The Gainesville Sun is reporting that Gainesville city officials have denied a burn permit for a church that plans to burn copies of the Koran on Sept. 11.
Interim Fire Chief Gene Prince said Wednesday that an open burning of books is not allowed under the city’s burning ordinance. Prince says the church will be fined if it holds the burning.
Last month, The Dove World Outreach Center of Gainesville made international headlines when it announced on its Facebook page that members of its congregation would burn copies of the Koran to mark the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the U.S. Church leaders asked other religious groups to join in standing, “against the evil of Islam,” and saying “Islam is of the devil!”
In an e-mail sent out Wednesday, the church’s pastor, Terry Jones, said, “City of Gainesville denies burn permit — BUT WE WILL STILL BURN KORANS.”
Jones — who has written a book titled “Islam is of The Devil” and sells T-shirts bearing the same message — has defended the controversial event and agreed to speak to FOX 35 last week.
The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) has called for the church to cancel the event, The Christian Post reported last month.
(Source: MyFox Orlando)
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8 Responses
have they actually read it? what do they object to at the time and place it was written? adonai echad emes
I don’t think they would have any problem raising the money for the fine.
Why stick up for a religion (Islam) that, whenever they can get away with it, destroys the books and artifacts of other religions?
did you read it? there are plenty site you can..remember there 2 versions, one that was sanitized for the gulliable lefty western readers and the original ones they put out for middle east
1. They can just as easily destroy it without burning. It is a fire prevention law at issue, not a statute on religious toleration.
2. Most cities restrict open fires for obvious safety reasons (same issue we have on Erev Pesach and Lag BaOmer).
There are many work arounds. The Church probably prefers the publicity of being “banned”.
3. It is rude and provocative, and accomplishes nothing. Of course, that makes it an ideal symbolic gesture.
If they get away with this what is to stop them from burning a torah?
This “religious” leader sounds like a total nut job.
Our opinions of what may or may not be in the book are irrelevant. Book burning is a dangerous thing that quickly leads down a very dark path. As Jews we should know that better than anyone.
It is safer and a worse insult to step on the Koran. Just imbed them in the concrete.
#5 & #6 you are 100% correct. I heard him interviewed on the radio, he is a wacko, his church has all of 50 members; someone like that is certain to be no friend of ours either