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Manhattan Diary by Cahir O'Doherty

American pastor plans to put Mohammad on trial

Posted on Monday, April 04, 2011 at 10:04 AM

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A fundamentalist Christian pastor in Florida recently burned a Koran to provoke Muslims around the globe. His cheap theatrics worked of course, leading to widespread violence and multiple murders, including the killings of UN staff last week.

And despite irrefutable evidence that his actions led to the unrest, the minister - Terry Jones - said this week that he was completely unrepentant.

In fact, he said, he was contemplating putting the Islamic prophet Mohammed "on trial" and then he vowed to lead an anti-Islam protest outside the biggest mosque in America.

The Koran, said Jones, incites violence. Apparently irony is not one of Jone's strong points. Neither are international relations or American foreign policy.

So the question seems to be: who's worse, our fundamentalists or theirs?

Perhaps Jones is anxious to see the Book of Revelations open. Many fundamentalist Christians do share that particular impatience. The temptation to help it along must be quite severe at times.

If you often feel disconnected from the wider world and most of the people you share it with, if in fact you never really cared for it at all - and if you're secretly anxious for the world to come - then perhaps the titanically stupid provocations of a man like Jones become a little easier to understand.

It's as old as history, this particular fundamentalist death match. And history shows us the same result whenever it erupts: death and darkness.

When the Christian hordes overran Alexandria in the fourth century they put the pagans who built it to the sword, they sent the Jews into exile and they turned that fabled city's centuries old library - one of the greatest centuries old repositories Hellenic knowledge in the known world - into a cow shed.

It took humanity twelve hundred years to climb out of the thick fundamentalist darkness that descended after that pointless conflict. Twelve hundred years.

The fundamentalist are at our gates again (both at home and abroad) and we owe them an answer, and it needs to be loud and clear. The sleep of reason brings forth monsters.

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bogsidebunny | Apr 05, 2011, 02:13 AM EDT

"A fundamentalist Christian pastor in Florida recently burned a Koran to provoke Muslims around the globe.".........If you, representing the Irish community, really believe someone setting fire to a pile of paper is responsible for some unevolved, knuckle-dragging Neanderthals to commit murder Mr O'Doherty then it confims my belief the Irish are as thick as 2-planks.....You'd be better on the mark by blaming Michael Collins for the assination of JFK.

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longislander1940 | Apr 04, 2011, 11:48 PM EDT

seanomelbourne- Jones should not be in the paper. to me he is not a real minister. He is only a person that is a tax dodger and a person that wants to be in the headlines. As far as FOX news try listening to it.

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seanomelbourne | Apr 04, 2011, 06:42 PM EDT

The commonality between Jones and extreme muslims is frightening. Then you have beck,Limbaugh,Coulter and the rest of the Fox androids feeding the uninformed with hate.They are no different to Jones,Just a little more subtle in their hate speech.

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jamieLM | Apr 04, 2011, 06:21 PM EDT

Regardless that many Muslim countries show no repect for the Bible and try to stamp out Christianity wherever they find it, this "pastor" is a whack-job whose antics do nothing to promote respect for Christians and Christianity. He's full of himself and needs psychiatric help ASAP!

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cathy/marty | Apr 04, 2011, 06:04 PM EDT

Without reading the artical,I say maybe we should put this fool on trial.Where did this clown come from???

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cathy/marty | Apr 04, 2011, 06:01 PM EDT

Some fool burns the koran and the nutie Muslims kill people. Is this what we are protecting. Get out troops out now. Let them kill one another. I can not believe what is happening.These nut cases be head people,stone woman and we feel sorry for them.Goodby Muslims have a great after life.

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Irishphotograph | Apr 04, 2011, 05:43 PM EDT

Paradigm! Jones does not violate the 2nd Commandment for its written Galatians 1:8 "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse"! Muslims are burning their fellow country men because of their faith in Jesus! the very same Muslims who are offended

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McNamara31 | Apr 04, 2011, 05:38 PM EDT

The political (reality show) atmosphere in the US has given these idiots (like this pastor) the courage to do these things. When you have the likes of Linbaugh, Beck, Hannity and Palin filling the ill informed with hate on a daily basis you have to expect these types of actions.

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Paradigm | Apr 04, 2011, 05:03 PM EDT

Jones has forgotten the Second Great Commandment - like unto the first to love the Lord your God etc - and "Thou shalt Love Thy Neighbour as Thyself". On these TWO COMMANDMENTS hang ALL the Law and the Prophets. And who is my neighbour? Even a Samaritan!!!

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Rebelforce | Apr 04, 2011, 04:31 PM EDT

Protestants sure must be "proud" of this ignoramus. "The Rev" Terry Jones ranks right up there with the likes of Ian Paisley and Fred Phelps in the pantheon of Protestant ministers inciting hatred.

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hancock | Apr 04, 2011, 03:59 PM EDT

Whats worse a kook in Florida burning a book, or a bunch of murdering Muslim fanatics? You can't make this up.

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Sparklet | Apr 04, 2011, 03:06 PM EDT

I'm sure the UN workers who were beheaded would be so thrilled. It's not the Koran that's at fault - it's a minority of the people who follow it, and whilst not wanting to kowtow to them, surely a little discretion should be exercised for the sake of those Christians currently serving or working in Muslim countries?

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srdools | Apr 04, 2011, 02:34 PM EDT

He has the right in the USA to do this, the muslims don't have the right to murder(period)Just ignore this guy and let him and his crowd be alone.The media is stoking this fire.

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Scrivner | Apr 04, 2011, 02:15 PM EDT

While I agree that this "pastor" is not for my taste, I would llike to point out that OUR basic values include freedom of speech and freedom of religion. If we base our actions on fears of "offending" these tribesmen we are being ruled by these tribesmen. Personally, I have enough trouble accepting legitimate authority, but surrendering my liberty to such self-selected no-nothing extremists is a no-go. Another Charlie-the-Hammer may arise! (the last is alluding to Charles Martell, more than just a brandy)

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jerrydonovan | Apr 04, 2011, 01:56 PM EDT

I believe his own daughter left his church as she said that it was NOT a church but a cult.

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