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Burned Qurans Left at Va. Muslim Center
ASSOCIATED PRESS

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - A bag stuffed with burned Qurans was left in front of an Islamic center, shocking members when they arrived for prayers.

The torched copies of the Muslim holy book were inside a plastic shopping bag, members of the Islamic Center of Blacksburg said. They said the bag had been placed at the center's front door sometime before Saturday prayers.

"It is a shame that people are so ignorant," member Idris Adjerid said.

Kevin Foust, the agent in charge of the Roanoke FBI office, said Thursday his office is helping local police investigate. He declined to speculate whether the incident would be classified as a hate crime under state or federal law.

An incident can only be deemed a hate crime if it was meant to intimidate or harass, police said. Laila Al-Qatami, a spokeswoman for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in Washington, D.C., said the Quran burning fits that definition.

"If pages from the Bible were burned and put in a bag outside a church, I think the reaction of the police would be that it would be a hate crime," she said.  

To me, that last sentence is ludicrous and shows extreme ignorance of God and Christianity.  The Word lives - it's not confined to pages in a book.  A burned bible is simply ashes.  The only crime is littering.  

"It is a shame that people are so ignorant," member Idris Adjerid said.
WHO is the ignorant one??????

JudgeNot,

Brother, most police agencies would list this as an arson or attempted arson case, depending on the circumstances. Believe it or not, many police agencies would probably also classify this as a hate crime.

Brother, I agree with you completely about God's Holy Word. It can't be destroyed. I give thanks that I have quite a bit of it hidden in my heart. My memory isn't as good as it used to be, so I might not be able to quote chapter and verse, but much of it is in my heart to stay, and the same is true of many Christians.

Religion is one of the keys for classifying something as a hate crime, much like race, lifestyle, ethnicity, etc. There was a big push from the Federal level in recent law enforcement history to start using hate crime classifications. There were some good effects, but there are also some really bad effects that are sure to follow. An example might be reading certain portions of the Holy Bible in public as being a hate crime. That's where things have already gone in other countries, and you can be sure that the ACLU would love the same thing to happen here. In fact, there are many bad things that will eventually happen with hate crimes. I personally think it will get to the point of being ridiculous.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 118:14  The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

If a Bible was burned it would be someones 'free speech' statment. If the quran is burned it is a hate crime.  :o

I am sure that this is someones response to the recent news about Bibles being shredded and burned in Saudi Arabia. Of course this will not be brought up here because they will want to blame this on Christians and make Christians look bad.

Who ever did this though imo is not acting in a Christian like manner.

Rom 12:17  Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Whoa!  Cool!  I agree with everyone so far!  8)

I hate hate crime legislation.   8)

There are already laws that can be used without having to depend on the court to judge what may or may not have been in someone’s heart at the time of an unfortunate act.  If an act is so heinous that it actually terrifies someone, then terrorism should be the charge, not someone’s interpretation of hate.  ‘Hate’ is way too broad.  Everyone on earth would eventually end up in jail.  Who will keep the keys when that happens?  ???  ;D

Seriously, it would break my heart to see someone purposely burning a bible.  But my heart's not broken for the bible; it’s broken for the lost soul who mocks the Lord.  For the same reason I don’t believe turning a bible into ashes is criminal, I don’t really feel it is necessary to have an anti-desecration law for the American flag.  Liberty is a living breathing thing and does not hinge on what someone may do to a symbol of it.  The symbol can quickly be replaced.  While I’m certainly disappointed in the mental behavior of the flag burners and would never have one in my friendship or in my employ; liberty means liberty, right?  

God gave man the free will to dismiss Him.    

That, my true friends, is one heavy-duty truth that just blows me away when I think about it too much.  

Whoa!  Now I'm getting a headache...  ;)

God bless,
JN

Amen to that brother.