If Pastor Terry Jones changes his mind about burning a copy of the Quran on 9/11, how long with it take for a copycat to do the deed? General David Petraeus said that Terry Jones's Koran-burning stunt is "precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems." It would be good indeed if Mr Petraeus's intervention persuaded Mr Jones not to do the goofy, dangerous thing he's doing. Jones also said he was still praying over his decision and hinted that he might change his mind. "We understand the general's concerns and we are taking those into consideration," he told WOFL-TV in Orlando. Yes! Yes! Yes! We also need to hear from a few more Christians, like Pastor Steve Stone and the members of Heartsong United Methodist Church, Cardova, Tenn. They regard Muslims as neighbors who happen to have a different holy book. When the final building of a new Memphis Islamic Center was delayed, Heartsong members and Pastor Stone invited their Muslim neighbors across the street to use their church for worship. "They are in the final phase of building an Islamic Center for worship and education on about 30 acres across the street" (from Heartsong), explained Heartsong Pastor Steve Stone. "Their hope was that it would be completed by Ramadan, but it still has a way to go. They asked us if they might use our facilities and we were eager to welcome them.”
Here is what Heartsong members think of their Muslin neighbors. “These people have not in any way presented themselves to us as our enemies. But even if they took that stance, the direction of our Lord would be to love them still,” said Stone. Well, Dr. Bashar Shala, Chairman of the Memphis Islamic Center offers hope and promise and not threat. Shala spoke on Keith Olbermann's Countdown (MSNBC - Sept. 8) of the relationship of the Center to Heartsong. He praised his new neighbors, and he also spoke eloquently of the privilege and the responsibility of freedom.
