Pastor apologizes for sign

From staff reports

A Baptist pastor decided to apologize and take down a sign outside his church that suggested that the Muslim holy book should be put in a toilet.

In the face of national media attention and overwhelmingly negative response to his actions, including a critique from the head of the Southern Baptist Convention's executive committee, Pastor Creighton Lovelace issued a written statement May 25, according to The Daily Courier and Baptist Press. He said in the statement that he "did not realize how people of the Muslim faith view the Koran - that devoted Muslims view it more highly than many in the U.S. view the Bible."

"Now I realize how offensive this is to them, and after praying about it, I have chosen to remove the sign," he said. "I apologize for posting that message and deeply regret that it has offended so many in the Muslim community."

The sign, outside Danieltown Baptist Church in Forest City, N.C., was an apparent reference to a Newsweek article that sparked riots causing at least 16 deaths, had said, "The Koran needs to be flushed!"

Although Lovelace stood his ground early in the week, saying he knew the sign would be offensive, Lovelace's statement on Wednesday said his intentions were to "exalt the Bible and its teaching."

"It was certainly not my intent to insult any people of faith, but instead to remind the people in this community of the preeminence of God's Word," he said.