Religion in the South

I look at things today when it comes to religion and I wonder what happened. I try and teach my son the difference of right and wrong, to learn that he needs to speak up when he does not think something is just or is unfair. I see things like this "Dove" church in Florida and I am ashamed. I listen to this man who should be preaching about tolerance and fairness (I seem to remember one of the Christian tenets being "turn the other cheek"), instead he is spewing the most ignorant, foul, slurs and racist trash I have heard in years. This man is planning on commemorating the anniversary of 9/11 by burning Korans. Stating that this is due to the Muslim faith causing more wars than any other religion in history. I don't know...I was raised Catholic and I know my history pretty well. I think the Christians of all sects can give them a run for their money, if its from the crusades, Ireland, to manifest destiny and the plight of the native Americans. This act has been admonished by Jewish leaders, Muslim leaders, and even the Pope. Even Gen. Peterus has asked that this not be done as it will more than likely cause a horrid backlash, endangering our troops serving in the middle east, which in turn may endanger innocents as well if the past history of bombings takes place. This preacher, this "man of God", and I use this term loosely has stated that he will continue on with this no matter what. He states that this is to stand up against "evil", he stated the Koran is evil because it is not in the Bible. Well by that reasoning so is almost any religious text, any book in the library from "Tale of Two Cities" to "Everybody Poops". Hell, while we are at it lets just go ahead and start burning those, and any other book that does not fit into our neat, tidy, ignorant, space. Lest just start throwing music and art in that too..what a marvellously new concept. Oh wait...this was done before...think you may have heard about it...movement in the forties..he hated another religious group too..blamed them for everything too..what was his name...oh yeah..ADOLPH HITLER.
What we have here is a sad little man that wants to grab his time in the spotlight, even if doing this may cause death to others who have nothing to do with it. And yes I know he has every right under the first amendment, but seems to me using it to cause uproar and panic, and harm is not what was envisioned to be used as. The first amendment is a weapon, and like any weapon it can be used for good or bad. It can be thought of as say a knife, in the hands of a master chef or a skilled surgeon a knife can create and heal, or in the hands of Jack the ripper...well we all know what happened there. Basically what it comes down to we need to tell our news stations and news outlets, do NOT cover this insane man, do not give him airtime. This is what he wants, ignore him and maybe he will go away...don't and people like that eat it up and will try to come up with something more shocking, more hurtful, more outrageous. I hear people saying how horrible it is, well I heard one person say the smartest thing about this. If she hears or sees a story about this man and his idiocy, she turns it off.
Good for her, good for us if we do it too.
This type of hate is what is causing the schisms in churches today. Hearing supposed men of God preach bigotry and hate against, gays and lesbians, Muslims, Jews, protestants,baptists, catholics, black, white, Asian, middle eastern, etc, etc, etc. This is why me, as person raised in a very Catholic household, baptisms, first communions, confirmations, etc, were all big deals in my family, but I turned my back and walked away from my Church that was a huge part of my life. This is also why I have not baptised my son, who is now 13, and does not attend church either and a very limited knowledge of who Jesus Christ is. I try to teach the best i can as to what is right, what is wrong, and then when he is old enough he can make that decision for himself. and if chooses Christianity, fine, if he wants to become Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, Pagan, or worship a giant polka dotted Velociraptor that is his decision and I will stand behind him because I love him. AND THAT IS WHAT RELIGION IS ABOUT UNABASHED, UNEQUIVOCAL, UNASKING LOVE.