Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Here we go again. Just when Ashvegas and surrounding Western North Carolina thought it was out of the limelight when it comes to pastors and politics, here comes another Baptist preacher with something to say.
The Rev. Creighton Lovelace, pastor of Danieltown Baptist Church in Forest City, which is in Rutherford County, posts a sign that reads: “The Koran needs to be flushed!” The pastor goes on to defend the sign. And he says that the 55 members of the church didn’t have a negative word to say about the sign.
This comes, as you know, on the heels of the Newsweek story and following retraction of a short story in the magazine. The story claimed that Newsweek had confirmed that interrogators at Guantanamo Bay flushed a Koran down a toilet in an attempt to intimidate or otherwise shake detainees in the war on terror held there.
Here’s the preacher:
“I believe that it is a statement supporting the word of God and that it (the Bible) is above all and that any other religious book that does not teach Christ as savior and lord as the 66 books of the Bible teaches it, is wrong,” said Lovelace. “I knew that whenever we decided to put that sign up that there would be people who wouldn’t agree with it, and there would be some that
would, and so we just have to stand up for what’s right.”
The church sign stands along one of the busiest roads in Rutherford County, and it sounds like the preacher plans to make the most of his location. According to the newspaper story, he plans to put up a new sign in about a week questioning the new flea market down the street.
“About Friday or Saturday we will have a new sign,” he said. “It should state to some effect
‘Where are your treasures? Are they at the flea market or are they in heaven?'”
“I enjoy a good flea market, but if people can be down there at eight o’clock why can’t they be at church at 11,” he said.
Check the full story in the local newspaper here.
