end up fighting with each other.  Call me a pacifist if you like; I'm not the one who's going to be getting myself killed over arguments in which no one actually wins.  It's not like any of this bickering and fighting and book burning is going to do us any good when an asteroid smashes into the earth anyway!

The silly thing is that this could have all been avoided if only Abraham hadda been a little nicer to Ishmael instead of making Isaac the favourite son!