Religious bigotry and getting along

The recent events surrounding the burning of a Quran trouble Common Sense on several levels.

It's profoundly troubling that an alleged Christian pastor, Terry Jones, would burn a Quran.  Book burning, particularly religious book burning, is intolerable in a country where religious freedoms are guaranteed.  Mr Jones act is little more than a pathetic attempt to get his name in the news again.  In Common Sense's view it is revolting and pitiable both.  Had the resulting violence occurred in the United States he might well be charged with incitement to violence.  That he calls himself a Christian must surely offend other Christians.

Of course course the story doesn't end with a bigoted act.  Alleged Muslims in Afghanistan decided that the way to deal with the act of a single individual in another country was violent demonstration leading to many deaths and injuries including the murder of U.N. employees.  People that had no part whatsoever in the act.  People who weren't even from the same country.  Innocent people.

Neither Mr. Jones' acts or those of the demonstrators are acceptable in Common Sense's view.  Both are simple bigotry.  Both are profoundly wrong.  Both should be rejected and condemned.

In Common Sense's view such acts only inflame unreasoned bigotry and hatred.  Such acts support the worst view of Islam and Christianity.  Such acts offend decency.  Such acts support the evil stereotypes of Mr. Jones and his like just as they support the evil stereotypes of hateful Mullahs.

Without speaking to my religious beliefs or lack thereof, Common Sense has read the bible, both the old and new testament.  Common Sense has also read the Quran,  Buddhist texts,  Hindu texts, and studied comparative religion.  Nowhere in these religious texts did I find support for religious hatred such as Mr. Jones exhibited.  Nor did I find support for killing innocents as a remedy for alleged offense as happened in Afganistan.  While there are surely hateful people of various religious persuasions that can find some out of context text to justify their hatred and evil acts, such people are in Common Sense's view not religious but rather pitiable and often ignorant fanatics that turn to religion to support their own hatreds.

Common Sense is reminded of one of the most important quotes from the 20th century:

"People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get along? Can we stop making it, making it horrible for the older people and the kids?...It’s just not right. It’s not right. It’s not, it’s not going to change anything. We’ll, we’ll get our justice....They won the battle, but they haven't won the war....Please, we can get along here. We all can get along. I mean, we’re all stuck here for a while. Let’s try to work it out. Let’s try to beat it. Let’s try to beat it. Let’s try to work it out."

It's worth remembering that Mr. King was speaking after having been savagely beaten by police.  His remarks should inspire us all.  Common Sense thinks that we are all stuck here while we're alive and that we should all try to work it out and get along.