The threat by a small Muslim group is against the physical book and it is over an argument over form. That form is in the use of Allah in Malay Bibles. I know there are possibly significant substantive arguments that may lead to fundamental truths about God but that is not what the bible burning is aimed at. These Muslims dont have any issues with the teachings per se of Christianity – just the form of lingual expression which they are challenging. Do these Muslims pose a bigger threat than people who perhaps seek to make us hate our neighbours and rebel against God?
The one who burns a bible is not to be feared or fought as one who teaches us to hate our neighbours and disobey God. The command to love neighbour and God (substance) is more important than the physical book (form). The book is only a book. It is what is in the book that matters. The ink and paper dont magically transform into something else because of the message that they carry. If someone wants to burn that physical elements of ink on bound paper – go crazy. But if someone challenges and poses serious issues against what those pages teach, then that is when I take issue. Or more seriously at least.
I hope the churches in Malaysia dont react in a way which makes reaching out ever more challenging. The edict to love our neighbours and love God is not impacted by this threat to burn bibles. Our ability to obey the command may however, be badly impacted by reaction of the church to this threat.
I say: bake a cake and serve it to whoever is burning a bible. Love him. He isnt burning the bible out of rebellion against God. He burns it over an argument over form. The war should be over other matters. I think.
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” – Matt 10:28
Related articles
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- Burn al-Kitab Day on Jan 27? (hornbillunleashed.wordpress.com)
- Malaysians clash over calls to burn Bibles using ‘Allah’ (rt.com)
- Call to burn Bibles heightens Malaysian election tensions (updatednews.ca)
- Why Malaysian politicos get worked up by a Bible written in jawi (theunspunblog.com)
- The Bible: Exhaustive or Essential? (hippiexpastor.wordpress.com)
Ante 