Read the Qur'an Day on Sunday

Saturday is the 9th anniversary of the tragic 9-11 attacks, and as we've heard ad naseum, the pastor of a tiny little church in Florida is going to burn copies of the Qur'an.  It's unfortunate that the media has given this guy so much attention, but that bird has already flown.  So, how do we respond? 

My fellow blogger, James McGrath over at Exploring our Matrix has pointed us to a unique way of responding.  A pastor in Gainesville, Florida is suggesting that instead of burning Qur'ans, we might want to read from the Qur'an.  Mr. Jones admits he's never read the Qur'an, so he's no expert on what is contained inside.  James writes:

 Rev. Larry Reimer, minister at the United Church of Gainesville, Florida, recently proposed an alternative: the best way to protest what the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida is planning is to read the Qur'an. This seems an appropriate way to not interfere with the free speech of others, and yet use our own freedom to express our dismay at those who use their freedom to express intolerance and to attempt to provoke others to violence and conflict.
Laurie Lebo at Religion Dispatches adds her thoughts on this, so check it out. 

Thanks to James McGrath's helpful comment, we have a better source of the Qur'an for your reading efforts.  Click here to go to the Online Qur'an Project.   

Comments

Brian said…
What a novel idea. Reading books instead of burning them. This just may catch on!

I'm reading from the Koran on 9/11.
Wes Morgan said…
Overcome burning with reading -- I will do this!
Rial Hamann said…
Thanks for a voice of sanity. Thanks for the entry in your blog.
Anonymous said…
Surely you infidels can show more solidarity with the muslims than just reading the Koran on 9/11. You should also replace the Bible with the Koran in your Sunday services. And don't forget your prayer rugs for praying to Allah.
Glenn said…
Here is a good online edition of the Koran with English translation, introductions and detailed commentary which helps us keep some of the more provocative passages in perspective.

http://www.muslim.org/english-quran/index.htm
Robert Cornwall said…
Gary,

Okay, you've had your say -- but after yesterdays comments, anything more like it will get you deleted. If you can't abide by the rules, you'll be banned.
I've had it drawn to my attention that Quran.com inserts comments in places that skew the impression one gets in an extremist direction.

Maybe a better site to link to would be the Online Quran Project, which has a large number of translations you can choose from. And best of all, it was created by Muslims in Florida!
Anonymous said…
Gimme that old-time Islam,
Gimme that old-time Islam,
Gimme that old-time Islam,
It's good enough for me.

Makes me love everybody,
Makes me love everybody,
Makes me love everybody,
It's good enough for me.

It was good for Mohammed,
It was good for Mohammed,
It was good for Mohammed,
It's good enough for me.

It was good for the 9/11 bombers,
It was good for the 9/11 bombers,
It was good for the 9/11 bombers,
It's good enough for me.

It will do when I nuke Israel,
It will do when I nuke Israel,
It will do when I nuke Israel,
It's good enough for me.

Gimme that old-time Islam,
Gimme that old-time Islam,
Gimme that old-time Islam,
It's good enough for me.
Steven Carr said…
We can all agree that reading about people burning, is far superior to burning books.

Chapter 111 of the Koran
The power of Abu Lahab will perish, and he will perish.
Abu Lahab will die and be plunged in flaming Fire. His wife will have on her neck a halter of palm fiber.
His wealth and gains will not exempt him.
He will be plunged in flaming Fire,
And his wife, the wood-carrier,
Will have upon her neck a halter of palm-fibre.

No person or book was burned in the production of this blog post.

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