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Church newsletter condemns Islam
as ‘evil doctrine’
Local clergy and residents protest
By
TOM KANE
MILLANVILLE, PA — A religious
newsletter called The Beacon, printed and circulated
last week, calls the religion of Islam an “evil
doctrine that spawns violence and hatred in the lives
of those who honestly believe it.”
The newsletter is the product of the
Calkins Union Baptist Church in Milanville, whose
pastor is Lane Jones.
The Beacon was mailed to all postal
patrons in Milanville, Beach Lake and Narrowsburg.
The newsletter, which was written by
Pastor Jones goes on to say, “It is hard to
deny that the beliefs of Islam, when literally applied,
produce evil conduct in the lives of those who sincerely
accept them.”
Near the end of
the newsletter Jones writes, “Although it is
extremely unpopular to say it, the fact remains that
the roots of much of deceit and violent behavior in
the Muslim countries are to be found in the Islamic
view of God.”
“I’m not condemning the Muslim people
as individuals; I’m condemning their faith and their
God,” Jones told TRR in an interview.
Thankfully, most Muslims do not take
the teachings of their founder to be literally true,
he says, but those who do are led by Muhammed’s
words to acts of hate and violence.
Jones, 39, is a graduate of Tennessee
Temple University where he received a bachelor’s
degree in pastoral studies. Admittedly, he does not
claim to be a scholar of the Koran or even a student
of the Koran; neither did he consult any Muhammed
scholars or authorities in preparing the newsletter.
“I can read,” Jones said. “I studied
the Koran intensely to prepare for this newsletter.”
An elder of the church, Grant Sheard,
said, “I haven’t read it [the newsletter].
And I haven’t read the Koran. I’m unable
to comment. We’re an independent church and
Pastor Jones is free to express his opinion.”
Many in the community disagree forcefully
with Jones.
“Some Muslims may be guilty of extreme
violence, just as some Christians have, but anyone
who knows anything about the religion of Islam knows
it is a religion of peace and love,” said Father Tom
Jones, pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church in Narrowsburg.
“It’s recognized as one of the three great religions:
Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It’s not helpful
to incite hatred like this.”
“I cannot understand how they
can draw these conclusions about the Koran without
a detailed understanding of it,” said Tom Lisenbee,
president of the Upper Delaware Unitarian Fellowship
of Beach Lake.
President Bush has urged all Americans
not to condemn the Islamic religion just because of
the extreme actions of some of its adherents, Lisenbee
said.
“This is very disturbing,” said Phyllis
Haynes, pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Narrowsburg.
“He’s quoting out of context, which isn’t right. I
wonder what translation of the Koran he uses. How
well does he know the Koran? This isn’t promoting
better understanding among faiths.”
“I think printing these things is deliberately
inflammatory,” said Julie Ann Frey of Beach Lake.
“They should try to understand Islam before they make
such statements. It’s only going to make people hostile.”
“Hate doesn’t work for anybody,” said
Francesca Cook of Beach Lake. “How can you condemn
an entire people for what the few do?”
“It’s not true, it simply isn’t true,”
said Father Joe Kutch, pastor of St. Joseph’s Church
in White Mills. “The Koran teaches that murder is
wrong and that suicide is wrong.”
Jones says, “In the Koran it
says Allah will mislead those he chooses to mislead.
The god of the Koran is willing to mislead His own
people.”
“Because of his thoughts about his
God, that is the way Sadam Hussein runs his country,”
Jones said. “It’s exactly consistent with his theology.”
At one point in the newsletter he says,
“This is a key point in understanding the mindset
of the Muslim dictators throughout the world.”
Jones denied that any Islamic countries
condemned the tragedy of September 11.
“These terrorists are applying the
Koran literally and taking violent actions,” he said.
Jones believes that there are literally
millions of these people who follow the Koran literally.
“It’s the truth,” he said. “And that’s
why if they take these doctrines literally they will
do such things.”
Jones focuses on the sections of the
Koran where Muhammed talks about duty of participating
in jihad, or holy war.
“That’s what’s influencing these youths
and even their mothers to sacrifice themselves and
their sons in the holy war,” he said.
Asked if he thought Islam was evil,
he said “yes” but denied that his belief
was discriminatory or inflammatory.
“What I’m try to do is show the need
for Christ,” Jones said.
“I’m not trying to be inflammatory
against Muslim people,” he said. “I’m merely saying
this so that Muslim people might be converted to Christianity
and find the true way to God through Jesus Christ.”
“Since when is it wrong to say ‘I disagree
with Islam?’” he said.
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