For The Record: The Man Speaks For No One I know

Including the God of the Bible.

The man I'm referring to is Terry Jones - leader of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, FL.  I'm having trouble referring to him as a pastor.

He's gained international notoriety by declaring his intent to burn copies of the Quaran to mark September 11.  Please note that far more people have responded to his plan to burn the Quaran than to his preaching.  Until this outrageous idea was picked up by the media and became a topic of national discussion, the people who lived near him had mostly chosen to ignore him.  That should tell us something.

I don't know Terry Jones.  At this point, I'm not particularly interested in getting to know him.  I don't pretend to know his motivations.  These things I can observe:

1) This has become a publicity feeding frenzy about Terry Jones.  Not that I'd want that sort of publicity, but whatever his motivations, this has become all about him.


2) He is acting "un-American."  In my view, our Constitution acknowledges and protects the freedom of practice and conscience regarding matters of faith and religion within the bounds of civil behavior.  Terry Jones may have the necessary zoning and fire permits for this stunt.  But the action is inflammatory (Sorry, but how could I pass up that pun?) and intended to cause offense in the nation and across the world.  He may be free to speak this way, but like the person screaming "fire" in a crowded movie theater (Again, sorry, but that example is from the Supreme Court.), he is still responsible for his speech.


3) He is acting "out of line with the truth of the Gospel."  (Galatians 2:14)
Notice the way Jesus, Peter and Paul interacted with people of different religions:

• Jesus and a Samaritan Woman - John 4:1-40
• Peter and a Gentile Family - Acts 10:1-47
• Paul and the Athenians - Acts 17:16-34

No one could say that Jesus, Peter and Paul compromised their convictions or minimized their differences.  There was no sense of "these people are really just like us"  or "we all worship the same god in our own way."  But there was a real and honest respect in each instance between these Christians and non-Christians.

I believe that the respect we see in these three examples is the fruit of authentic Gospel love.  The Gospel of grace shows that all people are valuable and loved by God no matter what I or my own group might think.  Indeed, Jesus went to the cross with every person at heart - including and perhaps especially with people of "other" religions in mind. Terry Jones is speaking without that love.

I believe that the Gospel of Jesus is a message of hope, transformation, forgiveness and reconciliation for all people of all nations.  That message has sent believers throughout history across the boundaries that separate people to deliver that message - sometimes at great cost to their own life.  Terry Jones does not have that message.

I know that it was and is the Gospel of grace that changed and is changing my life.  It was arguments, belligerence and self-righteousness.  Terry Jones is the latter, and not the former.

When all is said and done, it appears to me that Terry Jones is pursing a line of action that comes from a set of motives that is different than the Good News of the Bible.  He speaks for no one that I know.




In closing, let me say that I believe our nation desperately needs to have a deep, difficult, respectful and honest discussion with Muslims - both American Muslims and representatives of the ummah (the world community of Islam) - about Islam and how it might fit or not fit in Western civilization.  Leave a comment if you would like me to hazard some steps in this direction on other posts.  For now, let me reiterate:  Terry Jones speaks for no one I know - Including the God of the Bible.