Dove World Outreach Center
Encyclopedia
Dove World Outreach Center is a 50 member non-denominational
charismatic Christian
church in Gainesville
, Florida
led by pastor Terry Jones and his wife, Sylvia. The church first gained notice during the late 2000s for its public displays and criticism of Islam
and gays, and was designated as a hate group
by the Southern Poverty Law Center
. It became widely known for its pastor's controversial plan to burn Qur'ans
on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. On September 11, 2010, Jones announced his church would never be burning Qur'ans and that he had reached his goal of exposing elements of Islam as dangerous and radical. On March 20, 2011, however, Jones carried through on his threat, and burned the Qur'an. On April 1, 2011 protestors in the northern Afghanistan
city of Mazar-i-Sharif, protesting this burning, attacked
a United Nations Assistance Mission, killing at least 12 people, including at least 7 U.N. workers.
The head of the church Pastor Jones described Islam as "a false religion" that will lead people to hell
, and urged to Muslims that the Bible is the only way to God
. The congregation has also held rallies against Gainesville mayor Craig Lowe
and his staff denouncing their liberal policies.
Terry Jones was invited to an English Defence League
rally in Luton
in February 2011 to share his views on Islamic extremism. Anti-fascist group Hope not Hate
successfully petitioned the Home Secretary
to have Jones banned from entering the UK.
A Dove World congregation also held a protest against the building of Park51.
. Northrup remained with Dove World from its inception until he died in 1996. Dennis Watson then took over as pastor, with Northrop's wife, Dolores, continuing as Woman's Pastor until 2004. Between 2001 and 2008, Jones and his wife served as the part-time pastors of the Florida church, and as heads of a church in Cologne, Germany; by 2004 they were senior part-time pastors of Dove World, shuttling back and forth to Germany. Jones assumed full-time duties at Dove World in 2008 after his German church was closed. Delores Northrup subsequently left Dove World, telling a reporter who contacted her regarding Jones' 2010 proposed Koran burning, "I was not happy with the program. I think this is completely wrong".
In 2004, when Jones took over as senior pastor of Dove World, it had approximately 100 members; by September 2010 it was said to have 50 members, with about 30 members reportedly attending services. As of September 2010, Wayne Sapp was serving as assistant pastor, with Jones' son serving as youth minister. Associate pastors are ordained within the church by other pastors, with no classes or specific qualifications required.
The church sells t-shirts, caps, mugs, books and other items entitled with "Islam is of the devil".
Terry Jones
was invited to a rally in Luton
in February 2011 to share his views on Islamic extremism. Anti-fascist group Hope not Hate
successfully petitioned the Home Secretary
to have Jones banned from entering the UK.
Jones told the New York Times in September 2010 that following his July 2010 announcement of the book-burning event, the bank which holds a $140,000 mortgage loan on the church demanded immediate repayment of the balance and Jones had his property insurance canceled. The church campus is currently on the market, with the asking price reduced from $2.9 million to $1.1 million.
and was born in October 1951. He graduated from Cape Girardeau's Central High School
in 1969 and was a classmate of Rush Limbaugh
. He then attended Southeast Missouri State University
for two years. Jones received no academic degree in theology but was given an honorary degree from the unaccredited California Graduate School of Theology
in 1983, which now seeks to disassociate itself from him.
Jones worked as an assistant hotel manager in the late 1970s, then he became an assistant pastor with Maranatha Campus Ministries in Kentucky. He went to Cologne with his first wife (who is now deceased) to work as a missionary and founded the CGK in 1981, with that church growing to as many as 1,000 members over the years.
Jones came to lead the Florida church by way of his association with the Marantha Campus Ministries. Jones founded and led the Christliche Gemeinde Köln (CGK), a church in Cologne
, Germany
in 1981 initially as a branch of the Maranatha Campus Ministries and a sister church to Dove World. In 2002, Jones was fined $3800 by a Cologne court for falsely using the title "doctor" when all he had was an honorary degree from an unaccredited school. According to the German Evangelical Alliance
, Jones was released from the leadership of the Christliche Gemeinde Köln in 2008 due to his indefensible theological statements and his craving for attention. The Gainesville Sun reported that he left the church in Germany after being accused of fraud. A leader of the Cologne church said that Jones, "didn't project the biblical values and Christianity, but always made himself the center of everything." German press agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur
reported that church members said Jones ran the Cologne church like a sect leader and used psychological pressure on members, “subordinating all activities to his will.” Following Jones' departure, the CGK closed, then reopened under new, independent, leadership.
by the Southern Poverty Law Center
, first making the list for its anti-gay activities. In March 2010, Dove World posted a video which decried the possibility of an openly-gay mayor of Gainsville, and a lawn sign saying, "No Homo Mayor". The church changed the sign to simply read "No Homo" after Americans United
requested the Internal Revenue Service
to investigate the sign as an undue participation of a tax-exempt church in the political process.
In April 2010 church members participated in a joint protest against homosexuality with the Westboro Baptist Church
, a group known for disrupting the funerals of U.S. soldiers. Church member Fran Ingram posted an article on the church's website affirming the church's endorsements of the Westboro Baptist Church's protests against homosexuality but stated that "[w]e do not agree with all of Westboro's methods".
was subjected to a week-long fringe demonstration with signs reading "No Homo Mayor". During mayor run-off elections against Don Marsh, Lowe and his staff were harassed for their progressive views by pastor Wayne Sapp, with fliers, mailers and online slurs.
Terry Jones has also rallied against abortion in the past.
(CAIR). CAIR responded to another sign which read, "Koran 9:5 Kill the disbelievers wherever you find them." saying the quote was out of context, and aimed at antagonizing Muslims.
In August 2009, several children of church members went to their public schools wearing t-shirts reading "Islam is of the Devil" on the back and were sent home for violating the school district's dress code. The ACLU challenged the constitutionality of policies or practices which permit school administrators to ban
any messages on clothing which they find “offensive to others” and which permit school administrators to allow messages which they determine to be “positive” while banning messages they determine to be “negative.” According the Dove World Outreach Center's web site the school is now permitting only plain or blank T-Shirts to be worn by students. Legal experts said the policy was likely legal and did not violate the First Amendment. Jones said he had had the t-shirts printed by an internet company because local companies did not have the "guts" to print them.
The Gainesville fire department refused to grant the church a burning permit, stating that open burning of books is not allowed in the city due to fire hazard.
Jones attracted thousands of fans and critics on Facebook and said he regularly received death threats after the event was announced. The American Muslim Association of North America condemned the threats against Jones. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
condemned all forms of extremism, stating that it is "never a true reflection of the religion."
On September 8, 2010, Rackspace
, the provider of hosting service to Dove World Outreach website, pulled the plug on the site, citing violation of their terms of use policy. A spokesman for Rackspace told CNN that the shut down was not "a constitutional issue", it was "a contract issue". As of April 3, 2011 the organization's website is operational. A whois lookup indicates that it is registered with GoDaddy.com by one David Ingram of TS and Company.
Twenty local religious leaders gathered Thursday, September 2, 2010, to call for citizens to rally around Muslims. The Gainsville Interfaith Forum's request for the declaration of September 11 as "Interfaith Solidarity Day" was honored by Gainesville Mayor Craig Lowe. and The Forum scheduled a "Gathering for Peace, Understanding and Hope" for the day before the planned burning.
President Barack Obama
, called the planned burnings "a recruitment bonanza for Al Qaeda" that could result in serious violence against American troops. David Petraeus
, U.S. forces general in Afghanistan, stated that it could endanger troops and the overall effort there and said "it is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems." U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said "It is regrettable that a pastor in Gainesville, Florida, with a church of no more than 50 people, can make this outrageous and distrustful, disgraceful plan and get the world's attention". The U.S. embassy in Kabul issued a statement condemning the plans. Robert Gibbs
, White House Press Secretary
, criticized the plans stating "any type of activity like that that puts our troops in harm's way".
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen
said that the church's plans would violate NATO's "values" and may have a negative impact on the security of its soldiers.
Sarah Palin
said the burning would "feed the fire of caustic rhetoric and appear as nothing more than mean-spirited religious intolerance."
Other negative reaction and condemnation came from: the government of Canada
, the Anti-Defamation League
, Al-Azhar University
, the National Association of Evangelicals
, the German Evangelical Alliance
, the International Humanist and Ethical Union
, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, and many others.
as soon as the Gainesville property was sold.
An article dated April 2, 2011 indicates that a recent burning of a Muslim holy book at Dove World Outreach has fueled a second day of deadly violence half a world away in Afghanistan, where demonstrators set cars and shops ablaze Saturday in a riot that killed nine protesters, officials said.
Jones said he backed out of the burning because Imam Muhammad Musri deceived him by saying that the proposed ground zero mosque would be relocated.
operated by SUAN [?] in which the Qu'ran was found "guilty" of a variety of crimes, including "murder, rape, deception, being responsible for terrorist activities all around the world"; over 30 people attended the event, including Ahmed Abaza and other converts from Islam to Christianity testifying against the book and Sheikh Imam Mohammed Hassan, a former candidate in the Sudanese presidential election, 2010 and current Texas-based Sunni cleric, serving as "defense attorney". A copy was then ceremoniously soaked in kerosene for an hour and burned on a barbecue grill in a ceremony officiated by Wayne Sapp.
of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
said that "Terry Jones had his 15 minutes of fame and we're not going to help him get another few minutes."
Later, protests erupted in Pakistan
where the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam
organized a road blockage and burnings of effigies and American flags in the province of Sindh
and mobs proceeded to protest against the Punjab neighborhoods of Pakistani Christians. The leader of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah, Amir Hamza, announced a Rs 10 crore bounty for Jones' murder.
The Iran
ian Ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammad Khazaee
, condemned the burning and called for Jones' prosecution.
On April 1, 2011 a mob, inflamed by a mosque sermon describing the burning of the Muslim holy book, attacked a United Nations compound in a northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan
. A mob of 1000 angry people attacked a U.N. compound.
The attack resulted in the killing of Nepalese guards. According to Sherjan Durrani, a spokesman for the provincial police “four rioters had also been killed and that more than 100 others were injured in the outbreak of violence in the northern city, normally one of the calmer corners of Afghanistan.”
President Obama strongly condemned both the Quran burning, calling it an act of "extreme intolerance and bigotry", and the "outrageous" attacks by protesters, referring to them as "an affront to human decency and dignity." "No religion tolerates the slaughter and beheading of innocent people, and there is no justification for such a dishonorable and deplorable act." U.S. legislators, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
, also condemned both the burning and the violence in reaction to it.
, Congregation Bnai Israel and individual Muslim residents.
Non-denominational Christianity
In Christianity, nondenominational institutions or churches are those not formally aligned with an established denomination, or that remain otherwise officially autonomous. This, however, does not preclude an identifiable standard among such congregations...
charismatic Christian
Charismatic Christianity
Charismatic Christianity is a Christian doctrine that maintains that modern-day believers experience miracles, prophecy, speaking in tongues, and other spiritual gifts as described in of the Bible...
church in Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
led by pastor Terry Jones and his wife, Sylvia. The church first gained notice during the late 2000s for its public displays and criticism of Islam
Criticism of Islam
Criticism of Islam has existed since Islam's formative stages. Early written criticism came from Christians, prior to the ninth century, many of whom viewed Islam as a radical Christian heresy...
and gays, and was designated as a hate group
Hate group
A hate group is an organized group or movement that advocates and practices hatred, hostility, or violence towards members of a race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation or other designated sector of society...
by the Southern Poverty Law Center
Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is an American nonprofit civil rights organization noted for its legal victories against white supremacist groups; legal representation for victims of hate groups; monitoring of alleged hate groups, militias and extremist organizations; and educational programs that...
. It became widely known for its pastor's controversial plan to burn Qur'ans
2010 Qur'an-burning controversy
The Dove World Quran-burning controversy arose in July 2010, when Terry Jones, the pastor of the Christian Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, U.S., declared he would burn 200 Qurans on the 2010 anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Media coverage resulted in international...
on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. On September 11, 2010, Jones announced his church would never be burning Qur'ans and that he had reached his goal of exposing elements of Islam as dangerous and radical. On March 20, 2011, however, Jones carried through on his threat, and burned the Qur'an. On April 1, 2011 protestors in the northern Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
city of Mazar-i-Sharif, protesting this burning, attacked
2011 Mazar-i-Sharif attack
The 2011 Mazar-i-Sharif attack occurred on 1 April, when a group of demonstrators attacked the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan compound in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, killing seven foreigners, including three U.N. staff members...
a United Nations Assistance Mission, killing at least 12 people, including at least 7 U.N. workers.
The head of the church Pastor Jones described Islam as "a false religion" that will lead people to hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, and urged to Muslims that the Bible is the only way to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. The congregation has also held rallies against Gainesville mayor Craig Lowe
Craig Lowe
Stuart Craig Lowe, better known as Craig Lowe, is an American politician and Mayor of Gainesville, Florida. After winning a runoff election on April 13, 2010, by a margin of 42 votes Lowe became Mayor-elect of Gainesville...
and his staff denouncing their liberal policies.
Terry Jones was invited to an English Defence League
English Defence League
The English Defence League is a far-right street protest movement which opposes what it considers to be a spread of Islamism, Sharia law and Islamic extremism in the UK. The EDL uses street marches to protest against Islamic extremism...
rally in Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
in February 2011 to share his views on Islamic extremism. Anti-fascist group Hope not Hate
Hope not Hate
Hope not Hate is an anti-fascism and anti-racism campaign in the United Kingdom organised by Searchlight. It has campaigned against the nationalist and far-right British National Party. and have presented a 90,000 person petition to the European Parliament protesting against the election of Nick...
successfully petitioned the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
to have Jones banned from entering the UK.
A Dove World congregation also held a protest against the building of Park51.
History and organization
The Dove World Outreach Center was founded in 1985 by Donald O. Northrup, his wife Delores, and co-pastor Richard H. Wright. The church was initially a branch of the now defunct Maranatha Campus MinistriesMaranatha Campus Ministries
Maranatha Campus Ministries was a Charismatic/Pentecostal-oriented Christian ministry founded by Bob Weiner which existed from 1971 to 1990. Its primary outreach was to college and university campuses....
. Northrup remained with Dove World from its inception until he died in 1996. Dennis Watson then took over as pastor, with Northrop's wife, Dolores, continuing as Woman's Pastor until 2004. Between 2001 and 2008, Jones and his wife served as the part-time pastors of the Florida church, and as heads of a church in Cologne, Germany; by 2004 they were senior part-time pastors of Dove World, shuttling back and forth to Germany. Jones assumed full-time duties at Dove World in 2008 after his German church was closed. Delores Northrup subsequently left Dove World, telling a reporter who contacted her regarding Jones' 2010 proposed Koran burning, "I was not happy with the program. I think this is completely wrong".
In 2004, when Jones took over as senior pastor of Dove World, it had approximately 100 members; by September 2010 it was said to have 50 members, with about 30 members reportedly attending services. As of September 2010, Wayne Sapp was serving as assistant pastor, with Jones' son serving as youth minister. Associate pastors are ordained within the church by other pastors, with no classes or specific qualifications required.
The church sells t-shirts, caps, mugs, books and other items entitled with "Islam is of the devil".
Terry Jones
Terry Jones (pastor)
Terry Jones is the senior pastor of Dove World Outreach Center in Gainsville, Florida, the author of book Islam is of the Devil, and a 2012 Independent presidential candidate.-Biography:...
was invited to a rally in Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
in February 2011 to share his views on Islamic extremism. Anti-fascist group Hope not Hate
Hope not Hate
Hope not Hate is an anti-fascism and anti-racism campaign in the United Kingdom organised by Searchlight. It has campaigned against the nationalist and far-right British National Party. and have presented a 90,000 person petition to the European Parliament protesting against the election of Nick...
successfully petitioned the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
to have Jones banned from entering the UK.
Buildings and property
In addition to the church, the Dove World Outreach Center maintains an unaccredited boarding school, called the "Dove World Outreach Academy". According to the Gainesville Sun, the academy has a bootcamp-like atmosphere. Students are prohibited from outside and family contact, including attendance at family weddings and funerals. They reportedly work without compensation, selling, packing, and shipping furniture for TS and Company, a business owned by Sylvia Jones. Tuition for the six-month semester is $500. The church maintains a partial tax exemption for its non-profit activities, but has been assessed some $3100 per year in property taxes for using a portion of its property to conduct a for-profit business, TS and Company, which sells donated furniture on eBay.Jones told the New York Times in September 2010 that following his July 2010 announcement of the book-burning event, the bank which holds a $140,000 mortgage loan on the church demanded immediate repayment of the balance and Jones had his property insurance canceled. The church campus is currently on the market, with the asking price reduced from $2.9 million to $1.1 million.
Pastor Terry Jones
Jones is a native of Cape Girardeau, MissouriCape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
and was born in October 1951. He graduated from Cape Girardeau's Central High School
Central High School (Cape Girardeau, Missouri)
Central High School is a public high school located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA.-Campus:Central High moved from its old building to the newly constructed one in 2002. The campus has a variety of athletic facilities on-site, including tennis courts, a full track, baseball and softball fields,...
in 1969 and was a classmate of Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
. He then attended Southeast Missouri State University
Southeast Missouri State University
Southeast Missouri State University, is a public, accredited university located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States, near the banks of the Mississippi River. The institution, having started as a normal school, has a traditional strength in teacher education...
for two years. Jones received no academic degree in theology but was given an honorary degree from the unaccredited California Graduate School of Theology
California Graduate School of Theology
The California Graduate School of Theology is an unaccredited American institution of higher learning in La Habra, California. It was founded in 1968 as an interdenominational graduate school and has been attended by over 5,000 students...
in 1983, which now seeks to disassociate itself from him.
Jones worked as an assistant hotel manager in the late 1970s, then he became an assistant pastor with Maranatha Campus Ministries in Kentucky. He went to Cologne with his first wife (who is now deceased) to work as a missionary and founded the CGK in 1981, with that church growing to as many as 1,000 members over the years.
Jones came to lead the Florida church by way of his association with the Marantha Campus Ministries. Jones founded and led the Christliche Gemeinde Köln (CGK), a church in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1981 initially as a branch of the Maranatha Campus Ministries and a sister church to Dove World. In 2002, Jones was fined $3800 by a Cologne court for falsely using the title "doctor" when all he had was an honorary degree from an unaccredited school. According to the German Evangelical Alliance
Evangelische Allianz
The Evangelische Allianz is a federation of evangelical Christianity, which is a part of the Evangelical Church in Germany, German Free Churches, “inner church confraternity” and relief organizations.The EA was established in 1846, as a loose knit federation, after a meeting in London...
, Jones was released from the leadership of the Christliche Gemeinde Köln in 2008 due to his indefensible theological statements and his craving for attention. The Gainesville Sun reported that he left the church in Germany after being accused of fraud. A leader of the Cologne church said that Jones, "didn't project the biblical values and Christianity, but always made himself the center of everything." German press agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH is a news agency founded in 1949 in Germany. Based in Hamburg, it has grown to be a major worldwide operation serving print media, radio, television, online, mobile phones, and national news agencies. News is available in German, English, Spanish, and Arabic.The DPA...
reported that church members said Jones ran the Cologne church like a sect leader and used psychological pressure on members, “subordinating all activities to his will.” Following Jones' departure, the CGK closed, then reopened under new, independent, leadership.
Anti-gay & other activities
The Dove World Outreach Center is considered a hate groupHate group
A hate group is an organized group or movement that advocates and practices hatred, hostility, or violence towards members of a race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation or other designated sector of society...
by the Southern Poverty Law Center
Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is an American nonprofit civil rights organization noted for its legal victories against white supremacist groups; legal representation for victims of hate groups; monitoring of alleged hate groups, militias and extremist organizations; and educational programs that...
, first making the list for its anti-gay activities. In March 2010, Dove World posted a video which decried the possibility of an openly-gay mayor of Gainsville, and a lawn sign saying, "No Homo Mayor". The church changed the sign to simply read "No Homo" after Americans United
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a group that advocates separation of church and state, a legal doctrine interpreted by AU as being enshrined in the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.-Mission:The guiding principle of Americans...
requested the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
to investigate the sign as an undue participation of a tax-exempt church in the political process.
In April 2010 church members participated in a joint protest against homosexuality with the Westboro Baptist Church
Westboro Baptist Church
The Westboro Baptist Church is an independent Baptist church known for its extreme stance against homosexuality and its protest activities, which include picketing funerals and desecrating the American flag. The church is widely described as a hate group and is monitored as such by the...
, a group known for disrupting the funerals of U.S. soldiers. Church member Fran Ingram posted an article on the church's website affirming the church's endorsements of the Westboro Baptist Church's protests against homosexuality but stated that "[w]e do not agree with all of Westboro's methods".
No Homo Mayor
Gainesville mayor Craig LoweCraig Lowe
Stuart Craig Lowe, better known as Craig Lowe, is an American politician and Mayor of Gainesville, Florida. After winning a runoff election on April 13, 2010, by a margin of 42 votes Lowe became Mayor-elect of Gainesville...
was subjected to a week-long fringe demonstration with signs reading "No Homo Mayor". During mayor run-off elections against Don Marsh, Lowe and his staff were harassed for their progressive views by pastor Wayne Sapp, with fliers, mailers and online slurs.
Terry Jones has also rallied against abortion in the past.
Lawn signs and t-shirts
In 2009, Dove World posted a lawn sign which stated in large red letters "Islam is of the Devil", (and which later became the title of a book published by Jones in 2010). The signs drew protests and picketing by local activists and the Council on American-Islamic RelationsCouncil on American-Islamic Relations
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is America's largest Muslim civil liberties advocacy organization that deals with civil advocacy and promotes human rights...
(CAIR). CAIR responded to another sign which read, "Koran 9:5 Kill the disbelievers wherever you find them." saying the quote was out of context, and aimed at antagonizing Muslims.
In August 2009, several children of church members went to their public schools wearing t-shirts reading "Islam is of the Devil" on the back and were sent home for violating the school district's dress code. The ACLU challenged the constitutionality of policies or practices which permit school administrators to ban
any messages on clothing which they find “offensive to others” and which permit school administrators to allow messages which they determine to be “positive” while banning messages they determine to be “negative.” According the Dove World Outreach Center's web site the school is now permitting only plain or blank T-Shirts to be worn by students. Legal experts said the policy was likely legal and did not violate the First Amendment. Jones said he had had the t-shirts printed by an internet company because local companies did not have the "guts" to print them.
2010 "International Burn a Koran Day"
The church espoused anti-Islamic view on its lawn and in Jones' YouTube videos for about one year before the July 2010 announcement that on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks it would hold an "International Burn a Koran Day", during which church members would burn hundreds of copies of the Qur'an. Even though Jones has admitted that he has not read the Koran, he defended the plans saying the Koran is "full of lies". As the media began to carry the stories about the planned event, threats, protests and condemnations began.The Gainesville fire department refused to grant the church a burning permit, stating that open burning of books is not allowed in the city due to fire hazard.
Jones attracted thousands of fans and critics on Facebook and said he regularly received death threats after the event was announced. The American Muslim Association of North America condemned the threats against Jones. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the larger of two communities that arose from the Ahmadiyya movement founded in 1889 in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian . The original movement split into two factions soon after the death of the founder...
condemned all forms of extremism, stating that it is "never a true reflection of the religion."
On September 8, 2010, Rackspace
Rackspace
Rackspace US, Inc. is an IT hosting company based in San Antonio, Texas. The company also has offices in Australia, the United Kingdom, The Netherlands and Hong Kong, and data centers operating in Texas, Illinois, Virginia, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong in late 2008...
, the provider of hosting service to Dove World Outreach website, pulled the plug on the site, citing violation of their terms of use policy. A spokesman for Rackspace told CNN that the shut down was not "a constitutional issue", it was "a contract issue". As of April 3, 2011 the organization's website is operational. A whois lookup indicates that it is registered with GoDaddy.com by one David Ingram of TS and Company.
Criticism
Reactions were widespread ranging from the local level to the international and were largely negative. A sampling of these reactions follows.Twenty local religious leaders gathered Thursday, September 2, 2010, to call for citizens to rally around Muslims. The Gainsville Interfaith Forum's request for the declaration of September 11 as "Interfaith Solidarity Day" was honored by Gainesville Mayor Craig Lowe. and The Forum scheduled a "Gathering for Peace, Understanding and Hope" for the day before the planned burning.
President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, called the planned burnings "a recruitment bonanza for Al Qaeda" that could result in serious violence against American troops. David Petraeus
David Petraeus
David Howell Petraeus is the current Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, sworn in on September 6, 2011. Prior to his assuming the directorship of the CIA, Petraeus was a four-star general serving over 37 years in the United States Army. His last assignments in the Army were as commander...
, U.S. forces general in Afghanistan, stated that it could endanger troops and the overall effort there and said "it is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems." U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said "It is regrettable that a pastor in Gainesville, Florida, with a church of no more than 50 people, can make this outrageous and distrustful, disgraceful plan and get the world's attention". The U.S. embassy in Kabul issued a statement condemning the plans. Robert Gibbs
Robert Gibbs
Robert Lane Gibbs was the 28th White House Press Secretary. Gibbs was the communications director for then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama and Obama's 2008 presidential campaign...
, White House Press Secretary
White House Press Secretary
The White House Press Secretary is a senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the government administration....
, criticized the plans stating "any type of activity like that that puts our troops in harm's way".
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen is a Danish politician, and the 12th and current Secretary General of NATO. Rasmussen served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 27 November 2001 to 5 April 2009....
said that the church's plans would violate NATO's "values" and may have a negative impact on the security of its soldiers.
Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
said the burning would "feed the fire of caustic rhetoric and appear as nothing more than mean-spirited religious intolerance."
Other negative reaction and condemnation came from: the government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
, the Anti-Defamation League
Anti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League is an international non-governmental organization based in the United States. Describing itself as "the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency", the ADL states that it "fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects...
, Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University is an educational institute in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 970~972 as a madrasa, it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. It is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. In 1961 non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum.It is...
, the National Association of Evangelicals
National Association of Evangelicals
The National Association of Evangelicals is a fellowship of member denominations, churches, organizations, and individuals. Its goal is to honor God by connecting and representing evangelicals in the United States. Today it works in four main areas: Church & Faith Partners, Government Relations,...
, the German Evangelical Alliance
Evangelische Allianz
The Evangelische Allianz is a federation of evangelical Christianity, which is a part of the Evangelical Church in Germany, German Free Churches, “inner church confraternity” and relief organizations.The EA was established in 1846, as a loose knit federation, after a meeting in London...
, the International Humanist and Ethical Union
International Humanist and Ethical Union
The International Humanist and Ethical Union is an umbrella organisation embracing humanist, atheist, rationalist, secular, skeptic, freethought and Ethical Culture organisations worldwide. Founded in Amsterdam in 1952, the IHEU is a democratic union of more than 100 member organizations in 40...
, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, and many others.
Protests
Protests ensued against the proposed burning event:- On August 27, 2010, approximately 100 IndonesiaIndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
ns protested outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta. - On September 4, 2010, Indonesians took to the streets to protest, with thousands, mostly Muslims, taking part in events across the country. Rokhmat Labib, chairman of the Islamic group Hizbut Tahrir that organized the protests, called the planned book burning a provocation and predicted that Muslims would fight back should it take place. Lahib said that Muslims must not stay silent when their faith is threatened. The Pluralism Care Movement, a multi-faith group asked for the U.S. government to prevent the burning and for Indonesia to show its tolerance for religious differences.
- On September 6, 2010, hundreds of Afghans had protested in KabulKabulKabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
against the planned Qur'an burning event, chanting "death to America" and throwing rocks at a passing military convoy. Military officials also expressed fears that the protests would spread to other cities. Military officers at the PentagonThe PentagonThe Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
consequently said they hoped the rare incursion into politics by a military commander would convince pastor Jones to cancel his plans. Jones said, "We are sure that [General Petraeus'] concerns are legitimate. [Nonetheless] [w]e must send a clear message to the radical element of Islam. We will no longer be controlled and dominated by their fears and threats." By September 12, 2010, three Afghans were killed in protests over the Qur'an burning with incitement by the Taliban, anti-Afghan government, anti-American and anti-Jew sentiments contributing to the outrage, according to the New York Times.
Outcome
In the wake of international condemnation and personal threats, Jones said he would not "back down because of fear." After canceling, then suspending the event in the days immediately preceding September 11, 2010, Jones ultimately said his church would not be carrying out the plan to burn the Korans and that he had attained the goal of exposing the fact that an element of Islam is "very dangerous and very radical". At a press conference Jones said that he planned to move the church to St. Petersburg, FloridaSt. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
as soon as the Gainesville property was sold.
An article dated April 2, 2011 indicates that a recent burning of a Muslim holy book at Dove World Outreach has fueled a second day of deadly violence half a world away in Afghanistan, where demonstrators set cars and shops ablaze Saturday in a riot that killed nine protesters, officials said.
Jones said he backed out of the burning because Imam Muhammad Musri deceived him by saying that the proposed ground zero mosque would be relocated.
2011 "International Judge the Quran Day"
After the pressure over the "Burn the Qu'ran" controversy had died down, Jones established a new organization, "Stand Up America Now". On March 20, 2011, Jones officiated as judge over a mock trialMock trial
A Mock Trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting of volunteers as role players to test theories or...
operated by SUAN [?] in which the Qu'ran was found "guilty" of a variety of crimes, including "murder, rape, deception, being responsible for terrorist activities all around the world"; over 30 people attended the event, including Ahmed Abaza and other converts from Islam to Christianity testifying against the book and Sheikh Imam Mohammed Hassan, a former candidate in the Sudanese presidential election, 2010 and current Texas-based Sunni cleric, serving as "defense attorney". A copy was then ceremoniously soaked in kerosene for an hour and burned on a barbecue grill in a ceremony officiated by Wayne Sapp.
Response
At first, the response was minor compared to the previous September's "Burn the Qu'ran" episode. Ibrahim HooperIbrahim Hooper
Ibrahim Hooper , a convert to Islam, is the National Communications Director and spokesperson for the Council on American-Islamic Relations , a Washington D.C.-based Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization.-Early life:...
of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
Council on American-Islamic Relations
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is America's largest Muslim civil liberties advocacy organization that deals with civil advocacy and promotes human rights...
said that "Terry Jones had his 15 minutes of fame and we're not going to help him get another few minutes."
Later, protests erupted in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
where the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam is a political party in Pakistan. It formed a combined government in national elections in 2002 and 2008...
organized a road blockage and burnings of effigies and American flags in the province of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
and mobs proceeded to protest against the Punjab neighborhoods of Pakistani Christians. The leader of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah, Amir Hamza, announced a Rs 10 crore bounty for Jones' murder.
The Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian Ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammad Khazaee
Mohammad Khazaee
Mohammad Khazaee , born 12 April 1953 in Kashmar, Iran) is the current Ambassador of Iran to the United Nations. He presented his credentials to the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in July 2007. He was elected as Vice President of the United Nations General Assembly on 14 September...
, condemned the burning and called for Jones' prosecution.
On April 1, 2011 a mob, inflamed by a mosque sermon describing the burning of the Muslim holy book, attacked a United Nations compound in a northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. A mob of 1000 angry people attacked a U.N. compound.
The attack resulted in the killing of Nepalese guards. According to Sherjan Durrani, a spokesman for the provincial police “four rioters had also been killed and that more than 100 others were injured in the outbreak of violence in the northern city, normally one of the calmer corners of Afghanistan.”
President Obama strongly condemned both the Quran burning, calling it an act of "extreme intolerance and bigotry", and the "outrageous" attacks by protesters, referring to them as "an affront to human decency and dignity." "No religion tolerates the slaughter and beheading of innocent people, and there is no justification for such a dishonorable and deplorable act." U.S. legislators, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...
, also condemned both the burning and the violence in reaction to it.
Criticism
The church was strongly criticized by local religious and political figures in Florida for its stances against homosexuality and Islam. Gainesville Mayor Lowe referred to Dove World as a "tiny fringe group and an embarrassment to our community". A Gainesville Interfaith Forum was established in November 2009 with participation from the University of Florida HillelUniversity of Florida Hillel
University of Florida Hillel is one of the oldest Hillel Foundation organizations in the United States. The organization was founded in 1947 at the University of Florida and currently serves around 8,000 Jewish students who attend the university....
, Congregation Bnai Israel and individual Muslim residents.
External links
- Dove World Outreach Center, official site
- Stand Up America (Terry Jones's political group) (Terry Jones)
- Koran-Burning Preacher Terry Jones and Rush Limbaugh: Class of 69, Cape Central High School Girardeau History and Photos
- Muslim Community Organizes Vigils, Teach-Ins to Counter Planned Quran Burning - video report by Democracy Now!Democracy Now!Democracy Now! and its staff have received several journalism awards, including the Gracie Award from American Women in Radio & Television; the George Polk Award for its 1998 radio documentary Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, on the Chevron Corporation and the deaths of...
, 8 September 2010