Does the Qu'ran burning pass the Sermon on the Mount test?

I have stated before that the planned "Qu'ran burning" is a cheap publicity stunt by the pastor of an insignificant church. It would have been best for leaders of the wider Christian community to ignore the whole episode rather than make public statements denouncing it, thus calling attention to it. Be that as it may, the stunt has now become a major international incident, even warranting the attention of General David Petraeus, commander of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. None of this high profile attention makes the Qu'ran burning any less of a cheap publicity stunt. It only makes it a successful one.

Even if we give the pastor and parishioners of Dove Outreach Center the benefit of the doubt, allowing that they truly believe they are doing what is right, they would still not pass what might be called the "Sermon on the Mount test." Let's assume, for the sake of argument, that these folks really believe it is a good and righteous thing to burn a book held sacred by followers of another religion. Is the manner in which they have conducted themselves consistent with the teachings of Jesus? In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord says, "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father in heaven" (Matthew 6.1). In other words, don't call attention to yourself as if, by doing so, you are demonstrating to others just how righteous you are. God is not impressed, and his is the only opinion that matters.

Moreover, Jesus says, "when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward." Burning a book is hardly giving to the needy, but the same principle would seem to apply.