Reports out of Afghanistan say at least 12 people were killed today when a United Nations building was attacked in Kabul. The attack followed protests against last month’s publicity stunt by Florida Pastor Terry Jones in which the Quran was placed on trial, found guilty, and “executed” by being soaked in kerosene and set on fire.

The TFN Insider posts on the trial can be found here and here.

Much like the fallout from the shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords earlier this year, the blame game has begun. After the Giffords shooting, the accusatory fingers were pointed at Sarah Palin. Today, Terry Jones is the target.

The people guilty of today’s senseless killings are those who committed them. Whether Jones shares in the moral responsibility for those deaths is not for us to judge. But what’s certain (and what he simply doesn’t get) is that Jones’ hateful rhetoric and actions are not helping. So, Terry, for next time, keep in mind that when there’s a fire burning, you don’t show up to put it out with a bucket full of gasoline.… Read More

Bryan Fischer, radio talk show host for the especially odious far-right group American Family Association, has written a new opinion piece that starts with this: “The First Amendment was written by the Founders to protect the free exercise of Christianity.” It all goes laughably downhill from there.

But what about people of other faiths? Maybe Muslims?

“Islam has no fundamental First Amendment claims, for the simple reason that it was not written to protect the religion of Islam. Islam is entitled only to the religious liberty we extend to it out of courtesy. While there certainly ought to be a presumption of religious liberty for non-Christian religious traditions in America, the Founders were not writing a suicide pact when they wrote the First Amendment.”

You can find the rest of the piece here.

Sorry, you can’t comment on his site. But on ours you can.… Read More

A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll gives us a dose hope and helping of pessimism about the prospect that anytime soon we’ll move past the anti-Muslim hysteria and into an era of respect and acceptance of people of all faiths.

The poll conducted earlier this month finds that most Americans (69 percent) are “OK” with having a mosque in their community. The poll also finds that more Americans have a favorable view of Muslims than what was the case in 2002, not long after the 9/11 attacks.

That’s the upside. And now for the downside.

Those acceptance numbers dip considerably in the American South (maybe they polled folks supporting Texas state Rep. Leo Berman’s anti-Muslim legislation?) and in rural communities.

This begs the question: If you don’t want mosques or Muslims in your neighborhood, and you call yourself a believer in the rights and freedoms this country affords us, why aren’t you uncomfortable essentially advocating for Constitution-free zones?

The poll was conducted ahead of the airing of a CNN special on the controversy surrounding plans to build a mosque in Murfreesboro, Tenn. In a preview for the show, the downside of the poll results is summed… Read More

We told you last week about pastor Terry Jones' attempt at a return to the spotlight by putting the Quran on trial for what he dubbed International Judge the Quran Day. We know you're dying to find out what happened so we'll cut to the chase. Read More

Terry Jones must have noticed the fame clock was about to strike 15 minutes. The Florida pastor at Dove World Outreach Church who last year gained international fame when he vowed to burn copies of the Quran on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is at it again. Read More