Evangelicals Condemn UN Killings; Terry Jones Not Drawing Back

Evangelicals Condemn UN Killings; Terry Jones Not Drawing Back:  Evangelicals expressed dismay over the deaths of United Nations workers in Afghanistan, who were killed in retaliation for last month’s burning of a Quran by a fringe Florida pastor.“No matter how much we disagree and find abhorrent the actions of [Terry] Jones, responding in violence can never be justified,” said Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, chief executive officer and secretary general of the World Evangelical Alliance.

Representing 420 million evangelicals, asked WEA Muslim leaders on its website to invite their communities to stop violence and "explain ... that actions of this extremist group that burned the Koran condemns small absolute Christians worldwide. "

These sentiments were widely echoed by other evangelical leaders.

"The actions of a church in Florida does not represent the vast majority of Christians who want to live in peace with their neighbors," said Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals. "But violence against others is never an appropriate response. "

Violent protests in Afghanistan triggered by a fire March 20 in the holy book of Islam. Pastor Terry Jones of Dove Global Awareness Center in Gainesville, Florida, oversaw the burning of the Koran, with the help of the preacher Wayne Sapp, after staging a mock trial that found the holy book of Muslims "who is because murder, rape and terrorism. "Jones told a jury composed of" persons, mostly through Florida "is determined quoted by ABC News.

"I want more news about Christian!"

Jones first attracted international attention last year after threatening to burn the Koran to mark the ninth anniversary of 9 / 11 terrorist attacks. Amid calls for restraint, including U.S. President Barack Obama, the pastor of Florida has failed.

But, he told the ABC, Jones still wanted to introduce radical Islam. "Him and in small groups, may be the Koran process - to give Islam a 'fair shake" - was to do so if a holy book was found not guilty, Jones said he would do a public apology " . Our accusations and insults against the Koran. "

Evangelical leaders have always distanced themselves from Jones to his stature in the world last year emerged. They called for respect for all religions. However, this did not stop the unrest in predominantly Muslim countries.

Last week was a Catholic church in Pakistan set fire by a mob protesting against the recent fire Koran. So on Friday, hundreds of angry protesters gathered at the Blue Mosque after Friday prayers and marched towards the headquarters of the UN mission in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif. A small group had broken away from the crowds and overwhelmed the guards on the premises, seize weapons and shooting guard at the embassy. The building was burned. Five demonstrators and seven UN employees were killed.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the attack "outrageous and cowardly" during a press conference in Nairobi, Kenya.

The situation remains tense as the Afghan authorities to block the roads leading in and out of town.

Meanwhile, protests have spread deadly until Saturday the country from the south. So far, nine people died.

A contrite Jones said it was "not responsible" for the massacres in Afghanistan during a live interview broadcast by the BBC. "They [the Afghan demonstrators] used the burning of the Koran as an excuse to promote their violent activities," he said.

In addition, he courageously wrote Friday in a press release that "Islam is a religion of peace. It is time we call these people to accountability."

"Our United States government and our President must have a great and realistic look at the element of radical Islam."

Jones also accused Islam of having a "stranglehold of political correctness" in Western countries regarding Sapp be banned in the UK this week. Jones was also banned in Britain in January.

attack this week is not the first time, the controversy turned on the Qur'an-related violence in Afghanistan, a devout Muslim followers.

In January last year, security forces killed seven Afghan civilians after protesters attempted to invade NATO bases and police facilities. The demonstrations were sparked by an alleged burning of the Koran by U.S. soldiers in the southern province of Helmand, which is at the heart of the insurgency.

The future of NATO and Afghan studies have shown that the Koran had been burned all the soldiers in international military plans for the region.

A previous event in May 2008 was fatal after a foreign soldier serving under NATO command were killed. Two Afghan protesters were killed in a demonstration against the shooting of a Quran by an American soldier in Iraq.