Hey Dan

They say it offends God. The Rev. Scott Breedlove (no, I not making fun of his name) and the congregation of the Jesus Church of Cedar Rapids Iowa want to have a book burning. Yes, an old fashion book burning. Fortunately, the fire department put the kibosh on it.

I am in favor of free speech and this is free speech. Therefore, I am in favor of it. I am not going to point out that the idea of burning book brings up Germany in the 30�s visions. As long as it is not the government burning books. If a private citizen wants to burn book in the privacy of their own home or even on TV, I am willing to allow them to make this statement.

Now, I could bring up the issue of what affect it could have on our children. Teaching them that destroying a work of thought and creativity that does not conform to your ideas is fine. That is as long as God says it is all right. I will not argue that for many people the image of this ceremony preludes the act of being rounded up and killed. Naturally, it offends the values my family taught me. Nevertheless, this is America and here you are free to speak your mind.

After all, it is only right to destroy what offends God. The fact that most everyone can be said to offend someone�s version of God should not get in the way of this good old fashion symbol of ignorance and hate. I mean God is a big omnipotent being with plenty of patients for this kind of thing. People have been destroying, stealing and killing in his name for some time. One more random act of misplaced faith will be sure to cheer him right up.

Since I am being so tolerant about their book burning, I am sure they will not mind me taking advantage of some of my fist amendment rights. Say by using the F*** word on TV? What do you say? It was the Church that made up the word, surly God could not be offended by anything the Church made up. Or how about showing naked bodies� God made those; they could not offend, could they?

Instead, maybe we could use our freedom to talk to each other. Talk about what is in those books and CD�s. We could talk about why words of hate and intolerance are not that best way to change minds. How we care about what each other really think and feel. How those things are the real nature of faith in all of its forms. You put your matches away and I invite you to break bread and talk. What do you say Rev. Scott?