Dove World Outreach Center

Terry Jones May Be Charged $200K For Canceled Koran-Burning Security Costs

Jillian Rayfield | September 20, 2010, 4:38PM

Pastor Terry Jones in front of "International Burn A Koran Day" sign in Gainesville, FL

Terry Jones and the Dove World Outreach Center may be charged $200,000 by the city of Gainesville, Florida, for security costs incurred by the canceled Koran-burning originally planned for September 11.

Jones' announcement of "International Burn-A-Koran" day resulted in some violent protests in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and threats against Americans. In response, Gainesville upped its security. According to The Associated Press: "Police Maj. Rick Hanna said more than 200 officers were on duty last weekend patrolling the church, the University of Florida football game and "soft targets" like the mall. Another 160 sheriff's deputies were also working because of the planned protest at Dove World Outreach Center."

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Terry Jones

Jones On Koran Burning: 'Not Today, Not Ever' (VIDEO)

Rachel Slajda | September 11, 2010, 12:00PM

Pastor Terry Jones

Pastor Terry Jones said this morning that his church has canceled its planned Koran burning permanently.

"Not today, not ever," Jones said on the Today show this morning after flying to New York last night. "We're not going to go back and do it. It is totally canceled."

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Barack Obama

Obama, On Jones, Says He's 'Concerned' About Copycats

Rachel Slajda | September 10, 2010, 12:37PM

In his news conference today, President Obama said he is concerned about copycat Koran-burners even after a Florida pastor has suspended his planned bonfire.

"Part of my concern is that we don't have a whole bunch of folks across the country thinking, this is the way to get attention," he said. "This is a way of endangering our troops, our sons and daughters."

"You don't play games with that," he said.

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'Ground Zero Mosque'

Koran Burning Still Off, For Now, As One Dies In Afghanistan Protest

Rachel Slajda | September 10, 2010, 9:46AM

Pastor Terry Jones, of the Dove World Outreach Center, with Imam Muhammad Musri, president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida

Pastor Terry Jones, appearing on today's morning shows, says he will not be burning Korans on Saturday even though the imam of a planned Islamic center near Ground Zero did not agree to move his project further from the site.

"Right now, we have plans not to do it," Jones said on Good Morning America.

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'Ground Zero Mosque'

Jones May Still Burn Korans: Imam 'Lied To Us'

Rachel Slajda | September 9, 2010, 10:17PM

Pastor Terry Jones

According to the AP, pastor Terry Jones says his Koran burning is suspended, but not canceled, after finding out a New York City imam did not agree to move his Islamic center further from Ground Zero.

Jones told reporters that a different imam from Orlando, who was trying to convince Jones not to burn a stack of Korans on Sept. 11, "clearly, clearly lied to us."

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Alan Keyes

Alan Keyes: Both 'Ground Zero Mosque' And Koran Burning Can Be Stopped (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | September 9, 2010, 5:28PM

Consider Alan Keyes a subscriber to the Sarah Palin theory on the Florida pastor who plans to burn a Koran on the anniversary of Sept. 11. The theory goes like this: Koran burning is offensive -- just like building a place of worship near the former location of the World Trade Center.

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Dove World Outreach Center

Jones Agrees Not To Burn Korans, Claims NYC Imam Has Agreed To Move Park51 (He Hasn't) (VIDEO)

Rachel Slajda | September 9, 2010, 5:12PM

Pastor Terry Jones

In a press conference just now, Dove World Outreach Center pastor Terry Jones announced that he will not burn Korans on Saturday.

Jones said he agreed to cancel "Burn A Koran Day" in exchange for Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf agreeing to move the proposed Islamic center further away from Ground Zero. Jones claimed Rauf said he will move the center.

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Terry Jones

Koran-Burning Pastor Was Once The GOP's Poster Child For German Intolerance Of Christians

Megan Carpentier | September 9, 2010, 2:47PM

Pastor Terry Jones, of the Dove World Outreach Center

Terry Jones, the pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center who plans to burn Korans on Saturday to the chagrin of many anti-Islam and anti-mosque advocates, has a long history of claiming that he is the one subjected to discrimination. Before he moved to Florida in 2008 to take the helm of the DWOC, he had a small church in Cologne with some pretty big problems -- and plenty of prominent Republicans had his back.

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Dove World Outreach Center

FBI, Everyone Else Trying To Convince Jones Not To Burn Korans

Rachel Slajda | September 9, 2010, 1:30PM

Dr. Terry Jones, leader of the Dove World Outreach Center

MSNBC and CNN are reporting this afternoon that FBI agents have visited Dove World Outreach Center pastor Terry Jones.

Details were sketchy, but MSNBC reported they were there as part of security measures.

A spokeswoman for the Gainesville Police Department told TPMmuckraker that the department has been working with state and federal agencies on security and has been preparing for Saturday's "Burn A Koran Day" for more than a month.

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Rev. Bob Old

Koran Burning Pastor In Florida Inspires Copycat in Tennessee

Ryan J. Reilly | September 9, 2010, 12:50PM

Dr. Terry Jones, leader of the Dove World Outreach Center

Inspired by the plans of Rev. Terry Jones of the Dove World Center Outreach in Gainesville, Fla. to burn Korans this Saturday, a former Tennessee pastor says he plans to do the same and will post the video online, The Tennessean reports.

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Dove World Outreach Center

Interpol Issues Global Terror Alert If Koran Burning Happens

Rachel Slajda | September 9, 2010, 12:12PM

Pastor Terry Jones, of the Dove World Outreach Center

Interpol today warned its 188 member countries that there may be a higher threat of terrorism if a Florida fringe pastor burns Korans on Saturday as planned.

"One of INTERPOL's primary functions is to prevent crime, and given that we have been made aware of a significant threat to public safety - an assessment which we share - it is our duty to ensure that we pass this information on to law enforcement agencies around the globe so that they can take appropriate measures," Interpol Secretary General Ronald K. Noble said in a press release.

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Dove World Outreach Center

Koran-Burning Church Has Cultish Tendencies, Protests With Westboro Baptist

Rachel Slajda | September 9, 2010, 10:36AM

Dove World pastor Terry Jones at a Westboro Baptist Church protest in April 2010.

The Dove World Outreach Center, the church in Florida whose pastor is planning to burn a pile of Korans this Saturday, trains new ministers in its "Academy" program, which requires students to work in the church's used furniture store unpaid and have no contact with their family.

A "rulebook" for the academy, as well as news reports and the church's own web site, paint a picture of a church that teaches followers total obedience. It's also a church that has expressed solidarity with the Westboro Baptist Church, with pastor Terry Jones and other members wearing "Islam is of the devil" T-shirts at a Westboro protest.

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Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart On Koran Burners: 'Who's Funding These Radical Christian Clerics?' (VIDEO)

Jillian Rayfield | September 9, 2010, 9:52AM

Jon Stewart was very troubled last night by Terry Jones, the Florida pastor who is planning to burn copies of the Koran on September 11. "I'm seeing a pattern now of extremism in Christianity that a lot of Americans are finding very troubling," he said.

But Daily Show correspondent John Oliver defended Christians: "That radical hate-spewing extremist does not reflect the views of the vast majority of moderate, peaceful Christians. In fact, this man is fucking crazy. He no more represents Christians than Dr. Laura represents the United Negro College Fund."

But Stewart still had questions: "Where's the money coming from for these extremists? Who's funding these radical Christian clerics?"

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Dove World Outreach Center

Obama: Koran Burning 'Stunt' Could 'Greatly Endanger' Troops (VIDEO)

Rachel Slajda | September 9, 2010, 8:45AM

President Obama

President Obama urged fringe pastor Terry Jones not to burn Korans this Saturday, saying it would be "completely contrary to our values as Americans." Further, he said, it could lead to a "recruitment bonanza" for al-Qaeda.

"If he's listening, I just hope he understands that what he's proposing to do is completely contrary to our values of Americans. That this country has been built on the notions of religious freedom and religious tolerance," Obama said on Good Morning America. "And as a very practical matter, as commander of chief of the Armed Forces of the United States I just want him to understand that this stunt that he is talking about pulling could greatly endanger our young men and women in uniform who are in Iraq, who are in Afghanistan. We're already seeing protests against Americans just by the mere threat he's making."

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'Ground Zero Mosque'

Palin Finally Repudiates Koran Burning: It's As Bad As Building A Mosque At Ground Zero

Rachel Slajda | September 8, 2010, 6:23PM

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, one of the ostensibly mainstream politicians who has come out vocally against building an Islamic community center in downtown Manhattan, today spoke out against a Florida church's plan to burn Korans on Sept. 11.

"People have a constitutional right to burn a Koran if they want to, but doing so is insensitive and an unnecessary provocation -- much like building a mosque at Ground Zero," Palin wrote in a press release. "Book burning is antithetical to American ideals."

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Islamophobia

Muslims Are Just The Latest American Scapegoat

Rachel Slajda | September 8, 2010, 10:40AM

An opponent of the Cordoba House, left, argues with a supporter in front of the proposed location in lower Manhattan.

You know the stories, by now: The violent attack on a cab driver, the arson in Tennessee, the sometimes unbelievable vitriol associated with a Manhattan Islamic community center. The plans by a radical pastor to burn the holy book of another religion, plans that have been condemned even by his compatriots on the fringe of American thought.

But why? And why now?

"It's been percolating," John Esposito, the director of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown, told TPM. As Esposito tells it, America has had a problem with anti-Muslim prejudice since before Sept. 11, 2001. But it was contained, in a way, and even after 9/11 "things were pretty stabilized." The uptick began in 2004, and now it's rising to the surface.

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Afghanistan

NATO Chief Condemns Koran Burning Ahead Of Meeting With Obama

Rachel Slajda | September 7, 2010, 12:28PM

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen

The chief of NATO agrees with the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan: A radical Florida church really shouldn't burn copies of the Koran.

"I strongly condemn that. I think it's a disrespectful action and in general I really urge people to respect other people's faith and behave respectfully. I think such actions are in strong contradiction with all the values we stand for and fight for," said NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, according to The Cable.

"Of course, there is a risk that it may also have a negative impact on the security for our troops," he added.

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Afghanistan

Petraeus: Koran Burning Could Endanger Troops

Rachel Slajda | September 6, 2010, 12:39PM

General David Petraeus

Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander of the Afghanistan War, said today the planned burning of Korans by a Florida church could put American troops in danger.

"It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort," Petraeus told the Wall Street Journal. "It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community."

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Dove World Outreach Center

Afghans Protest FL Church's Koran-Burning Plans: 'Death To America'

Rachel Slajda | September 6, 2010, 10:40AM

Dr. Terry Jones, leader of the Dove World Outreach Center

Hundreds of Afghans demonstrated outside the U.S. Embassy in Kabul today against a Florida church's plan to burn Korans on Sept. 11, shouting "Death to America" and "Long live Islam."

The AP reports that members of parliament and religious leaders spoke at the rally, where protesters called for the death of President Obama and burned Rev. Terry Jones in effigy.

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Dove World Outreach Center

Koran-Burning Pastor: We Want To Send A 'Clear, Radical Message' (VIDEO)

Jillian Rayfield | August 26, 2010, 4:40PM

Pastor Terry Jones

Terry Jones, the Dove World Outreach Center pastor who plans to lead a mass Koran-burning on -- and in commemoration of -- 9/11, said on MSNBC today that his intent is to send a "very clear, radical message to Muslims," that the United States will not tolerate sharia law in its courts.

Jones said he fears that the U.S. will become like Europe, where as the Muslims "gained in population, they also began to demand sharia law, sharia courts, which is a very violent form of punishment." The Koran-burning day, he said, is about sending a "warning" that "that is not welcomed in America."

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Dove World Outreach Center

Fire Department Blocks Florida Church's Plan To Burn Korans

Evan McMorris-Santoro | August 20, 2010, 11:59AM

Dr. Terry Jones, leader of the Dove World Outreach Center

Remember that Florida "church" with the plan to torch a pile of Korans in commemoration of 9/11? Turns out there's one thing they weren't counting on: a local Fire Department that's stingy with outdoor fire permits.

According to the Gainesville Sun, fire chief Gene Prince told the church "that under the city's fire prevention ordinance, an open burning of books is not allowed." Turns out town code 10-63, a "General prohibition on outdoor burning and open burning," specifically outlaws the burning of (section 6) "Newspaper" and (7) "Corrugated cardboard, container board, office paper."

Apparently, bound copies of Islam's holy text fall into those categories. But you didn't really think the Dove World Outreach Center was going to let a pesky fire chief stop its planned tribute to the men and women who died in the terror attacks, did you? The Sun reports that in an email message sent out by the church Wednesday, Dove World proclaims, "City of Gainesville denies burn permit -- BUT WE WILL STILL BURN KORANS."

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Muslims

Koran-Burning Pastor: Muslims Are Welcome In America (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 30, 2010, 12:38PM

Dr. Terry Jones, leader of the Dove World Outreach Center

Dove World Outreach Center pastor Terry Jones -- the man who hopes to lead his flock in a mass Koran-burning in September to commemorate 9/11 -- says that he's as welcoming of other faiths as the next guy. Assuming, that is, that the next guy also thinks that "Islam Is Of The Devil," as Jones likes to say to anyone and everyone who drives past his Gainesville, Florida church.

In a recent interview with CNN's Rick "The List" Sanchez, Jones said that the book burning was all part of his plan to welcome Muslims to American while simultaneously reminding them that their faith is an evil thing that must be destroyed at all costs (or, saving that, desecrated publicly in the name of Jesus.)

"We have nothing against Muslims," Jones told Sanchez. "They are welcome in our country."

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Dove World Outreach Center

Florida 'Church' Demonstrates How Christians Should Burn Koran (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 28, 2010, 10:01AM

Pastor Wayne Sapp

On Sept. 11, 2010, members of the Dove World Outreach Center -- a non-denominational Christian church of dubious credibility in Gainesville, Florida -- plan to burn copies of the Koran in a public ceremony billed as a memorial for the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

"Uh, what?" you may be asking. How about we let Dove World pastor Wayne Sapp explain it:

"Why would we burn the Koran?" he says in a video the church posted to YouTube last week. "The Koran, the holy book of Islam? Because we're Christian."

Prior to the whole book burning scheme, Dove World Outreach Center was best known for using the slogan "Islam Is Of The Devil," which it has plastered across its website and in large signs outside the church's headquarters. Sapp says in the video that Islam's devilishness is why the Koran must burn.

"Being Christian does not mean you go to church. Being Christian does not mean you believe in God. Being Christian means you are Christ-like, or at least attempting to go in that direction," he says. "And Jesus, the Christ, he was sent -- he appeared -- to destroy the works of the Devil. So that's what we're gonna do."

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Dove World Outreach Center

CORRECTED: Florida 'Church' Plans To Burn Korans On 9/11

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 26, 2010, 3:22PM

Dr. Terry Jones, leader of the Dove World Outreach Center

On September 11, members of the Dove World Outreach Center -- a Gainesville, Florida church -- plan to burn copies of the Koran to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The protest is just the latest in a series of provocative actions from the self-described "New Testament Church," which seems as interested in getting attention as it is in sharing the Word with the world. Unfortunately, their plan seems to have worked -- and local investigators began probing the church's tax-exempt status last year after reports that Dove World Outreach Center is essentially a scam.

The church, which was founded in 1986, has long been controversial in Gainesville. The Koran-burning protest is just the latest in a string of high-profile "protests on other issues, such as homosexuality, same-sex marriage, and abortion," Religion News Service reports. But it seems clear that taking on Muslims is the one of the church's central goals. The church's leader, Dr. Terry Jones -- who before heading up the Dove World Outreach Center ran a sister church in Cologne, Germany -- has published a book entitled "Islam is of the Devil" and last year posted a large sign outside his church that offered passing commuters the same message. Last year, members sent their kids to public schools wearing "Islam Is Of The Devil" t-shirts (the students were sent home, creating more headlines.) The church's website features a number of videos where Jones takes on Islam as...well, you can probably guess.

But as the Gainesville Sun reported last year, there is one thing Jones likes doing more than burning books -- and that's making money. Sun reporter Megan Rolland delved into the church's numerous for-profit business interests and found a church that local officials say may be violating its tax-exempt status.

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