There's something gray that happens inside of me whenever high-profile Christians irresponsibly use their public platforms...that is, something gloomy and saddening forms in my deepest pit. I get all weird and defeated-like...I think to myself "some Christians make it so hard to be-well-Christian."

But then I remember how thrilling and romantic and gracious and breathtaking our God is. I pull it together and center my thoughts on the fact that He's so above our mayhem and foolishness, as Neicy Nash would say. "So why should I dwell on our renegade brothers and sisters?" I argue with myself.

Still, misguided Christians remind me of my daughter who once blurted "But I thought only men go bald?" to my dear neighbor, who happened to be losing her hair on account of menopause. At that moment, I cringed and thought to myself, "I SOOOO wish you hadn't said or done that."

So it with Pastor Terry Jones of Dove World Church in Gainesville, Florida who planned to burn Korans on his church's lawn to commemorate what he deemed "Burn a Koran Day." I felt embarrassed and disappointed by the type and amount of controversy that Jones roused. By his own account, Jones sought to bring light to the fact that radical Islamic dogma was responsible for the 9-11 terrorist attacks.

In the end, Jones reneged on his Koran burning promise, which was to take place on September 11, stating that when it came to bringing attention to the problem of terrorism and radical Islam his church has "definitely accomplished that mission."

Jones' backpeddling, though, was too little, too late. Plus, I'm not sure he was bringing light to something that America didn't already know.

It's laughable to consider Jones' angry, raging approach to be one that was inspired by Christ. The paradox of it all lies in the truth that what was intended to demonize Islam only profited a polar opposite effect : it shed light on radical Christianity and, at the same time, made America more sympathetic, more amiable toward Islam. I'm reminded of a quote by Hindu leader Mohandas Ghandi in which he said, "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians." You see, the world expects us to mirror the Love Revolution that Christ started. When we as believers fall short, the whole movement suffers.

If I could chit-chat with Jones, I'd ask him a few pointed questions :

· Was that event-although (thankfully) canceled-the best you could do?

· You are passionate about exposing radical Islam, but are you equally passionate about winning Muslims for Jesus?

· Does your church partner with or plant Christian churches, even if underground, in the Middle East?

· Do you support missions to Muslim countries, perhaps like the renowned Jesus Film Project?

· When was the last time that you invited a Muslim to one of your worship services?

· Are you rallying around and bearing up translators who labor to convert Christian devotionals and religious books into Arabic?

· Do you commit the Muslim community-including radical terrorist cells-to prayer each day?

In the end, Terry Jones may have succeeded at his aim of bringing light to the terrorist arm of Islam, as he explained. Yet, he failed as a witness of Jesus.

Ana Guthrie is a super cool chick with a heart for God and love for youth culture. She doubles as a not-so-naughty librarian and instructor at Florida Memorial University in Miami, Florida.