So, yeah, everyone knows what I’m talking about I presume. If you don’t, just Google it. There’s enough people talking about it that I thought it was worth formulating a formal opinion on.

I want to make two preliminary things very clear.

1. I do not agree with Jones’ decision to burn the Qur’an.
2. I am in no way a softie to the Muslim faith.

Just so we have those two things out of the way. They are both important in understanding my view, and seem to be two polarizing points in the modern argument. I stand not on either polar end.

Okay, that being said, let me say some things I want to say. I believe Islam is evil, just as I believe any false faith or god is evil. I would define evil as being “something that leads one to neglect the ultimate reality, authority, and glory of God,” so therefore I think that it is evil. I don’t feel like I have to justify saying that, or defend myself on that point. If you believe the Bible to the letter, then you understand how a faith that leads people to not turn to the true Yaweh is not a good faith, and leads people to believe something else is the ultimate ends of life and squander their life in pursuit of it, just as someone in America might squander their life in pursuit of money, fame, the American Dream, etc. But while money and power are not at their root in opposition to God, but rather the love of them is (1 Timothy 6:10), you can see how religions/faiths that lead people not to look at Jesus as the Righteous One, the Son of God, and the only way to belief in the One True God, cannot be good. In fact they are the opposite of good. I would call this evil.

I don’t hate people who are Muslims, just as I wouldn’t hate a lost person who is a severe alcoholic, or an adulterer, or a homosexual, or a glutton. All of these sins that lead one to turn form the One True God through Jesus Christ are all results of a fallen and twisted world, from which all Christians were saved from. We WERE ‘grouped,’ if you will, with these. Notice the past tense of were, but it does exist. Those of the Muslim faith are not aliens, they’re not themselves forces of Satan, and most importantly nor are they somehow too far from the grace of God in redemption through Christ. For those that are quick to strike hatred against those who do wrong that have not yet been redeemed by God, you need a good dose of the Gospel, and you might want to ask yourself if you have been saved at all. Just saying.. it’s a question worth asking. If you are, then lower your pride, get your face and heart in the word, and get on your knees. Our hearts should break for these people, and fill with just (as in justice) anger toward iniquity. Their sin is in no way excused, but perhaps in our brokenness we can see their sin condition as being so similar to ours before Christ, and pray that the just, righteous, glorious God would show mercy on them and draw them, through the Holy Spirit, to redemption in Christ. That should be the main thing on our minds… not hatred…and not soft, relativistic, inclusive cushiness that is the other polar opposite.

So yes, love the sinner. But love them not for the fact that their belief is somehow honorable and respectable, but because you see in them a brokenness which is hell-bound without beautiful redemption through Christ. Pray that for them, and pray it hard. Real hard. There is a danger that we will fall into a defensive anger in defense of those of the Muslim faith that borders on religious inclusivism. Inclusivism says you can believe what you want to believe and if you really believe it and love it and are morally good, it can’t be all that bad. Guys, the Muslim does not know God. The Muslim has been deceived. The Muslim is hell-bound without redemption through Christ. We have to understand that. The Muslim, just as one under any other faith that doesn’t celebrate and worship and glory in the lordship and deity and atonement of Jesus, has been deceived by evil. And that should make us angry with a righteous anger toward sin and toward the evil one and his agents. If it doesn’t, then we need to get in the word and on our knees in prayer and pray God would remind us of the exclusive lordship of Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

So how does this relate to the Qur’an? Why don’t I want it to be burned? I mean it’s evil, so how can an outspoken act against the evil be bad? Or…. on the other hand, why don’t I celebrate the Qur’an in defiance of the burning? Why don’t I come to the strong side of the Muslims and defend them fully because they should have a voice just like everyone else?

Actually, I don’t want the Qur’an to be burned because I think it’s stupid. It’s just asking for it. Images of the burning will, as news articles have said, no doubt be bused by Muslim extremists to incite hatred against America that will result in more violence and danger. Violence=no good. So I’m against the Qur’an burning because, practically, it won’t work. Those that think the book is holy text will just get royally ticked off (as well as a whole lot of other people), and those that believe that it’s false won’t be helped because they already believe it’s false. So sure, it’s making a statement, but it’s just stupid. That being said, I still think Christian churches should preach the exclusive claim of the Christian faith and Christ’s exclusive authority and sacrifice as the way to redemption to the true God. Some Christian churches are going to have “inclusive services” where they read the Qur’an to somehow counter what the Florida preacher is doing. (read http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7190534.html) That’s just a load of BS. Seriously. Yes, love the Muslim with a brokenness for the condition of their soul, which is so similar to yours before Christ! But don’t compromise the very essence of what brings God glory! Don’t compromise worship of the True God and of his Son! Come on. Christianity is an exclusive religion, as is Islam. So in a way, I think Islam should be preached against. But blatantly creating signals that are obviously violent is no good. It helps no one, and it ends up hurting everyone. That’s the long and the short of it. Rather, it’s just the long. But I want to make myself descriptively clear.

Wrap-up: Get broken, love the lost, hate what God hates, pray for redemption, don’t be stupid, preach Jesus, deny all other claims, glorify God. Repeat.

Make sense?

-Riley