DUBAI (Mustapha Ajbaili)
In response to a Florida pastor’s now-cancelled plans to burn copies of the Islamic holy book, the Quran, an Ohio church minister criticized in her sermon on Sunday what she called “a wave of fear and suspicion” against Islam in America.
“Reasonable, faithful, caring people can disagree about how they feel about this facility being belt so close to Ground Zero; but that does not justify the wave of fear and suspicion that have washed over this country over the last ten days,” said Rev. Deborah C. Lindsa, Minister of Spiritual Care, First Community Church, Columbus, Ohio.
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" But also like the Bible the predominant message of the Quran is a peace and care and loving God, justice, care for the neighbor, care for the stranger "
Rev. Deborah C. Lindsa
Rev. Lindsa referred to the proposed plan to burn Quran copies by Dove World Outreach Center's Pastor, Terry Jones, as “obscene” and explained that burning the holy texts of other faith traditions was not something Christianity teaches.
“I can assure you that there is nothing in the gospels, there is nothing in the teaching of Jesus Christ that says anything about burning holy texts of other traditions,” she said.
She added that Jones’ Quran-burning plan was “not the work of peace; it is not the work of understanding; it is not the work of building bridges; it is insanity.”
Jones later relented and promised not to proceed with the Quran-burning, but not before his incendiary threats had triggered violent demonstrations across the Muslim world.
Rev. Lindsa explained to the congregation attending her sermon that according to religious scholars most holy scriptures have stories of war and violence in them and that throughout history people of all faiths have used these texts to justify violence.
“If there is anyone in this room at this moment who is thinking that I've got it wrong after church today, pull out your bible and look up Psalm 137 and see that our own text has passage that can make us uncomfortable,” she said.
“But also like the Bible the predominant message of the Quran is a peace and care and loving God, justice, care for the neighbor, care for the stranger,” she added.
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