Burning the Quran: Fanaticism, Fervor and Misplaced Zeal

“It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way” –Proverbs 19:2.

A wave of violence has erupted across the Muslim world leaving nearly thirty dead. On April 1st, it was revealed to the world that the Quran, the Islamic Holy book, was burned a few days prior. Mob-driven bloodshed ensued. Meanwhile, the most notorious small church pastor in the world, Terry Jones, is in the spotlight. Jones had threatened to burn copies of the Quran last year before being deterred at the urging of the top General in the U.S., Michael Petraeus.

Muslims consider the Quran, the physical book itself (not just the words or message), to be revered and holy. It is not to be tampered with or mistreated in any way. In Muslim homes, it is placed in a prominent location in the house. Disrespect, not to mention desecration of the Quran, is outright blasphemy. The mob violence in Afghanistan is a testament to the deadly consequences wrought by one rogue pastor in Florida.

Jones has become a contemporary favorite in the media for his radical and inflammatory antics. Mass media has made broadcasting any digitally recorded event possible –for better, or in this case, for worse.

So what is the moral conclusion for burning a Quran? Did Terry Jones commit a crime? Should punitive measures be exercised against him? Is he justified biblically as he claims?

For a Christian, the defamation of Bibles or of any religious object rarely warrants our attention. Violent action is hardly conceivable. There is nothing inherently holy about the book or the physical place of worship. The Word itself, eternal, unchangeable and impervious to destruction, rests secure. A church building is not the body of Christ but merely a location of meeting. Does that mean our Bible should be treated like a ragdoll? Of course not. Is a church being burnt or vandalized inconsequential? Hardly. We should respect and honor these, but with a full understanding of their true essence.

In Romans 10:2 Paul writes concerning his Jewish brethren, “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.” The Jews in 1^st century Palestine were passionate and sincere about their faith. In the book of Acts men took an oath not to eat or drink anything before they killed Paul (Acts 23:12). To Jesus, who called God His Father, the listening crowd tried to kill by stoning (John 10:32-33). If sincerity determines the legitimacy of one’s faith, than these men are faultless.

Muslims in Afghanistan are equally sincere. Any group that would murder fellow countrymen at an embassy under the pretext of one pastor burning their Holy book 7,000 miles away, doesn’t need a lesson in devotion.

Zeal? Absolutely… but completely devoid of knowledge. The object of one’s faith makes it trustworthy. Being zealous for Christ enables you to love your enemies. It compels you to give your life and forsake everything else for the gospel. It gives you the ability to forgive, to leave vengeance to God, and to bless rather than curse.

For a generation proclaiming that all religions essentially teach the same truths which lead to the same God, events like this should be a loud wake-up call. Read the Quran. Read the Bible. Judge for yourself whether the teachings in these books leads to the same God. Truthfully, you’ll discover they don’t.

The violent mob is neither justified by God nor by anyone else for the murders of thirty people. They are in error, in darkness, and influenced by Satan.

As for Terry Jones, there is zeal as well, but with poor and destructive intentions. Christians are called to practice wisdom. They are called to love. The actions of Jones’ church are not done with the intent of winning Muslims for Christ. Respecting cultural and religious practices is imperative to building effective relationships. The motive behind the Quran burning is misguided and ignorant. It does great harm and little good.

Muslims across the world are lost without Christ. We are called to be “all things to all men” without compromising the integrity of the gospel.

“Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men….” (2 Corinthians 5:11a).