Church rebuffs military concerns on Quran burning

By Mitch Stacy/AP

Posted: September 7, 2010 at 12:21 p.m.

(AP Photo/John Raoux)
Rev. Terry Jones at the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., Monday, Aug. 30, 2010. Jones plans to burn copies of the Quran on church grounds to mark the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States that provoked the Afghan war.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A Christian minister said Tuesday that he will go ahead with plans to burn copies of the Quran this weekend to protest the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks despite a warning from the top U.S. general in Afghanistan that doing so would endanger American troops.

Pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center said he understands Gen. David Petraeus' concerns, but plans to go forward with the burning this Saturday, the ninth anniversary of the attacks.

He left the door open to change his mind, however, saying that he is still praying about his decision.

Petraeus warned Tuesday in an e-mail to The Associated Press that "images of the burning of a Quran would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan — and around the world — to inflame public opinion and incite violence."

Jones told the AP in a phone interview that he is also concerned but wonders how many times the U.S. can back down.

"We think it's time to turn the tables, and instead of possibly blaming us for what could happen, we put the blame where it belongs — on the people who would do it," he said. "And maybe instead of addressing us, we should address radical Islam and send a very clear warning that they are not to retaliate in any form."

Jones, who runs the small, evangelical Christian church with an anti-Islam philosophy, says he has received more than 100 death threats and has started wearing a .40-caliber pistol strapped to his hip.

The threats started not long after the 58-year-old minister proclaimed in July that he would stage "International Burn a Quran Day." Supporters have been mailing copies of the Islamic holy text to his Dove World Outreach Center to be incinerated in a bonfire that evening.

The fire department has denied Jones a required burn permit for Sept. 11, but he has vowed to go ahead with his event. He said lawyers have told him his right to burn the Quran is protected by the First Amendment whether he's got permission from the city or not.

Muslims consider the Quran to be the word of God and insist it be treated with the utmost respect, along with any printed material containing its verses or the name of Allah or the Prophet Muhammad. Any intentional damage or show of disrespect to the Quran is deeply offensive.

In this progressive north Florida town of 125,000 anchored by the sprawling University of Florida campus, the lanky preacher with the bushy white mustache is mostly seen as a fringe character who doesn't deserve the attention he's getting.

Still, at least two dozen Christian churches, Jewish temples and Muslim organizations in Gainesville have mobilized to plan inclusive events — some will read from the Quran at their own weekend services — to counter what Jones is doing. A student group is organizing a protest across the street from the church Saturday.

Jones, who has about 50 followers, gained some local notoriety last year when he posted signs in front of his small church proclaiming "Islam is of the Devil." But his Quran-burning scheme, after it caught fire on the Internet, brought rebukes from Muslim nations and an avalanche of media interview requests just as an emotional debate was taking shape over the proposed Islamic center near the Ground Zero site in New York.

The Quran, according to Jones, is "evil" because it espouses something other than the Christian biblical truth and incites radical, violent behavior among Muslims.

"It's hard for people to believe, but we actually feel this is a message that we have been called to bring forth," he said last week. "And because of that, we do not feel like we can back down."

FBI agents have visited to talk about their concerns for Jones' safety, as multiple Facebook pages with thousands of members have popped up hailing him as either a hero or a dangerous pariah.

His plan has drawn formal condemnation from the world's pre-eminent Sunni Muslim institution of learning, Al-Azhar University in Egypt, whose Supreme Council accused the church of stirring up hate and discrimination and called on other American churches speak out against it. Last month, Indonesian Muslims demonstrated outside the U.S. embassy in Jakarta, threatening violence if Jones goes through with it.

"Whenever there's a perception that America is somehow anti-Muslim, that harms our image and interests around the Islamic world," said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Relations, a Washington-based Muslim civil rights group that has worked to discredit Jones and counter his message.

___

Associated Press Writer Kimberly Dozier in Kabul, Afghanistan, contributed to this report.

Comments

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I have not read of any muslims burning bibles. It is not right to to burn what others believe to be thier religious beliefs.

Posted by: martywilliams105261712

September 8, 2010 at 10:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

"The Quran, according to Jones, is "evil" because it espouses something other than the Christian biblical truth and incites radical, violent behavior among Muslims."

And in response, many Muslims around the world have pledged acts of violence if this event takes place. Sounds like he's made his point.

This was like the Danish cartoonist who drew Mohammed with a bomb as a turban, implying that muslims were violent. In return, some Muslims wanted him killed. Quod erat demonstrandum.

Posted by: x3

September 8, 2010 at 11:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

I want the Northwest Arkansas community, especially those of non-Christian faiths, to know that mainstream Christian churches such as the community church I am privileged to serve (Christ's Church, Fayetteville) stand in opposition to the demeaning of any faith.

We, at Christ's Church, consider it an extreme perversion of Christ's message for someone to use hate-filled speech and actions tying political agendas to the 'cause' of Christ.

We apologize to the Muslim community for the intent of some, in the name of Christianity, to desecrate the Quran.

We denounce with strong and sincere emotion this great insult to you and your faith.

We pray for your peace and well-being.
jim huffman
pastor - Christ's Church
a non-denominational community church in Fayetteville, Arkansas

Posted by: Jim_Huffman

September 8, 2010 at 11:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

I speak for no church, only for myself as an American citizen, in support of the right to freedom *of* (and freedom *from*) religion, and freedom of speech. The latter includes dissemination of thoughts, beliefs, facts, and fantasies, about religion, or any other topic.

So, I oppose the burning of *any* books, particularly if the reason is because it offends someone's religious beliefs. Iran's spiritual leader the Ayatollah issued a "fatwa" ordering the death of Salmon Ruside, author of "The Satanic Verses", because the work was preceived to have slighted or insulted Islam. That was and is as stupid and backward as this minister who wants to hold a "Burn a Koran" day.

Responsibility is the flip-side of freedom. If we want freedom of religion, then we must practice tolerence of the freedom of *everyone* to choose and practice their faith.

What freedom of religion in America does not include, however, is the freedom to commit acts of aggression or terrorism against others because they don't do to suit your personal religious beliefs. It's high time that secularists and sensible, balanced peoples of faith, "read the riot act" to the fundamentalists of all faiths, particularly of Islam and Christianity. Fundamentalists are dangerous people and will undermine the safety and freedoms of us all if we don't regularly take steps to call them out and demand that they cease and desist their controlling ways.

Posted by: SPA

September 8, 2010 at 12:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Does this minister of Christianity believe he will attract others to his faith by his hate filled message. Maybe instead of burning the Qu'ran he should study it. He might learn that there are many references to Abraham, Moses, Jesus. Mohammad exalts these leaders of our christian faith. How about we hold the man that carried out the 9/11 attacks accountable. If this Christan leader wants to hold the persons responsible accountable. He should pack his bags and head over to Pakistan where Bin Laden and his followers are hiding and gearing up for another attack. I bet there are lots of Muslims over there that would love for that tyrant to be removed from their homeland too. Wouldn't that tell a story of faith.

Posted by: BarbaraByler

September 9, 2010 at 7:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

I remember long ago holding my Grandmother’s hand and crying one night when the school board in her hometown burned books. I weep now and am ashamed that today, in this great country that some twit in Florida is going to burn the Quran. We have more freedom than most people in the world and yet we choose to not learn from our mistakes. All I have to say to Pastor Jones is “Shame on you young man, and go to your room!”

Posted by: VickiSue

September 9, 2010 at 9:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

While I don't approve of burning any book, especially religious books of any faith, the same freedom that allows people to burn our flag, the Christian Bible, etc., gives this pastor the right to burn the Quran if he chooses to do so. Hopefully people of the Muslim faith will recognize this fact and will 'turn the other cheek' and pray for this man, just as I pray for those radical Muslims who plant bombs in various places in the United States. I don't place all Muslims with the radical Muslims who are terrorists, and hopefully the Muslim community will feel the same about radical Christian groups such as this particular pastor.

Posted by: edickins

September 9, 2010 at 4:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

This is not the last time we will hear from him or his congregation.

Posted by: Tumblebug

September 9, 2010 at 5:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )