9/11 Koran Burning - A New American Tradition

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: On September 11, 2001 the United States of America was brutally attacked by Islamic jihadists hell bent on killing as many innocent civilians (men, women and children) as possible. Al-Qaeda, a radical Islamic jihadist organization, took full responsibility for the attack and issued the following ultimatum to the people of the United States...

1. Withdraw all U.S. troops from Islamic territories.
2. Stop all support of the Zionist State of Israel.
3. Convert to Islam.

If, and only if, all three demands were met would the terrorist attacks cease. The United States responded with a full scale invasion of the Middle East.

We can debate the wisdom and effectiveness of post-9/11 American foreign policy all we want. I personally wouldn't care if the first two demands were met, namely because I think it would be best for America, not because some terrorist organization demands it.  The third however - never the third!  The third demand alone, in my opinion, is enough to justify eternal vigilance against Islamic powers. That however, was nearly a decade ago.

Since then a lot of things have happened. First, the United States electorate has swung far to the Left, electing to the highest office in the land, a man who was clearly raised a Muslim (though he denies it) and clearly has sympathies for Islam. Of course, this man has since bowed down to the King of Saudi Arabia and apologized for the United States to practically every Muslim group out there (radical or otherwise). That has emboldened Muslims here in this country and around the world. For completely different reasons, primarily economic and social, the United States electorate is about to swing far to the Right, and the Islamic sympathizing American president is about to discover what it's like to be isolated in Washington DC.  His "messiah" complex is about to get an adjustment.

Regardless of what happens on this anniversary of the 9/11 bombings, and regardless of the ugly nature of our new American tradition, let us remember the chain of events to led up to it....

1. In May of 2010 a surprise proposal was made at a New York development committee that a mosque (Islamic cultural center) should be build near the 9/11 former twin towers memorial site.
2. Local and nationwide protest erupted immediately as the announcement was made on talk radio and cable news networks. The concept was considered salt in the wounds of the nation, and counter-proposals were made to build the mosque on a different site. All to no avail.
3. Within weeks the proposal was approved by development committees and money from Islamic groups all around the world starting pouring into the project.
4. After endless protest, and even offers by Donald Trump to buy the disputed site at a generous price, the plans for mosque construction were set.
5. In August of 2010 a Gainesville Florida pastor, Terry Jones, of Dove World Outreach Center (a Fundamentalist Protestant church) announced that Korans would be burned on the 2010 anniversary of 9/11 in protest of the mosque to be built near the 9/11 WTC memorial site.
6. As a result Muslims reacted with outrage around the world. People in the western world reacted too, as it seemed every public figure imaginable took the opportunity to condemn the proposed burning of Korans. Even the Vatican felt the need to respond.
7. Eventually the Gainesville pastor backed down after he announced a deal had been reached over moving the proposed 9/11 mosque. However, mosque builders in New York said no such deal has been made, and so the Gainseville pastor said the Koran burning may proceed as previously planned.
8. By this time, multiple groups across the Untied States vowed to do the same, and so by the time of this writing, no less than six organized Koran burnings were scheduled in the United States to take place on 9/11. This is coupled with protests at the proposed 9/11 mosque site from people on both sides. Police will be hard pressed to keep the two groups separated. There is a nervous sense that violence may erupt.

Now 'The Catholic Knight' is not personally into Koran burning. In fact, I own a copy of the Koran as well as the Book of Mormon. I regard them as equal in my library, under the title of "Religious Fiction" which I keep nicely pressed between Greek Mythology and Native American Spirituality. Personally, I think book burning is more often counterproductive than beneficial, but I do acknowledge that there have been times in history when the Church has proscribed the burning of books, and I would have to say for good reason, considering the times and the circumstances. In today's world of cheap and plentiful information however, such practices are pointless, unless however they are designed to send a political message. In this case, that is exactly what's going on. The American people are disgusted with the way Muslims are trying to assert their presence so forcefully in an area where their brethren did so in such a deadly way not so long ago. The proposed "Islamic Center" has all the characteristics of a "victory mosque" akin to those built all over the world wherever Muslims have won a great battle or taken territory by force. It's more than that though. It also has a lot to do with the way Islam seems to be taking over Western Europe and how the number of Muslims seems to be increasing rapidly here in the United States as well. It's more than that too. It also has to do with the way so many Muslims appear to be so intolerant of Christians in the Middle East, as well as Westerners in general, and there is no reciprocity of freedom in Islamic countries. Muslims can build a mosque anywhere they want in the West, but Christians can't build a church anywhere in the Middle East - period!

There are of course other reasons, but I think in general we can accurately say this. For the last nine years, Americans have been treated to a steady television diet of Islamic butchery around the world. We've watched brutal and savage beheadings of our own citizens. We've watched the charred remains of our people hung from bridges, people who were only there to rebuild their bombed cities. We've heard nothing but hate, vitriol, blasphemy and threats from these people for nearly a decade. We've watched them send their women and children into crowded markets, so they can be blown to bits by bombs strapped around their waists. We've been treated to episode after episode of so-called "honor killings" here in the United States by Muslim men angry with their wives or children for adopting "too much" Western culture. Everywhere we look it seems, we see nothing but a people who are intent on killing us, enslaving our children, and destroying everything we hold dear. Our government tells us "Islam is a religion of peace" but all around us we see nothing but war, hatred, brutality and murder. Americans aren't buying it anymore. We're starting to figure it out.  It would seem Islam is no more a religion of peace than Judaism is a religion of pork! Americans are fed up and feel betrayed, not just by Islam, but most especially by our national leaders.

During the 9/11 memorial service at the WTC site, protests were going on just a few blocks away.  Supporters of the proposed "victory mosque" clashed with those opposed to it.  All across America, in various places, Korans were torn and burned.  An unidentified man burned pages from the Koran near the WTC site, while another group of people tore pages from the Koran in front of the Whitehouse in Washington DC.   'The Catholic Knight' does not condone this, but I would be lying if I said I didn't understand it. What's happening here is a pitiful display of helpless defiance.  Americans are sick and tired, indeed fed up, with Islam's seeming relentless intolerance, and our Liberal politicians' spineless response to it.  What Emperor Palaiologos said in 14th century, I am forced to repeat with sorrowful frustration: "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." Allow me to rephrased it my own way; Show me just what Islam has given us that is new, besides excessive violence in the name of religion.

In America, a few frustrated people burn Korans. In the Middle East, they burn Bibles, crosses and entire churches! In America, a few frustrated people said the don't like Islam. In the Middle East, they kidnap Christians and kill them! In America, a large majority of people (many non-religions) say "move your mosque" away from a certain controversial site. In the Middle East Christians are told they can't build churches at all and are treated as second-class citizens, often punished with death for expressing their Christian faith. You tell me, which group is more tolerant?  Is it the one that occasionally burns Korans? or the one that regularly kills people in the name of the Koran? After ten years on a steady diet of Islamic violence in the name of religion, Americans are finally waking up to the fact that our leaders have lied to us (once again) and the so-called "religion of peace" appears just the opposite. I personally don't like this new American tradition of Koran burning. I don't think it solves anything, but I do understand America's frustration, and quite frankly, I can't blame those who do it. Mark my words though, this will be done again by similar folks next year, and the year after that, and the year after that, and so on for decades. Sadly but truly, it will soon become as American as apple pie. In response, from the Middle East every year we can expect a glut of riotous protests, along with church burnings, kidnappings, murders and mayhem. In so doing however, Muslims will only vindicate the message of those who burn the Koran.

I applaud the message of the Vatican and the Catholic bishops in all of this.  They're trying to stay above it all, pointing to the gospel message of love and respect for our neighbors - even our Muslim neighbors.  I applaud them for this.  At least somebody is trying to take the high road.  Good for them!  Perhaps Catholics will listen.  I hope other Christians listen too. 

Let me say this, the kind of "Christianity" Pastor Terry Jones represents is a pseudochristianity, based more in politics than religion.  This man does not represent my faith in any way, nor the faith of any Catholic I know.  Furthermore, those who burn Korans for the sake of political show do not represent me or my faith in any way whatsoever.  Nor do they represent the faith of any Catholic I know.  While as an America citizen, I must defend their constitutional right to torch Korans, and I sympathize with the frustrations that led them to it, I cannot endorse this action.

I'm afraid Koran desecration has just become an annual 9/11 American tradition and there is nothing any of us can do to stop it now.  Sadly, I think those who do the desecration on the American side, and those who riot on the Muslim side, are taking this world down a path that none of us want to be on.  The final confrontation between East and West is inevitable now.  In all of this let us remember who is ultimately responsible.  That being the spineless Liberal politicians in New York who approved this 9/11 mosque, and the weak-kneed voters who have been electing liberal idiots like this for decades.  May God have pity on us all.