Reasons given for the objection to Jones’s attitude and announced intentions included the probability of our troops in hostile Isalmic regions being unnecessarily endangered; the possibility of acts of terrorism instigated within our national boarders; and the apparent intolerance demonstrated toward those who adhere to a different religion than that of the Florida church.  

Writing from an evangelical pastoral perspective, I suggest other reasons Jones should be dismissed as self-deceived and not worthy of consideration. 

1) The Bible has been treated with disrespect in Muslim communities. However, it begs the question, “Do Christians respond in kind to what others have done?” While Christians do not revere the Qur'an as holy, inciting people of other religions is hardly a wise and gracious act.

2) We have the freedom in America to burn books. Yet, American freedom and Christian responsibility (motivated by God's love and submissive to God's Word) are not mutually exclusive. A significant statement surfaced in the last few days: “Thankful to live in a country where I can burn the Qur'an, grateful to God for the good sense not to.” Kevin DeYoung (http://thegospelcoalition.org) states, “book burnings have a history of doing nothing but making you look like a crackpot Nazi wannabe and making your opponents look more humane and the burned books more interesting.”

3) A studied and serious evangelical Christian will passionately direct listeners to Jesus Christ.  Pastor Jason Ehmann (http://bit.ly/9VQmiI) states, “Distraction from the truth [that God desires to restore a relationship with His creation through the life, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ] by someone who claims to believe truth is the greatest problem with Rev. Jones. This whole controversy has become more about Rev. Jones, toleration, religious respect and cooperation rather than the greatness and love of God expressed to us through Jesus Christ. God, Christ, and the Bible have been relegated to the position of sub-points in an argument rather than the main point of life itself. Man has become the focus rather than God.” The identification of Christianity as a belief system that is driven by what one stands against rather than what is stood for is a frail proposition. Burning a Qur’an unifies people in their opposition rather than their belief. The gospel calls us to “…shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” (1Peter 2:9). Opposition is not a cause. God and His gospel are a cause.

4) According to USA Today (http://usat.ly/cDixGV) Dove World Outreach associate pastor Wayne Sapp indicated the church leadership was following the instruction of God. Question: was God aware of this? Could anything be contrived as from God? God uses his Word to reveal his will. God calls upon Christ followers to be loving toward others (Ephesians 4:32), longsuffering, kind and not rude (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).  

Discernment is different from judgementalism. Isalmic and Christian theology conflict at the core. Jones’s heart and motives are only known to him. However, it appears many would agree that his actions are not consistent with historical, biblical Christianity or the character of American culture.

Rick Cross is the pastor of Faith Baptist Church and can be reached at comments@fbclongmont.org.

In going through some files recently I found a Popular Mechanics magazine article (December 2003) by Mike Fillon titled, “The Real Face of Jesus.” Although I am sure that at the time of publication I was just as shocked as now that Popular Mechanics would pursue such a subject matter, I read the article with curiosity. The magazine’s interest was due to the forensic anthropology and technology used by scientists in an attempt to determine what the biblical character Jesus Christ may have looked like. The article reports that medical artist Richard Neave secured three ancient skulls from areas near Jerusalem and arrived at a computer-generated composite of what a first-century Jewish male may have looked like, and Jesus falls into that category. This Sunday the History Channel will air a documentary also titled, “The Real Face of Jesus” in which scientists examine the Shroud of Turin, which is of disputable authenticity, and use computer-speculation to attempt to determine the facial characteristics of Jesus Christ. The conclusion will be that even with first-century raw material and advanced modern technology, we really do not know what Jesus, the most famous and influential person in authentically documented history looked like.

From the biblical timeline we know that Jesus was in his early 30’s when he began his public ministry. He most likely had a beard which would have been customary for men. These two qualities are found in most modern depictions of Jesus Christ. Then, his skin would likely have been a dark olive color due to sun exposure and normal Mediterranean pigment. Many scholars believe His hair was shorter rather than longer due to the apostle Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 11:13. Isaiah’s prophecy (53:2) of the coming Messiah is that he would not be strikingly attractive or handsome: “he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” Fillon records that: “From an analysis of skeletal remains, archeologists had firmly established that the average build of a Semite male at the time of Jesus was 5 ft. 1 in., with an average weight of about 110 pounds.” It is interesting that most of the above descriptions simply do not coincide with that which some modern artists have portrayed of the physical attributes of Jesus: European in complexion, light-colored hair, blue eyes and taller than those around Him. Evidently, with few biblical details given, God did not think it necessary to focus attention on the physical but on the spiritual and character details of Jesus.

The Bible teaches that Jesus rose bodily-alive from the dead (proving His deity and demonstrating God’s acceptance of His payment for mankind’s sin) and then ascended bodily into heaven from which He will return to physically gather to heaven those, both living and dead, who have trusted Him as Savior. That said, it is actually proper to refer to His physical qualities in the present tense rather than in the past tense since He is alive. 1 Timothy 3:16 says, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” In our age of multiplied images, Christians are eager to see Jesus face to face.

English poet William Wordsworth wrote, “The child is father of the man,” meaning the experiences which occur in the early and formative years of a child’s life shape the character and behavior of tomorrow’s adult. As that is true of the individual, it becomes true of an entire society. Both need strong character built step by step.

We all know individuals who seem to be positively driven and focused in life. They rise above the horizon of the populace and are leaders in actions, reactions, attitudes and direction. Others seem to flounder in an aimless, self-pitying or even victim mentality which keeps them from rising to any level of meaningfulness or life-enjoyment. What determines the difference?

There is a necessary ingredient needed to rise above the milieu of mediocrity to a meaningful, productive, influential life. The ingredient is strong character. Strength of character is something that must be taught to the heart from the earliest ages. It is not the product of ease or received by genetic inheritance. Proverbs 22:6 instructs, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Strength of character is the result of purposeful training.

Effective fathers know that training children in their view of and knowledge of God is part of character development. You may have heard someone say, “We do not want to force religion on our children. We want them to be free to make up their own minds about matters as important as that.” This may sound sophisticated, but lacks merit. Most conscientious parents see the fallacy of allowing children to “make up their own minds” about nutrition and education. Parents know that the loving and responsible thing is to insist that their children eat vegetables and go to school, but then often neglect to teach their children to know God. Now, religion is not an end in itself. There have been many morally bankrupt, religious people. However, neutrality about God is itself a form of religion. If neutrality is the attitude of parents it can become the religion of their children.

Someone has wisely said, “Home is the place where life makes up its mind.” Young and old must understand that truth is learned and practiced and not a natural directive in the heart. John 17:17 gives the source of truth: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Right must be taught and celebrated and wrong rejected and shunned. The result of engrafting absolute truth in lives is strong character. Truthfulness, integrity, industry, and love for others - those adult qualities that form a strong society - are results of a life trained in definitive truth, taught and caught by example and precept. 2 Timothy 3:15 reads, “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” Strong character is critical in the structure of a strong society.

Sixteenth century author Thomas Paine’s observation is noteworthy, “Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.” Strong character starts and flourishes with its demonstration in the words and lives of fathers (and mothers) and becomes the learned legacy of the children in the home. May our community be filled with such purposeful strength. Happy Father's Day.