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Pastor Terry Jones cancels his plan to burn copies of the Holy Quran on 11 September 2010 amid world wide violent protests by Muslims



Pastor Terry Jones of a Florida church , Dove World Outreach Center, who earlier had announced that he will burn the copies of Holy Quran on 11 September 2010 has canceled his plan after a telephonic call from Defense Secretary of State Mr. Robert Gates, who urged him to refrain. Pastor Terry Jones had made this announcement as a protest against the proposed construction of an Islamic center and a mosque near ground zero in New York. The Muslim clerics have denied striking any deal with the pastor in exchange of the cancellation of the said plan.

This announcement coupled with protests by other groups against the proposed construction of Islamic centre and mosque near ground zero had stirred the calm of the Muslim world. This construction was being seen by majority of the Muslims as a good will gesture by the American government to reduce the distances between the Muslims and the other religious communities. The construction of mosque near ground zero would have given a clear message to the world as whole and to the terrorists in particular that the Muslims are not the supporters of terrorism and they denounce it with full force. In this situation the terrorists would have been isolated from rest of the Muslims that could have made the goal of fight against terror much easier and achievable.

The perception that Islam as a religion is totally against any act of violence and terror is believed by most of the people in the world. The Americans in particular know the behavior and attitude of Muslims living along with them since ages. The Americans are a peace-loving people who believe in mutual peaceful co-existence. This is the reason that they fully supported the idea of construction of mosque. However the radical groups with extremist posture have their own agenda and vested interests. They do not want to see the Muslims getting closer with the American people. Hence they launched these protests.

People like Pastor Terry Jones become an easy tool for those having vested interests. Just look at the teachings of the Holy Bible and Jesus Christ regarding the peace and see the behavior of the pastor in contrast to those teachings. Ironically the name of the church is ‘Dove’ World Outreach and the plan announced from there was nothing but ‘hawkish’. Mere announcement from the pastor had created world wide disturbances. Violent protests against the US in Pakistan and other Muslim countries have given a further blow to the already fragile relations between the US and the Muslim world. Apart, the announcement of desecration of the Holy Quran had put the life of Christian minorities at risk who are already vulnerable to the attacks by the extremists. The planned desecration of the Holy Quran would have given a severe blow to the cause of world peace. It is a good omen that a very serious crisis has been averted just ahead of the 9th anniversary of the fateful events of 11 September 2001. We hope that the sense would prevail and the persons like Pastor Terry Jones are not allowed to make the global peace as hostage of their personal motives and gains. Such people must be reminded that the life and property of the millions of innocent Muslims and Christians is more precious than their personal and short-term gains.