Burning the Quran

DocBrain has a few comments about this whole thing.

• It is one thing to call someone's baby ugly, another thing to burn it while the parents look on. Whatever you believe, having someone else intentionally disrespect it, and in addition announce in advance plans to do so, is very inflammatory.
• Is this news? What if hateful events were not covered by the news? Is it possible that some of the impetus for this is the public attention? What if he burned the Quran and only 50 people knew about it? Perhaps, the world might eventually find out months or years later, but by then it would be old and uninteresting, even to those who it might have previously upset.
• In a country where illegal aliens can protest against the country they have invaded, a religious structure honoring the religion whose followers intentionally inflicted great harm can be built in the shadow of the ruins, and religious congregants can invade burial services for fallen soldiers, all without protest from our government, it is hard to see how this can be banned.
• Fear of illegitimate force is not a good reason to not do something. "The Quran should not be burned because it might cause future harm" is not a good reason. One should have fear only of natural things (ie, cobras) and of those humans who legitimately exert power over you (government). One should only do the right thing. To not burn the Quran because of fear of reprisals would just indicate the power the believers in the Quran have over you. This is not to say that we don't cower in the face of fear of illegitimate force, only that the ideal is for us to be free from the threat of illegitimate force.
• Burning the Quran doesn't serve any ethical purpose. There are good people who are Muslims, so you are antagonistic towards good people; Islam is not evil any more than guns are evil, so courage to confront Islam is as ridiculous as the crazies who want to ban guns; and lastly, would it be in anyone's best interest if every person burned that which wasn't what they believed? This would tend to spread antagonism and anger, not the best way to enjoy life.

In conclusion, the act of burning the Quran is without logical merit and intentionally inflicts harm on good people. It is anti-religion at a time when religions should be banding together to combat the bumper-sticker beliefs of the Progressives who believe only they know best how to rule humanity. The only other hope, science, is not able yet to combat Progressivism or the religious fervor of one religion pitted against another, but its time will come.