StudyGrowKnow

John Piper Says Burning Koran Parallels Crucifying Christ

April 8, 2011 at 6:38 PM 10 comments

Okay, I read the article two, no, three times and I think I understand what John Piper is trying to say.  You can read the actual article here:

http://sg.christianpost.com/dbase/asia/902/section/1.htm

In the above posted article, Piper draws parallels between the crucifying of Jesus for the Christian and the burning of the Koran for the Muslim.  I assume Piper is attempting to say that the Koran is to a Muslim as dear as Christ being crucified to the Christian.  The Koran is a very important book to the Muslim.  In fact, it is the most important book.  Even though Muslim clerics state that the Koran agrees with the Bible, but supersedes it, the problem is that there are many instances of the Koran actually disagreeing with the Bible.  That distinction is not part of this post though.

In my view, I believe John Piper is wrong on a number of fronts.  First, burning the Koran to me is like burning the Bible.  While Muslims will obviously get extremely upset about it to the point of wanting to kill, authentic Christians do not do that.  If someone takes the time to burn the Bible, they are burning a book that I believe represents what God has stated and done to and for humanity.  Ultimately, they are burning a tree, since that is largely what the Bible is made out of, as are most books.

I do NOT worship my Bible.  I VALUE it above all other books.  Still, if someone chose to rip it up in front of me, or burn it, I’m not going to yell “Off with his head!” like they would to me if I did that to the Koran.

It bothers me when people burn the Bible, or the American flag for that matter, but I do not pick up my sword and determine to kill the perpetrator(s) of that act.  In most cases, they are doing it for notoriety and nothing more.  Burning someone in effigy, the flag, or the Bible has really become way too passe.  Not so with Koran burning.

I also disagree with John Piper in likening or paralleling the crucifixion of Christ to the Christian with Koran burning for the Muslim.  When someone burns a Koran, radical Muslims tend to overreact.  They become extraordinarily violent, more than usual and it becomes open season on all who are not Muslim.  They must avenge Allah, because apparently, Allah cannot do it himself.  He needs his lackey followers to do it for him.

As an authentic Christian, as I say, I’m troubled by someone’s desire to burn the Bible.  I’d prefer they read it.  In fact, this is what I advocate for the Koran.  People should not burn it.  They should read it for themselves to actually learn what it says.  They should also ignore all the Muslims who will tell them that they cannot possibly understand it because one has to be a Muslim who speaks fluent Arab and was actually born into (or lived) the Islamic culture for decades, yada, yada, yada.

The Koran seems fairly understandable to me as I’ve read it a few times.  It’s not that long and people would be surprised how much they would pick up just from reading it through once.  Instead, some prefer to burn it.  Oh well.  Aside from getting radical Muslims all riled up (doesn’t take much anyway, since they always appear to be on the edge) and polluting the air a bit, what has really been accomplished?

Jesus was crucified and I’m not angry at that.  I am blessed because of it so how John Piper can come along and equate the crucifixion with Koran burning is beyond me.  But that is only one more reason why I have grown weary of John Piper.  Other reasons involve his coming alongside Rick Warren.

I do not believe there is anything in Christianity that parallels Islam in any way, except for the things that Muhammad borrowed to include in his own religion.  Islam was born of violence and violence carried him throughout until the end of his life.  Christianity was born in a manger with the King of Kings and He never once picked up a weapon.

If John Piper is trying to explain to me the way Muslims think, I got that a long time ago.  It is not just the Koran.  It is everything that has to do with Islam, including Muhammad or Allah.  If anyone deigns to insult Allah by insulting Muhammad, or by burning the Koran, there will be hell to pay by radical Muslims, who are sworn to avenge Allah every time he is insulted, either directly or indirectly.  That’s the bottom line and there is no magic to it.  There is no need to equate it with anything else, much less Christianity.

I’m not even sure why Piper chose to weigh in on the subject.  Are his words intended to make Christians stop and think that by burning a Koran for the Muslim, it becomes tantamount to crucifying Christ?  It seems that’s what John is saying, but it’s much ado about nothing.  There is no connection, or parallel, John.  None whatsoever.  You’re making it up and trying to raise a solid point when there is none.

John Piper is an interesting individual.  I have read many of his books and his teaching on holiness, etc., is interesting and appears to be biblical.  I’ve also noticed that Piper can grow very angry when discussing the state of Israel and the PreTrib Rapture, etc.  So, what does that mean?  To me, it means that John has allegorized Scripture so that the promises made to Abraham have been transferred to the Church.  To Piper, Israel is out of the picture completely.  Many in the Reformed area of theology do this, to their own detriment, in my opinion.

Here’s why:  people who have taken the theological road that Piper has are already off base, in my opinion.  Because he is already off base, then it is easier for him to view things that are not important as important.  Such is the case here, regarding the burning of the Koran.

Look, most intelligent people by now realize that it takes next to nothing to anger radical Muslims.  They are like taut strings and the slightest nudge can send them vibrating like mad.  Take some time to look at their faces on the Internet when they are protesting something.  I don’t know how to be that angry, yet they manage it.

Everything is justified by radical Muslims as a reaction to somehow offending Allah.  They don’t see the stupidity of their actions.  They worship a god who is apparently extremely powerful.  Yet, in order to prove their own worth, they themselves must be the ones who avenge Allah.  But what happens if Allah is not offended when someone draws an illustration of Muhammad?  What happens if by chance Allah doesn’t care when someone burns the Koran?  Radical Muslims will kill someone anyway, because it is the way they earn their salvation.

I have a huge concern for those who are known Christian leaders, but seem to have gone off the narrow path of theology.  They speak and their words seem either empty or trite, or both.

We are seeing a lot of this today and it really all comes under the guise of “loving” people.  Unfortunately, it’s a misplaced love, which is really no love at all.  A growing number of churches are moving toward embracing what has become known as Chrislam; a mix of Christianity with Islam.  That’s literally impossible, yet it is being done because of “love.”

Islam does not worship the God of the Judeo-Christian faith.  In fact, orthodox Jews do not worship the same God I worship, yet the moral structure of Judaism is very similar to that of Christianity.  Islam is out there on its own.  Their god is unlike the God of the Bible.  Their reaction to wrong is nothing like the morality that Jesus instructed His disciples.

Islam and Christianity are worlds apart, but the idea is that if we could simply come together and even worship with one another, then all will be well.  Hogwash.  It will not happen, but leave it to professing Christians to try that step, in a feeble attempt to “love” as Jesus loved (and continues to love).

You don’t really love someone if you are not taking the to point out that the road they are on leads to hell.  You are not being loving if you refuse to tell people about the Good News of Jesus Christ and the salvation that He has made possible.  While there are many who become annoyed when someone takes the time to explain the gospel, it is still loving to explain it.

I have two children, both pretty much grown.  While they were growing, when my wife and I noticed them doing something wrong, we did our best to lovingly correct them.  When they did something that was not only wrong, but detrimental to them, we quickly did what we could to correct the problem.  Why?  Because we love them and saw where they were going and it wasn’t good.

It would not have been loving to JOIN them in their sin.  What does that prove?  It tells them that what they are doing is fine, no need to worry.  See?  Mom and Dad will join you to prove how much we love you!  That’s garbage.  If we really love our children, we will not be afraid to correct them and point out their error.  Once they become full-fledged adults and living on their own, there has to be a point where we let go and continue to uphold them in prayer.

Christians who worship with Muslims is the same thing.  How can Allah be the same as the God of the Bible?  He can’t.  It’s impossible, unless He managed to change His character and attributes so drastically going from one book (the Bible) to another (the Koran).

It’s absurd to think that we need to kowtow to Islam or radical Muslims.  I’m not saying that we need to burn the Koran, but the world by and large is becoming a world where one apology after another is offered to Muslims for this alleged offense or that one.  Since when did the free people of the world believe that they need to go around apologizing to individuals who are still living in the AD 600/700s?  That is what it amounts to and we need to stop.

I’m not saying that we need to flaunt things in their face, but there is really nothing that Islam would like more than to force everyone to live under the umbrella of Islam and its Sharia law.  They don’t apologize for that either.  This is what they are working toward.

If they want to worship as Muslims under Islam’s Sharia, that’s up to them.  I’ll leave them to it.  However, when they start infringing on basic rights because they are opposed to Democracy and the freedom that comes with that, then something needs to be done.

John Piper makes little sense these days.  I’m not really sure where he is going theologically.  He seems to want to rub elbows with Rick Warren, and now Islam.

If I had hardcore bullies living on my block or in my neighborhood, I guarantee that there is nothing I would be able to do to keep the peace, except learn to submit to their bullying.  Apologizing to them would not help.  Trying to avoid getting them angry would not help because true bullies always have a chip on their shoulder.  There is no way to appease a bully.  They only respect force.  When they are overcome with it, it is then that they decide to back down.  Defending yourself against a bullying person is far different from being persecuted for your faith.

The world unfortunately believes that if we tiptoe around Islam, they will leave us alone.  Not only is this untrue, but it’s naive.  People want to believe this because most people are educated and do not want unnecessary confrontations.  The problem though is that the radical Muslim makes it his point to confront.  He lives for that.

If the pastor in Florida did not burn the Koran, something else would have set these radical Muslims off.  It takes precious little and unfortunately, it just seems as if John Piper is playing right into their hands.

I’m not afraid of dying, therefore I’m not afraid of radical Muslims.  I will not cower when they raise their fists in threatening gestures, yelling “Allahu Akbar!”  I will not run or immediately try to placate them.  They are wrong and they need to be told they are wrong.  It is possible to stand your ground without doing it menacingly.

I was watching one of those police type documentary shows on TV and one particular video stood out.  A bunch of street thugs in England were harassing a man on his property.  The thugs thought they were really tough, so tough that one of them decided to record the event on his phone likely to post it on Youtube or somewhere.

The one thug continued to advance on the man who stood resolutely in front of his front door, on his porch.  The young ruffian got in his face, made hand gestures at him as if he was going to hit him (I’m assuming to make him blink), but the man just stood there with his arms crossed at the wrist, protecting his parts (I’m assuming).  He said nothing in return, but just stood.

Finally, the thug went to far and pushed the man backwards.  When the thug attempted it again, instead of being able to push the man a second time, the man laid the young thug out with a punch to the solar plexus.  The thug got up and came at the man only to be knocked backwards from a punch to the face.  He went down.  Slightly rattled, he got up and he and his gang of street thugs walked away, cursing.  As it turns out the man was a retired military guy who knew a thing or two about martial arts.

There is a good likelihood that those thugs decided it was the better part of intelligence to no longer bother that particular guy.  Why?  Because he stood up to their false bravado and when needed, gave one of them what he was not expecting.

Radical Muslims are teaching the world that they are easily offended and they should apologize every time they are offended.  IF an apology is not forthcoming, then the radical Muslims are obviously not responsible for their actions.

As long as we have people like John Piper and professing Christians who become involved in Chrislam, in order to placate radical Muslims, these same radical Muslims will become more emboldened to take advantage of the world at every turn.

I say rather than burn a Koran, read one.  It’s the enemy’s rule book.  It’s what they live by and it’s non-negotiable to them.  I am NOT saying that hatred should be met with hatred.  I’m saying that Christians especially need to be as wise as serpents and as gentle as doves.

You can disagree with my view.  You have that right.  I won’t get angry at you and I won’t thump you over the head with my Bible either.  I promise I will not hunt you down either to harm you physically.  It’s not part of who I am and it’s not what the Bible teaches.  This is not true of the Koran though.  Be careful if you want to try to side with Islam because in the end, they will not be siding with you.

Did you hear that Mr. Piper?

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