Posted: September 21, 2010
Region: Worldwide
“I believe that every action creates an equal and opposite reaction, and that actions of hatred, intolerance and ignorance create an ever escalating cyclical pattern of more hatred, intolerance and ignorance” – Reverend Wayne Lavender, a Christian Pastor, on the recent US Qu’ran burning controversy.
The pastor, from Virginia (USA), is trying to find a way to offset the rise of islamophobia in western culture, especially in the USA, and promises to send 50 Islamic holly books to Christian churches across America.
Reverend Wayne Lavender, a United Methodist pastor, in his article written for Common Ground News Service comments that misinformation related to Islam on the internet, and “cherry picking Qur’anic verses out of context”, are being used to “widely disseminate lies and anti-Islamic propaganda.”
He says that even after Pastor Terry Jones in Gainesville, Florida, under the burden of public outcries finally decided against burning the Qur’an on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks; he had felt the urge to confront “such hatred and ignorance”.
I decided that for every Qur’an this church was going to burn in the name of my God, I would deliver a Qur’an to a church within the United States to be included in their church library, because it seems that at this important time in history I can only combat such hate through actions of love and peace – explains Reverend Lavender.
He proposes to “…sow seeds of love and tolerance by giving Qur’ans to local churches where they might not only be a symbolic gesture of peace and religious tolerance, but might also be read for better understanding that, like Christianity, Islam is a complex, nuanced and dynamic faith with its roots in mercy, justice and peace.”
Click here to read original article by Rev Wayne Lavender.
Pedja Urosevic, Media Diversity Institute London
