Update [2005-5-24 17:13:3 by susanhbu]: On Keith Olbermann’s Countdown, the minister just said that the Quran is a “tool of Satan.” And, “Jesus would commend us for our stand.” (Keith says, “It must be a different Jesus than I know.”)

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“A Baptist minister in Forest City (N.C.),” reports the A.P., “refuses to apologize for a church sign saying the Muslim Koran should be flushed.”

The Reverend Creighton Lovelace of Danieltown Baptist Church says he believes it’s a statement that the Bible is above any other religious book “that does not teach Christ as savior and lord.”

From a press release just issued by CAIR:

“[The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)], [a] prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today called on Americans of all faiths to respond to an anti-Muslim message displayed outside a North Carolina church by obtaining and reading a free copy of the Quran, Islam’s revealed text.


CAIR’s campaign, “Explore the Quran,” is “designed as a positive response to the recent controversy over desecration of the Quran.” CAIR is offering free copies of the Quran to anyone, and is soliciting donations from its Muslim membership to pay for the $25-per-copy Qurans.

“Christians often ask themselves, ‘What would Jesus do?‘” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. “I don’t think Jesus, who is loved by Muslims and mentioned frequently in the Quran, would use such hate-filled and divisive rhetoric.” He called on Americans of all faiths to take advantage of CAIR’s recent offer of a free Quran for anyone interested in learning the truth about Islam and Muslims.


You may call to request a copy of the Quran by phone:

1-800-78-ISLAM (1-800-784-7526).

[To hear CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad explain the significance of the Quran to Muslims, go to: http://www.c-span.org/ Click on “Washington Journal” under the “C-SPAN Series” heading and then on “Washington Journal Entire Program (05/22/2005).” The segment featuring Awad begins at 2:20:45. (Twenty minutes into the third hour of the program.)]


Hooper added that while the church’s pastor has the right to free speech, his actions harm Christian-Muslim relations and do damage to America’s international image. He also called on mainstream religious and political leaders to repudiate the sign’s bigoted message and urged church members to enter into dialogue with local Muslims.


CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties group, has 31 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.


Read CAIR’s Mission, Vision Statement and Core Principles.


See also: My May 11, 2005 story, “Report Just In: Crimes Against Muslims Soaring in U.S.”:

From CAIR’s press release:

Ten states accounted for almost 79 percent of all incidents … Those states include: California (20 percent), New York (10 percent), Arizona (9 percent), Virginia (7 percent), Texas (7 percent), Florida (7 percent), Ohio (5 percent), Maryland (5 percent), New Jersey (5 percent), and Illinois (3 percent). …

By far the greatest increase over last year … occurred in the areas of unreasonable arrests, detentions, searches/seizures, and interrogations. In 2003, complaints concerning law enforcement agencies accounted for only seven percent of all reported incidents. In 2004, however, these reports rose to almost 26 percent …

The report’s section titles tell a story in themselves:

  • The Dragnets of John Ashcroft
  • The Case of U.S. Army Captain James Yee
  • The Case of Brandon Mayfield
  • The `No-Fly List’ and the Cases of Tariq Ramadan and Yusuf Islam
  • The Case of Sami Al-Hussayen
  • 2004 CAIR Civil Rights Findings
  • Sample Cases from 2004 CAIR Civil Rights Database


CAIR’s full report (PDF)


Watch this photo hit the Muslim streets.


As for how we can respond:


  • CAIR‘s home page invites you to get a copy of the Quran or to donate towards dissemination of the Quran
  • Read this release: NY Muslim Group to Call for FBI Probes of Beatings
  • Join CAIR’s mailing list — the sign-up is in the left bar, about one screen down from the top of the page
  • We can discuss this story, and CAIR’s annual report, with our neighbors and members of our religious faith


Other ideas?

CAIR has called on “Americans of all faiths to respond.”

We need to do more than read the story.