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September 7, 2010

Love Burns Brighter

I don’t get political here often. Or ever.

A small church in Gainesville is planning to burn the Quran on 9/11. You can read about it here if you haven’t already seen it on the news.

I lived in Gainesville for six years. I consider them the most formative six years of my life. I met my husband there. I went to school. I rented my first apartment, lost my virginity, met most of my best friends, got my first job, wrote poetry, swam naked in the Santa Fe River. It was great to be a Florida Gator.

Gainesville is kind of in the middle of nowhere. It’s surrounded by forests and swamps and farms and lots and lots of rural places that most Floridians never visit. But the city itself is electric. A current runs through it, a political current, a unified sense of change, progression, a current of grief and of hope.  Protests are frequent.  It’s impossible to walk across the university campus without stepping over a message in colorful chalk or hearing the bellowing voice of a campus preacher.

It’s impossible not to react to the kind of hate that inspires an act as reckless and disrespectful as the burning of a holy book. Last month, Karen Walrond gathered images of peace and photobombed the church with a simple package full of love.

The Dove World Outreach Center has taken their messages digital. You know, to Twitter. Where a lot of us spend a significant portion of time arguing over reality show spoilers and how to raise kids and just about anything you can possibly imagine arguing over.

I propose this: Instead of giving in to the instinct to pop off some angry message in 140 characters or less. Instead of inviting your friends and followers to attack and protest the church’s Twitter account, just breathe.

And send them some love. Some peace. Some tolerance. Some joy. Something to balance the ugliness, anything to push something positive into the fray. Find a picture that makes you smile, that comforts you, that illustrates love.

Love burns brighter.

Want to add to the message? Reply with @iiotd with a photo and the hashtag #loveburnsbrighter.

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  • http://awholelotofnothing.net A Whole Lot of Nothing

    I’m in.

  • Anonymous

    Love.

  • http://twitter.com/masmom Lu

    I grew up in Ocala. Gainesville was the big metropolis that had an Old Navy, museums, and people who painted the 34th St walls. Heh.
    I also grew up with one foot inside of these crazy churches. Which is why you will find me on the couch Sundays in my adult life.
    I love the the outlook and idea to make it positive and peaceful.
    You never cease to amaze me. :0)

  • Scargosun

    Interesting. It is so hard to ‘tolerate’ hate though. I can’t bring myself to do it.

  • http://twitter.com/mom2nji jenni-lee

    Normally I would agree. But this whole issue makes me livid. I can’t make myself send love to them. They don’t deserve it. I don’t feel hate, but disgust is too close to the surface to dig love out. What they are doing in the name of God, makes God look wrong. How can anyone support that? I am not saying you support him, nor do I think you are saying we should. Sometimes being pissed is the right thing to do. To me, this is one of those times.

  • http://www.mommymelee.com Maria Melee

    I hear ya, lady.

    I just don’t believe, personally, that replying with anger/fighting (ESPECIALLY on the Internet) is going to have any kind of impact. I don’t think it’s accepting the hate or sending a message that what they’re doing okay, but sending a message that tolerance is a more beautiful thing.

  • http://www.mommymelee.com Maria Melee

    I understand that, lady. I do. :)

    Don’t think I’m not pissed. Today I’m choosing to express my rage this way.

  • http://twitter.com/mooshinindy Casey-moosh in indy.

    Throwing cotton balls may piss people off, but it never hurts them.

  • http://www.avalea.net Lesley @Avalea

    Teaching and learning from others through love and compassion. That’s how I live. Because, love does burn brighter. Indeed.

  • http://lujos.wordpress.com/ Ann

    Fabulous idea. I’ve shared this on Facebook too, hope you don’t mind…

  • http://grrlathr.com Finn

    I’ll do it. If not for love, for Gainesville. ;)

  • http://somuchshoutingsomuchlaughter.com/ suzannah {ShoutLaughLove}

    this is a fabulous idea. my heart breaks for what is happening. how can anyone claim to speak for God with such hatred, judgment and dissension?

    the God of scripture is a God of LOVE–for all people, unconditionally. to walk with him to to aim for the same, and anyone preaching anything else is a fear-mongerer and no christian.

  • http://twitter.com/NotHannah NotHannah

    Beautiful. Spreading the word…

  • http://ifmomsaysok.wordpress.com Tara R.

    Excellent idea. I’m in…

  • Anonymous

    i loved chookooloonks photobomb and i love this.

  • http://www.mommyalwayswins.com/ Colleen – Mommy Always Wins

    Love this idea. :)

  • http://twitter.com/nytshde nytshde

    What they’ve become is exactly what they are “protesting” against. In their zeal, they’ve become exactly what they fear the most….

  • Anonymous

    There’s a Klezmer Group (music, predominately Jewish) called the Klezmatics and they sing a song called “I Ain’t Afraid” –
    “I ain’t afraid of your Yaweh,
    I ain’t afraid of your Allah,
    I ain’t afraid of your Jesu,
    I’m afraid of what you do in the name of your God”.

  • http://twitter.com/jwilliams057 Jennifer Williams

    You are so wise.

  • bwsf

    Love does burn brighter, but hate makes people so hard to get through to. They do have the right to burn the book, but with the message of hate they send they should be stripped of the title of “church”. I love your message, and I sure will try hard, but I am still seething.

  • http://www.ooph.com/ Stefanie

    I am always stunned, which is pathetic, that this type of hate still exists.

    “May they be blessed with the lack of judgment from others that they can’t seem to give.” That is what I go to when my stomach gets that clenched up feeling of anger.

  • http://hergoodintentions.blogspot.com Kerin

    Doesn’t sound like it’s even a real “church” to me that did this. 50 member? Yeah, I don’t think so. I think it’s extremely disrespecting and that it sinks to a level we as Americans should not sink too. They burn our American flag and our Bible but it makes them look like animals. We should be above that. As a Christian I think it’s a complete sin to do what this “church” is doing. Christians are not suppose to participating in hate acts.

    -Kerin
    hergoodintentions.blogspot.com

  • http://twitter.com/NoStylePoints Adrienne Jones

    I’m all over this. Thank you.

  • http://www.loridyan.com Lori Dyan

    Awesome post. Fantastic blog.

    L

  • http://rachealkate.blogspot.com racheal

    This was so powerful to read…thank you for sharing.

  • http://twitter.com/bdogmama Bulldog Mama

    LOVE this. Thank you so much for sharing. I can’t wait to share this and spread the message.

    I used to get merely just angry about these things, usually in a rhetorical kind of way, sometimes in late night arguments at dinner parties, or in debates with my right-wing radio listening friends at lunch. However, now that I have a son, it’s personal – whether or not I’m a member of the group being attacked.

    I wish we didn’t live in a place where people are burning the Quran, but I can’t wait to raise him in a way that teaches tolerance, love, and peace, rather than fear and hate.

    I often fret that, growing up in the south, my son won’t be exposed to the same diversity of people, ideas, and experiences that I was. Or worse yet, that he’ll become a republican. thanks for reminding me that doesn’t have to be the case.

  • Dana

    Did the photo bomb. Did this too! Excellent ideas, both.

  • http://pleased-to-meet-you.blogspot.com/ Jessica

    Happy to participate.

  • http://tm2ts.sarahsmidnightfantasy.com Sarah @ TM2TS

    Its so sad that people have yet to learn tolerance and acceptance. It was a bunch of extremists who brought forth what we now know as 9/11.

    But, courtesy of the government allowing groups like the Phelps, of the “Westboro Church”, other “churches” are doing the same, and will continue to get away with their hate speech.

  • http://blahyaya.com alisha

    i still don’t believe you’ve gotten political, i think you stayed human as you always are. one cannot pick and choose the hate, as alot of americans seem to do and believe is justified when it comes to this certain group/area/culture. love is love all the time. thank you so much for sharing this.

  • http://www.loulousviews.com Loukiazigoumis

    That is so good of you. I just can’t send love their way, though. Sadly I don’t think they’d know what to do with it…

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  • http://www.grumblegirl.com Grumble Girl

    Love IS the thing, you know? Le sigh.

    Good post, woman.

  • http://raisingzoeyjane.com Zoeyjane

    Yes.

  • Anonymous

    I heard on the news that the pastor (or whatever you call that MFer) would cancel the burning if god sent some kind of “obvious sign.” Makes me think this is some kind of sick ploy. Either way, it’s a sickening proposition that a supposed church would put something forth like this.

  • Blakkdienah

    Thank you. Peace & love. xoxo

  • http://twitter.com/karenmcallister karenmcallister

    Great idea, Maria. Ignore the hate, celebrate the joy in your life:) Here’s the joy in my life loving life at Adventure Island:
    http://pics.tampabay.com/?method=view.image&param=172054&param=188&category=386

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  • http://www.thedelusional.blogspot.com Jenna White

    Gainesville is my hometown, actually. I was appalled to hear that something like this is happening in a place I call home. This idea? Genius. I’m in.

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  • http://mommynanibooboo.com MommyNaniBooboo

    With open arms I say- yes.
    I just declared myself to be in a state of Uncomfortable Kindness, so this is perfect.
    I’m in.

  • http://motherhoodthetruth.blogspot.com/ Truthful Mommy

    I love it. This is a great idea. Hate only breeds more hate. Killing them with kindness and showing them an example of peace and love is a much better way to go.Peace, my friend!
    http://motherhoodthetruth.blogspot.com/