Branding Islam a "violent and oppressive religion" a Gainesville pastor said his church will mark Sept. 11 by burning Qurans.
Terry Jones, leader of Dove World Outreach Center, is grabbing international headlines for his incendiary demonstration and fiery rhetoric spread via YouTube videos. His latest critic is Gen. David Petraeus, who said U.S. troops in Afghanistan could become targets of Muslim Taliban fighters there.
Jones, who has alreadybeen hanged in effigy in that war-torn country, is unapologetic.
"Jesus would burn the Quran, because it's not a holy book," Jones said recently.
"Things like 9/11, Fort Hood, and the honor killings ... these are possibly not isolated incidents. These are things that, if we don't stand up now, they can increase."
Like many fundamentalist Christian groups, Dove World promotes unswerving allegiance to Israel. A blog on the church's website today is entitled: "Islam is Cursed by Cursing Israel; we are Blessed by Blessing Israel."
But Jones' church is taking heat from all sides, religious and secular.
University of Florida Hillel, Congregation Bnai Israel and Muslim residents have condemned the Quran burning. Gainesville Mayor Craig Lowe has referred to Dove World as a "tiny fringe group and an embarrassment to our community."
Jones, author of "Islam is of the Devil," was not available for comment today, but he describes Dove World on its website as "a New Testament, Charismatic, Non-Denominational Church that believes in the whole Bible and that we are to act in response to the word of God in order to change the times we are living in. Those times have gotten further and futher away from God; full of deception like abortion and same-sex marriages."
While Jones says he appreciated Gen. Petraeus' concerns, the pastor recently declared, "The truth should never offend us. We should embrace the truth. That is the foundation of our country and that is the only way to true freedom.
"Islam is a lie based upon lies and deceptions and fear. In Muslim countries, if you preach the gospel or convert to Christianity, you will be killed. That is the type of religion it is."
Gainesville officials have denied a permit for the Quran burning, saying that an open burning of books is not allowed under the city's burning ordinance.The city fire chief said the church, whose membership is believed to be around 50, will be fined if it proceeds.
But Jones is undaunted. He intends to mark the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attack on America, in which some 3,000 Americans were killed in and by hijacked airlines, with modest pyrotechnics of his own.
"We must send a clear message to the radical element of Islam. We will no longer be controlled and dominated by their fears and threats," he told the Wall Street Journal.
Attorney General Bill McCollum did not respond to requests for comment, but the Republican nominee looking to replace him did. "There are many more productive ways to honor the victims of 9/11," Pam Bondi said. "We must take seriously Gen. Petraeus' concern that this demonstration could have the unintended consequence of endangering our troops."
In a speech in Tampa Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Charlie Crist advised against the Quran burning. "I don't think that's a productive use of time," Crist said. "As we know, the First Amendment gives people the right to express themselves, but I think I'd agree with Gen. Petraeus. He indicated he did not think it would be the right thing to do.
"It's important to understand tolerance. This is a divisive issue on several levels. It obviously was stimulated by the mosque and its location in New York, and I think New York officials are the best to decide whether that's appropriate, but we're a country that was based on religious freedom. Sometimes freedom isn't easy but it's important to respect."
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Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
