A renowned Christian cleric from Syria responds to an American priest who has called for burning of the Holy Koran on the 9th anniversary of the horrific 9-11 attacks in New York City

I have read your call for a worldwide burning of the Holy Koran during the upcoming commemoration on September 11, 2010. In this call it says you are a pastor at one of the churches of Florida in the United States. Being an Arab Catholic cleric from Damascus, I wondered why an American pastor from the US would make such a call.

I asked myself then and now pose the question to you: “What exactly are your duties as a Christian Priest?”

Are you really a Christian Pastor serving the Lord from a US-based church? Or are you a US citizen who claims to be serving the Lord? Have you surrendered to your Americanism, instead of surrendering to Christianity? What did you want from such a call—to stir more hatred among peoples? Does any of what you said fall in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ, who you claim to represent? Is there anything in the words of Christ, his personality, or positions that justifies hatred between peoples, all peoples? Have you forgotten that Christ was all about love, forgiveness, and peace? Have you forgotten that Christ, when hanging on the Cross while being showered with curses, asked for forgiveness for those who had wronged him?

Is what happened during and after September 11, 2001 not enough? Have you forgotten all the killing, the destruction and chaos? Have you forgotten the millions who went hungry around the world, or were uprooted from their homes precisely because of 9-11? This injustice started with Palestine—the homeland of Christ—at the hands of George W Bush who claimed to be receiving messages from God.

In your specific call to burn Korans next 9-11 you showed just how distant you are from Jesus Christ and how much you needed to re-discover Him.

My brother priest, please tell me in all honesty, if Christ were to show up in our lives today, in which camp would He stand? Would He side with the strong, arrogant oppressors? Would He stand with those who suppress the world, breach international agreements, and kill the innocent in their own homes?

It seems to be that what is behind your call to burn the Holy Koran is ignorance of Christ and Christianity and equal ignorance of Islam and Muslims. Believe me, it is not my objective to insult you nor is it to enter into an endless religious debate about Christianity or Islam. Allow me, however, to invite you to joint action next September 11, 2001. You may ask, given that you are in Florida and I am in Damascus, what kind of joint action do I speak of?

I invite you to come visit us in Syria. You will be my guest and the guest of my many friends, both Christians and Muslims.
Come my brother, and fear nothing…
Come and discover new things about both Christianity and Islam that will both delight and surprise you. Such a visit will inspire you to call on people to love each other and to work together with respect. All people are in dire need of all that.

Come to Syria and you will observe the friendliness of its people, the understanding between them, their strong commitment to spiritual beliefs, and their remarkable openness with foreigners.

Come to Syria and I will take you to two choirs, a Christian and Muslim one, chanting religious hymns together. That is in addition to joint holidays for both faiths—and a single God that brings us together.

My brother Priest Terry Jones; be sure that I am very sincere in calling you “brother.” I am very forthcoming in my invitation for you to visit Syria.

I pray to the Lord to make our meeting a focal point from which we can undertake a long and challenging path, with our brothers in Damascus and around the world. This would around us truly needs a joint path for peoples and religions.
Come to Syria; the road to Damascus is waiting.

Father Elias Zahlawi is founder of the Al-Farah Choir

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