CANCELLED

I don't know if the Right Reverend Jones read my blog or if yesterday mornings discussion with the FBI motivated his decision, but International Burn A Koran Day has been cancelled.

However this was not done in time for those in the Middle East to decide not to burn flags and Bibles (which they did).

For the firestarters out there, don't be dismayed. The Westboro Baptist Church, the group that pickets U.S. soldier's funerals, is taking up the cause. They will probably burn some Korans tomorrow.

No worries though, since everyone knows those folk are all idiots.

International Burn a Koran Day

A pastor in Gainesville Florida is planning to burn 200 copies of the Koran on September 11th.  Pastor Terry Jones of Dove World Outreach has announced to the world that 9-11 is Burn A Koran Day.

The whole business has gotten quite out of hand. 

General David Patreaus has called on Jones to back off, as it is already causing an outcry in Afghanistan and added fuel to the religious fervor, which could adversely effect the war.  Political leaders, including Sarah Palin, have asked Jones to back off. Glen Beck and other conservative spokesment have expressed disdain.

Muslims in Afghanistan and Indonesia are rioting over this action.  (Honestly, I think if an American farted in Afghanistan or Indonesia that would be cause for them to riot. These people love a riot. They love to jump up and down and hold Death To America signs and shoot automatic weapons in the air.)

I have very mixed feelings about burning the Koran.

Part of me says what's the big deal. Radical Muslims seem to have no problem beheading Christians. Why do they get all upset when a Christian burns their holy book, which by the way is not a living human being.  Radical Muslims certainly did not have any issues when four planes were used as bombs on September 11th, 2001.

In fact I saw Muslims cheering the event on the news that same day.

Besides that, Americans have the right to free speech.  If this pastor wants to burn the Koran, despite the consequences, he is within his Constitutional rights to do so.  I can recall the Viet Nam war rallies wherein the United States flag was burned.  I also recall Iranians burning effigies of Presidents Reagan and Carter, while chanting Death to America the great Satan.

But then the other part of me says, "Didn't we learn anything from history?"  Hitler and friends held plenty of book burnings which included Torahs and Bibles and in all probability, Korans.  Old Joe Stalin did the same. Do we really want to imitate Hitler or Stalin?


I also am curious if this pastor prayed about what he is setting out to do?  Does he feel this act is within God's Will?  Would this event be condoned and in accord with Scripture? 

Did he need to make a press release announcing this controversial act?  Were his motives to promote is congregations feelings about Radical Islam or to promote himself and his church?

I have learned that Pastor Terry Jones leads a congregation of less than 50 people.  His church is located within a 20 acre compound.  Any Church that is located within a compound sort of sets off red flags in my mind. 

Pastor Jones walks around with and automatic pistol strapped to his belt.

Why would someone that pastors The Dove Outreach Worldwide Church need a handgun? 

I find this very troubling.

I have learned in the past not to judge other Christians, for God will judge each of us.  I am not going to judge Pastor Jones.

However I hope that he and his congregation will put some serious prayer and soul searching before they start a fire they can't put out.

Ndw Song for Christmas CD

Late in 2009 my friends Deny Brigance and Rick Marksberry decided it would be great to put out a Christmas CD featuring musicians that played at the Jesus House. So they challenged everyone to write at least one Christmas song.

The hardest part of songwriting is determining what message or scenario you want the song to convey. I'm told there are two types of songs; Picture songs such as Christopher Cross's Sailing or Don Mclean's song Vincent paint a picture. The second type is message songs. These can be love songs that express a persons feelings in words or songs that express a writers' feelings about other things.

The song that I wrote falls into the latter catagory.

When I was a kid we had great fun at Christmas. We had Christmas break from school. We had Christmas parties. We had Christmas decorations throughout school and throughout our town. We sang Christmas carols at school. We had Christmas plays.

Christmas was not taboo. I only knew one Jewish kid in high school and his family didn't seem to mind. There were two sisters in my fifth grade class that could not participate in the Christmas party because their parents were Jehovah Witnesses.  The family voiced no objection to the Christmas party.

But in these modern days any hint of Christmas at a public forum or public school is grounds for a lawsuit. The separation of church and state has gone to a whole new level.

Subsequently the word Christmas is outlawed as it is offensive to aetheists, Muslims, Pagans, Wicca and other groups that believe the word Christmas will cause our children's minds to become corrupted with ideas about God and His Son Jesus.

So we now have Holiday Season. The children are off on Holiday break. No songs about Christmas. Frosty the Snowman, Down through the Chimney, Jingle Bells and other non threatening, no mention of God or Jesus songs are OK to be sung in public schools.

But sing the First Noel, Silent Night, O'Come All Ye Faithful or Hark the Hearld Angels Sing and the ACLU will send a pack of rabid attorneys to sue your school or town.


Christmas has been the most sacred day in Christian history. The earliest recorded calendar of Christian feast days dates back to 243 AD. So we know it has been celebrated in one form or another for 1767 years.

There are criticisms that Christmas Day was not actually the date of Jesus' birth. December 25 was a Pagan holiday celebrating the solstice. Perhaps the early Christians were aware that non-believers were celebrating and they too wanted to have fun without worshipping a tree or a pole or an idol. So they chose that time of year to celebrate the birth of Jesus. 'makes sense to me.

With that said, here is my song which in a way gently reminds non-believers that Christmas is more than just a holiday.

In fact the songs title is:


More Than Just A Holiday.


Don't you know Christmas is more than a holiday,
it's the day that Jesus came into the world.
So gather all around us as we sing and say,
Jesus is the reason; Christmas is the season
to celebrate the coming of the Lord.

In this modern age when we're politically correct
I don't want to hurt no one on this Noel.
Diversity is smiled upon so show me some respect.
I'll acknowledge your traditions, allow for mine as well.
Christmas has been celebrated all these centuries,
now you want to change it's name. Listen to me please.

Don't you know Christmas is more than a holiday,
it's the day that Jesus came into the world.
So gather all around us as we sing and say,
Jesus is the reason; Christmas is the season
to celebrate the coming of the Lord.

Way down through the ages man has set aside this day
to commemorate the birth of God's own son.
Even if you don't believe there's those of us that do.
I would never disrespect you, please respect me too.
Christmas is the time of year when Christians will unite,
to celebrate the birth of God's own son this holy night.

Don't you know Christmas is more than a holiday,
it's the day that Jesus came into the world.
So gather all around us as we sing and say,
Jesus is the reason; Christmas is the season
to celebrate the coming of the Lord.

Don't you know Christmas is more than a holiday,
it's the day that Jesus came into the world.
So gather all around us as we sing and say,
Jesus is the reason; Christmas is the season
to celebrate the coming of the Lord.

Jesus is the reason; Christmas is the season
to celebrate the coming of the Lord.