As if General Petraeus doesn’t have enough to deal with on the Afghan front, he now has to worry that the antics of a self-righteous, small-minded, until this week unknown narcissist will endanger the lives of the men he is trying to lead and protect.

The Reverend Terry Jones wants his fifteen minutes of fame and doesn’t care how many of our veterans he might endanger in the process. As pastor of the Dove Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, Jones epitomizes hate and racism – all in the name of God. He and his fifty member flock in the neighborhood of Mile Run plan to burn 200 copies of the Quran, Islam’s most revered text, on Saturday, September 11 (9/11) in protest of the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Isn’t the dove the sign of peace? Doesn’t Christianity espouse love and forgiveness? If you believe in the Christian God, shouldn’t an act that willingly and knowingly puts God’s children in danger be considered murder? How does Pastor Jones justify one with the other?

General Petraeus made a personal plea to Terry Jones not to continue with his planned book burning: “Images of the burning of a Quran would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan – and around the world – to inflame public opinion and incite violence.”

The General’s words fell on deaf ears. I guess it’s hard to hear when vainglory is pounding in your head, and Pastor Jones is so high on celebrity, he’s lost sight of what it means to preach the word of God.

Pride, I believe, is one of the seven deadly sins. Christians believe that sins are punishable by God. Florida is the lightening capital of the world and it is hurricane season, which increases the chance for cloud to ground strikes. With any luck, God, or whoever controls the weather, will send a well-aimed bolt in the direction of 5805 Northwest 37^th Street, Gainesville, Florida and start his own blaze. If there is true justice, the flames will reach far enough to burn the three red-lettered white signs posted on the Center’s grounds: “Islam is the Devil.” Penance can be a bitch!

Immediately afterward, a heavy down pour of common sense and humanity would go far to wash away the hate that has taken root in Mile Run. The neighborhood could once again be serene and blissful place where the many residents, who do not belong to Dove Outreach, chose to raise their families.