Koran

Newsweek magazine got itself into a jam by reporting (erroneously?) that interrogators at the Guantanamo prison had thrown copies of the Koran into toilets in an attempt to break the resolve of some prisoners. That report sparked riots in Afghanistan and those riots caused 15 or more people to die.

The May 9 report, which appeared as a brief item by Michael Isikoff and John Barry in the magazine's "Periscope" section, had a huge international impact, sparking the protests from Muslims who consider the Koran the literal word of God and treat each book with deep reverence.

Desecration of the Koran is punishable by death in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

This highlights one of the differences between Islam and Christianity. The Bible despite our reverence for its words is still only pieces of paper. It does not contain God. God uses the Bible and not the other way round. If God is God…how can what we do to a book affect Him? Throw it in the fire; is God harmed? Not in the least. Objects, like the Bible or the Koran can’t be holy. Only the words are holy and you can’t hurt words. Desecration of the Bible may offend our sensibilities but God doesn’t need our help.