Afghan protesters shout slogans during a protest in Kabul September 6, 2010. Several hundred Afghans chanting "Death to America" rallied outside a mosque in the Afghan capital on Monday to protest an American church's plans to burn the Koran on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks. REUTERS/Mohammad Ishaq
I should start by stating the obvious, Pastor Terry Jones is an idiot. The other obvious point is that most media outlets are selective in their religious outrage.
Is burning the Koran the Christian thing to do? Of course not. In doing so Pastor Jones and his Dove Center set back the image of Evangelicals substantially.
Then again, that’s the joy some folks in the media get from speaking to Evangelicals, especially ones with a southern accent. It’s a case of “Hey everybody, look at this hillbillie I found! Why he’s even got a Bible!”
As for media selectivity in religious outrage I’m waiting for the endless stream of stories about Pakistani gunmen killing Christians in the name of Islam.
Haven’t heard of this?
Odd if you haven’t because it is a fairly regular occurrence. When I was a weekend news editor for an all-news radio station I remember these stories coming across the wire on a regular basis. They still do but they don’t get nearly the play.
Here’s just a few recent headlines
Family in hiding following accusations of blasphemy
Update: Christian exonerated of blasphemy charges
Two Christian girls raped in Punjab
Christian nursing student brutally assaulted
Two Christians murdered after accusations of blasphemy
Churches attacked by Islamic militants
Muslims kill Christian woman and children
Family rescued from mob, accused of blasphemy
Those are just the headlines from one country since July 1st.
A Christian group based in Canada keeps track of all of this, not just in Muslim countries where Christians are the minority, but anywhere Christians are persecuted.
Much of what takes place is horrific and barbaric but it won’t make the news wheel of endless repetition on CBC or CTV.
Why would they show those stories when they’ve got a pastor with a southern drawl to put on TV.
Surely the comparison would be fairer if the Christians were being persecuted in a modern Western democracy.
We expect intolerant behaviour in intolerant regimes.
North Americans, rightly or wrongly, hold themselves – and one another – to a higher standard of tolerance.
I suspect you already know the answer to your question on selective coverage.
I have no problem with idiot pastors, clerics, burning bibles, books, flags. They are free to espouse their hate and garner free publicity courtesy of the media.
I do draw the line on filling up body bags when a call to action is incited by those religious extremists beyond the protests and burnings of books. Why does our media fail to report the suppression of human rights in those countries?
“We expect intolerant behaviour in intolerant regimes”
No, actually, we condone it.
That’s a rather sad excuse to accept barbaric activity David. These are not attacks carried out by governments but by local people.
Are you saying that these people can’t help themselves?
I expect better of all people.
Paster Terry Jones and his following may be idiots, but how else are lowly Christians to strongly display their anger about what is going on in the world. This display IS about speaking out. It’s about not tolerating the violence; it’s about not cowering in the face of the extremists threats; it’s about standing your ground and saying “enough is enough.” It might even be a bit strategic in a conspirial 9’11 kind of way. It’s perfect!
Paster Terry Jones and his following may be idiots, but how else are lowly Christians to strongly display their anger about what is going on in the world. This display IS about speaking out. It’s about not tolerating the violence; it’s about not cowering in the face of the extremists threats; it’s about standing your ground and saying “enough is enough.” It might even be a bit strategic in a conspirial 9’11 kind of way. It’s perfect!
Lilley TKOs another strawman in his continuing jihad against a) Muslims and, b) the liberal press. Brian: Pakistan, America — difference.
What about the wholesale desecration of bibles and places of worship in Islamic enclaves .
What about the confiscation and destruction of bibles coming into Saudi Arabia,the cradle,guardian and model of Islam ! ? !
Isn’t imitation the sincerest form of flattery ! ? !
North Americans, rightly or wrongly, hold themselves – and one another – to a higher standard of tolerance.
I hold ALL pepople up to the same standards. To do otherwise is merely a form of ‘soft’racism
Brian,
I’m not suggesting we accept barbaric activity. I’m suggesting your comparison is lopsided.
While I don’t support the pastor. It is his right to burn those books. It is one of his freedoms he has living in a democracy.
Yes Spongeboob..it is a plot to unfairly criticize those pesky Muslims who would never do such things; what was Brian thinking? Thank God you called him on it!
****
How about more reports on how Christians are being denied aid by Muslims in flood ravaged Pakistan?
David Newland’s right. It is lop-sided: burning a copy of the Q’uran v murdering and gang-raping Christians. In the Philippines, a Christian missionary operating benevolent institutions ministering to people regardless of their religions was kidnapped, shot, and, finally, beheaded — live — by Muslims. But if Mr. Newland wants a lop-sided contrast in North America, consider the media attention given to Idiot Jones’s Q’uran-burning announcement versus reporting on the wave of so-called “honor killings” of the daughters of Muslim fathers . . . in the U.S. Where’s the outrage in the Islam world over the latter?
So the idea is, whenever someone does something outrageous here at home, we should look around the world for someone doing something more outrageous, and demand that someone else be outraged?
And I suppose we should go by the rule of opposites: if Christians do something rotten toward Muslims, we should look for Muslims doing something rotten toward Christians?
We might just as well say “You think that’s bad, you should see what those druglords in Mexico are doing! Murdering people!”
It would be so much simpler just to decry injustice wherever we find it, and not play comparison games or one-upmanship.
being a coward is easy. fighting is hard. most in canada and other western countries are cowards. f–king sad.
“A Christian group based in Canada keeps track of all of this, not just in Muslim countries where Christians are the minority, but anywhere Christians are persecuted.”
Could you provide the name of this organization?
The group is called Voice of the Martyrs, a word with a very different connotation than you often hear it these days, and their website is below.
http://www.persecution.net