Religious hate begets more hate

Doves stand for peace, so it is profoundly ironic that the term "Dove" is part of the name of an organisation that's planning to hurt Muslims and Christians around the world this Eid.

The 50-member-strong Florida-based Dove World Outreach Centre, under the leadership of Terry Jones, is going to publicly burn Qurans to mark 9/11. Worse, don't forget to order your "Islam Is of The Devil" T-shirt to wear while burning them!

The spewing of vile in the name of Jesus is rather astounding and it is a PR gold mine for Al Qaida. Perhaps Jones and his fringe group believe that the entire Muslim world was responsible for 9/11, and that desecrating the Quran is an act of justice.

This has to be the most unholy idea a ‘church' has come up with since a Westboro ‘church' decided to protest at the funerals of US troops, calling their deaths God's vengeance on America. I take it neither Jones nor any of these ‘Christians' have a child in the military.

September 11 is a day that none of us will ever forget — the trauma and the tears of the innocents. But there are some of us Christians who called up Muslims friends in the United States to make sure they were safe. I remember the anger I saw in the eyes of people who saw my Asian looks and believed I was a Muslim, post 9/11 in Europe.

Now I have to explain to Muslims that not all churches are filled with zealots. I am tired of feeling sad and guilty for no offence of mine. There is no justification for bigotry. You don't commemorate an act of hatred with another act of hatred.

Dove World Outreach Centre plans to become the Hate World Outreach Centre. Christian religious fanatics want to annoy Muslim religious fanatics but innocent Muslims will get hurt.

Muslims will get the wrong idea about Christians; Christians like us will feel sad and guilty and apologise, just as Muslims showed tremendous solidarity post 9/11 with their American friends. Dove will anger people in Afghanistan who will kill more US soldiers. Then the ‘church' in Kansas will stage more protests at troops' funerals. So everyone wins?

Judge not lest ye be judged.

Little-known shady character

According to a CBS investigation, Jones does not know any Muslims personally and has not taken part in any interfaith discussions. He was little known outside his local town until his Quran-burning plan went international. His congregation has just 50 members — yet it has now angered both Christians and Muslims worldwide. It's a fiery spiral of hate. And Jones is providing the kindling. I am reminded of children's wristbands we wear — ‘What Would Jesus Do?' Jones wants us to believe that Jesus would hate!

There are voices of protest — Nato Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen "strongly" condemns the plan.

"No one burns the Quran," read the headline in Vatican's L'Osservatore Romano. The article summarised criticism from Catholic bishops who condemned the plan as "contrary to the respect owed all religions and against our doctrine and faith."

The circle of condemnation has widened to include White House spokesman Robert Gibbs; Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; her spokesman P.J. Crowley, who called the planned burning "un-American"; and Petraeus, who compared the action to the behaviour of the Taliban.

In Washington alone, two dozen Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders from across the country gathered an emergency faith leaders summit. Actions and hate speech against Muslims "bring dishonour to the name of Jesus Christ," said the Reverend Richard Cizik. Rabbi Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer said the interfaith group strongly condemns the desecration of a sacred text.

"We stand by the principle that to attack any religion in the United States is to do violence to the religious freedom of all Americans."

The local fire chief has denied the Dove Centre a permit! Apparently half of Jones' church has revolted against his idea. Some Christian preachers around the world have decided to show support to their Muslim brethren by including readings from the Quran at the church pulpits that day.

Terry Jones says he will "pray over" his decision. Pray over plans to attack another faith, its people... Well I am a Christian and I am praying too — that hatred be wiped out by love.