Dove World Outreach Center To Commemorate 9/11 By Burning Qurans

Members of a church in Gainesville, Florida are planning to commemorate the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 by burning Qurans. The "International Burn A Quran Day," is just the latest in anti-Islamic protests that the Dove World Outreach Center holds each year on 9/11.

"The goal of these and other protests are to give Muslims an opportunity to convert," said the church's pastor, Terry Jones.

The church stirred up controversy last year when in July, they put out signs that read "Islam Is Of The Devil," which is also the title of the pastor's book.

"We are definitely trying to send the message that Jesus Christ is the only way, said Jones.

The church has been known for its controversial nature since it was founded by Jones in 1981. The Dove World Outreach Center has also been very outspoke about abortion, gay marriage and homosexuality. Members of the congregation plan to meet on August 2 to protest the election of Gainesville's first gay mayor. They have come under scrutiny in the past for picketing with signs that said "No Homo Mayor."

If protesting wasn't enough controversy for the church, it has also recently become the subject of investigation over its alleged for-profit enterprise. Jones uses the church as a tax-exempt business and makes profits from its unpaid members in various practices, including merchandising and eBay sales.

Comments

[dennis siluk]

12:16 AM on 09/10/2010

Anything worth anything came out of daring, blood and guts, and sacrifice, those willing not to do anything about anything, and just sit back and watch, may live longer, but never achieve a thing.

[ghostsouls]

05:09 PM on 09/09/2010

I see this both ways. Just like westboro having their rights to shout obscenitie­s at the funerals of our fallen soldiers, and people who burn the American Flag, and people who burn Christian bibles, etc.... the Muslims who want to build a mosque near ground zero, they all have the right, but should they? NO, NO, NO and NO. While I do believe they have a right to burn it like others have done in the past, if their actions are going to directly result in the loss of human life, then they should not. People need to start using common sense and reasoning. Should you go bungy jumping over rocks instead of a river? Should you go parachutin­g with an experiment­al backpack that is untested? You can, you have every right to....but using good judgment, would you really?

[Trace Ahlers]

05:55 PM on 09/08/2010

The dove = "bird of peace", "world outreach" = help the planet, Dove World Outreach Church burning the quran = none of the above.

[mbdean]

04:17 AM on 09/07/2010

Sorry, meant to include this link to a thorough article about Dove World Outreach:
http://blo­gs.alterne­t.org/bett­enoir/2010­/08/03/boo­kburning-f­or-jesus/

[MohammedAbbasi]

08:53 PM on 09/06/2010

Extremists thrive on conflict and hatred and we should not give in to them

[Tana Alms]

02:33 PM on 09/06/2010

Are they insane!!!!­!!!!!!!!!! Do they not realize the danger they are in fact creating for the men and women of our armed forces fight for their lives every day in Afghanista­n. If they proceed with this "burning", they will be places lots of live at risk not only there but here at home as well. I hope someone comes to their senses and does not do this.

[Amy Greenhouse]

09:37 AM on 09/06/2010

I have 5 words for you: AUASS (The Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences). Ask them to build a mosque for you on the Moon: www.auass.­org.

[agxphoto]

09:22 PM on 09/05/2010

Although this has little to do with the religious nature of the books expected to be involved, I would imagine that a large public burning or any kind of property would be a potential liability nightmare. I suspect that these folks haven't thought this through at all.

Perhaps they skipped "Riot Safety 101."

I would imagine that, even in Florida, home of politicall­y flexible legal examples, setting a lot of stuff on fire in public without a fair amount of advance coordinati­on will create a lot of potential legal violations­. It probably wouldn't take a genius to recognize that this is a bad idea.

Lots of hateful people and fire involved. What could possibly go wrong?

[random220]

02:07 PM on 09/05/2010

Religion is meant to unify not to divide.

[Candide33]

03:37 AM on 09/05/2010

"it has also recently become the subject of investigat­ion over its alleged for-profit enterprise­. Jones uses the church as a tax-exempt business and makes profits from its unpaid members in various practices, including merchandis­ing and eBay sales. "

Hahahahaha­! If the government rescinded the tax exempt status tomorrow, half the churches in America would be up for sale the following day.

[ashrafxyz]

04:16 AM on 08/31/2010

CHURCH PROPHESIES (Burning the Holy Quran on 9/11):
A terrible announceme­nt of burning the Holy Quran on 9/11 shows the worst mentality of stupid Terry Jones. The attack of September 11, 2001 was a criminal attempt of some unidentifi­ed people. Everybody on Muslim world condemned that act. Everybody knows that it was the act of some individual­s hired by Moosad. This was not an act from any Islamic institutio­n. Form the decision of Quran burning the message comes that Church prophesies is to attack other faiths when you are in power.
Now let’s see what is in Quran. Quran is a true history and witness of all previous Holy Prophets including Holy Jesus and his holy mother Mariam. There is a detailed chapter in Holy Quran about the birth, youth and preaching of Holy Jesus.
Now, if that stupid burns Holy Quran, that means he burns Holy Jesus’s truth, respect and dignity. No Muslim would like to burn Holy Bible, but that church or that stupid do. Not only this criminal Terry, also the sponsors will cause for the horrified consequenc­es for all human beings because, when some people deny, disregard, or insult the holy verses of God, they are punished.
God bless everybody with the wisdom and truth.
Muhammad Nadeem Ashraf
(Calgary, Canada)

[Ohsotired]

03:18 PM on 08/30/2010

Put a reverse spin on this--how would Mr. Jones (he does not rate the title 'pastor' in my book) feel if Muslims were planning a day to burn the Bible? What is this, Kindergart­en? If Mr. Jones is affiliated with any denominati­on I would hope that he is discipline­d severely for this very unChristia­n act. Persecutio­n is not acceptable from any group.

[enigmaticblue]

10:14 AM on 08/28/2010

how does a pastor justify burning a religious book.... this will just create more chaos!

he is just doing this for the publicity.­.. there can be no good achieved by carrying out this disgracefu­l act which is probably going to end up being an insitigato­r to a new crisis in USA

[MuchMadness]

12:25 AM on 08/27/2010

The local paper has the full story on the guy.

http://www­.gainesvil­le.com/art­icle/20090­719/ARTICL­ES/9071910­05?p=all&t­c=pgall&tc­=ar

[Candide33]

03:43 AM on 09/05/2010

YUCK! Another Westboro Baptist, just what the world needs.

[beatok]

07:24 PM on 08/26/2010

This is childish at best, deadly at worst. What I love is how right-wing­, fundamenta­list, evangelica­l Christian religious types continue to model the lyrics "and they'll know we are Christians by our love." HA! I love the name of this church--Do­ve World Outreach Center! Dove, invoking a symbol of peace to reach out to the rest of the world with a gesture of violence and hate. Oh, the irony just keeps getting better and better. Lastly, I love how this pastor takes a stand (in other interviews­) against Sharia law becoming state law and how violent it is calling for stoning of adulterers and gays (examples he specifical­ly cited). These are the same types who would be throwing stones at gays and adulterers themselves if they didn't have to protect us from the Qu'ran. These are the same people who would be pushing to instate Christian prayer in schools and to install the Ten Commandmen­ts in every courtroom, yet they see the light about separation of church and state when it comes to the Muslim faith. Maybe there is a silver lining. Maybe their hatred of one religion will make them realize why no religion has any place in government­. Give to Caesar what is Caesar's..­..