Church's 'Jesus loves Osama' sign criticised*

By Matthew Moore
Last Updated: 1:20am GMT 02/02/2007

The Australian prime minister has criticised a Sydney baptist church for
erecting a sign declaring that "Jesus Loves Osama".

Jesus Loves Osama sign outside St Clement's Anglican Church in Sydney
The sign has been placed outside several churches in Sydney

The slogan, a reference to Osama bin Laden, the al-Qa'eda leader, has
provoked a storm of controversy across the country despite its
apparently Christian message of forgiveness.

Small print at the bottom of the sign urges churchgoers to "Love your
enemies and pray for those who persecute you", a quotation from Matthew
5:44.

But John Howard, the prime minister, said that the church should have
chosen a less offensive way of spreading its message.

"I understand the Christian motivation of the Baptist church," he said.

"But I hope they will understand that a lot of Australians, including
many Australian Christians, will think that the prayer priority of the
church on this occasion could have been elsewhere."

Peter Jensen, the Anglican archbishop of Sydney, said that the sign -
which has been put up outside several churches in the city - was
confusing and potentially offensive.

"There is a truth in it," he said. "But, "what we've got to say is,
'Jesus doesn't approve of Osama.' It makes it sounds like, 'Oh, Osama's
doing the right thing'."

A spokesman for the Central Baptist Church told the Australian Daily
Telegraph that it was merely "sharing the gospel".

He said: "Osama is the head of terrorism. We are saying that Jesus
Christ loves everyone in the world, even this man. ... All we are doing
is sharing the gospel."