KORAN BURNING, USA, Rev. Bob Old of Springfield, TN Going to Burn KoranThe Rev. Bob Old of Springfield, Tenn., doesn't care what they think. He declares: "The Rev. Terry Jones of the Dove World Center Outreach in Gainesville, Fla., is doing the right thing by burning the Quran." So Rev. Bob Old is going to do likewise. Rev. Old plans to set fire to a Quran on Saturday at his home and then post a video of the burning book online. And if he had his way, there would be no Muslims in America. "If they want to have their religion, they can have it somewhere else," said Old, former pastor of First Baptist Church in Joelton and Academy Heights Baptist Church in Gallatin, which merged with another church. He no longer has a congregation and instead runs an evangelical ministry called Disciples of Christ. News of the local Quran burning angered the Rev. Larry Herbert of Faith Covenant Church in Springfield. He dismissed it as a publicity stunt. "The guy is a nut," Herbert said. "This is crazy. I am sorry that anyone who names the name of Christ would do this." Trouble expected Herbert, who leads a nondenominational charismatic congregation of about 140, said that nothing in the Bible justifies burning another faith's holy book. He believes that planned Quran burnings will make it harder for other Christians to befriend Muslims and share their faith. == The Rev. Steve Freeman of Grace Baptist Church in Springfield said he disagrees with the teachings of Islam. But since Muslims revere the Quran, he said, Christians should respect it. Freeman said Jesus taught his followers to love their neighbors and enemies. That includes Muslim extremists who commit terrorist acts such as 9/11. Quran burnings will undermine the work of Christian missionaries overseas and make evangelism harder, he said. "The single act of burning the Quran could close the door of Muslims being reached for the Gospel," he said. News of Old's plans also dismayed local Muslim leaders. Amir Arain, spokesman for the Islamic Center of Nashville, said he hoped Old might change his mind before Saturday. "We will pray that God gives him wisdom," he said. Arain fears that the proposed Quran burnings will tarnish America's reputation around the world. But he said that local Muslims won't be discouraged by those who oppose their faith. "The Quran is not going to be banished by being burned," he said. "Millions of Muslims have memorized the Quran in their heart." The Rev. Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, condemned the planned Quran burning in Florida and asked Muslims not to judge all Christians by the actions of a few. "One person with 30 silent followers does not speak for 300 million Americans who will never burn a Quran," he said. Rev. Old isn't buying it. He believes America was founded as a Christian nation, and freedom of religion does not apply to Muslims or other non-Christians. See "I believe that other religions are a threat to our faith and our beliefs," he said. "People may say that I am crazy, but I am not." And the CONTINUING SAGA goes on!
  
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