Saturday, April 28, 2012

Update - Pastor Terry Jones follows through on his threats to burn the Qu'ran and image of Mohammed.. .....April 28th - 5pm deadline - Pastor Terry Jones , snake oil salesman and self promoter , plans to further spread his special brand of hatred and lack of religious tolerance. If he does follow through on his threats to burn Qu'rans and images of Muhammad , consider this the starting gun for the next round of upheaval in the MENA region...

http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/04/29/211022.html

( Hmm , are the islamists just ignoring Pastor Terry or has burning the Qu'ran become an annoyance to be ignored  ? )


This time, U.S. pastor Terry Jones received a $271 fine and a slap on the hand by a local fire department.

Indeed, Pastor Jones had stuck to his promise: to burn copies of the Quran and images depicting Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) by Saturday April 28 at 5 p.m. if an Iranian Christian cleric on death row was not released by then.
And sure enough, the clock struck 5 and Jones began to give a speech to about 20 people that had gathered in front of his church in Florida for the planned burning.

From afar, “a few people watched the scene, but there were no protesters,” the Florida-based Ocala website reported, adding that the event was streamed online.
The pastor was joined by another clergyman who also gave a speech at a podium, demanding the release of the Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani from an Iranian prison.

Nadarkhani has been charged with apostasy and sentenced to death for leaving Islam and converting to Christianity.

Moments later, Jones began to burn copies of Islam’s holy book and an image supposedly depicting Prophet Mohammed in front of his church, as seen in a 38 minute-long video on the website of Jones’ organization, Stand Up America Now.

But the pastor was soon interrupted by officers from both the local police and fire departments.

The Gainesville Fire Rescue department issued the church a citation for violating the city’s fire ordinances. According to a fire department official, Jones “had approval for a burn but did not have the required authorization to burn books,” Ocala reported.Jones was then handed a $271 fine, which included court costs.

He was fined because the Florida city of Gainesville has “restrictive fire ordinances,” which dictate that “books cannot be burned without authorization because of environmental concerns over the burning of glue and bindings in books,” the local fire chief said.

Now, this was a spanner thrown in the works that perhaps Jones wasn’t even expecting. He could not even retort back with a “constitutional right to protest” argument; the environmental safety regulations had spoken.

Last week, the pastor’s threats had reached the Pentagon, after which a spokesman came out and essentially pleaded with Jones not to carry through with his threats, reminding the world of last year’s uproar when he had first burned copies of the Quran.

“The last time Pastor Jones burned a Quran, back in March of 2011, more than 16 people died and more than 90 people were injured from the resulting protests. We hope Pastor Jones will take into account the safety and welfare of deployed U.S. military personnel before engaging in such an activity again,” Pentagon spokesman Commander Bill Speaks told the Guardian.

The other fear was that Jones’ behavior could be used as insurgent propaganda, inspiring an Islamist militant backlash.

Last year, Jones burned a Quran also on the grounds of his church in Florida which prompted attacks on a U.N. compound in Afghanistan where seven people died.

When he threatened to burn the books again this time round, he was asked about the cost in terms of the lives lost in his previous escapade; Jones told the Guardian that the impact of his Quran burning was not his responsibility.

“What happened last time and what could happen this time is not our responsibility. All we did was burn a book. It posed no threat to anyone else, yet riots broke out several thousand miles away – which just proves how extreme Islam is,” he said.He had also threatened to burn more books on last year’s anniversary of the September 11 attacks but after international outrage, the burnings never took place. Jones had told authorities he received numerous death threats because of the planned protest, which he called off amid the increasing pressure from world leaders.

Interestingly, this time there was no widespread rioting and reports of condemnation from around the world both leading up to and after the burning. In fact, Saturday’s Quran burning was scarcely reported and the local Florida news website was one of the few reports available online.

A few Facebook pages were launched in recent weeks with the titles: “We Protest Against Burn the Quran Day (by Pastor Terry Jones)” and “Pastor Terry Jones is back” but no major Islamic body or rights organization has spoken out against the burning as of yet.

Could this be the quiet before the storm? Had the world grown tired with Pastor Jones’ threats? Or could many have been relying on America to stop him in his tracks?

“It is the job of the Americans to stop this person, otherwise the militants, the insurgents will use this opportunity and the people will help them,” Jamshed Hashimi, a 45-year-old teacher at one of the private universities of Kabul, told the Guardian.

“Islam doesn’t allow us to dishonor the Christian holy book, so it is the job of Christians to respect the holy Quran as well,” he added.

Indeed these arguments are rich with religious magnitudes that should always be discussed, but perhaps the intervention of a local fire department effectually dumbed down Jones’ statement as a self-professed scourge of Islam this time round.

After all, one could always ask, just where were Gainesville Fire Department’s “restrictive fire ordinances” last year, when Jones burned copies of the Quran on the same Florida church grounds in 2011?


http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120428/ARTICLES/120429572


Pastor burns holy books in protest of imprisoned clergyman

Published: Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 9:07 p.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 9:07 p.m.
Dove World Outreach Center pastor Terry Jones on Saturday burned copies of the Quran and an image depicting Muhammad in front of his church to protest the imprisonment in Iran of a Christian clergyman.
Moments later, Gainesville Fire Rescue issued the church a citation for violating the city's fire ordinances.
Saturday's act of protest took place in spite of published reports that the Pentagon had urged Jones to reconsider, expressing concern that American soldiers in Afghanistan and elsewhere could be put at greater risk because of the act.
A little more than a year ago, on March 20, 2011, Dove World assistant pastor Wayne Sapp burned a copy of the Quran and broadcast it on the Internet. Reports and images of the Quran burning incited violence in northern Afghanistan in which at least 12 people were killed. Days later, a man wearing an Afghan border police uniform shot dead two American military personnel.
Dove World denied responsibility then for the deaths.
About 20 people gathered Saturday on church property at 5805 NW 37th Street about 5 p.m. for the planned burning. Several Gainesville police officers were stationed across the street from the church or were patrolling the area. A few people watched the scene, but there were no protesters.

Jones and another pastor demanded the release of the Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani from an Iranian prison. Jones said Nadarkhani faces execution.
Jones spoke at a podium that was far enough away that he could not be heard by people along 37th Street. The event was streamed live over the Internet.
After the speeches, copies of the Islamic holy book and an image depicting Muhammad were burned at about 5:50 p.m. in a portable fire pit. Shortly afterward, officers in two Gainesville Police Department cars drove onto the property. With them was a GFR official, who issued the citation.
Fire Chief Gene Prince, contacted by The Sun afterward, said Jones had approval for a burn but did not have the required authorization to burn books. Prince said Gainesville has restrictive fire ordinances, adding that books cannot be burned without authorization because of environmental concerns over the burning of glue and bindings in books.
The fine is $271, which includes court costs, Prince said.
Several onlookers watched the event from across 37th Street. Some said they wished Jones and Dove World would stop its activities or relocate, while others noted that Jones has a constitutional right to protest.
Jones first drew attention in July 2009, when he placed signs reading "Islam is of the Devil" on church property and when students who belong to the church later wore T-shirts with the words to public schools.
In September 2010, he drew international focus with a plan to burn Qurans. The U.S. government warned of reprisals against military in Iraq and Afghanistan if the burning took place. President Obama and the Vatican, among others, condemned the plan, which Jones later called off.


    http://www.iranian.com/main/news/2012/04/27/american-pastor-terry-jones-burn-qurans-again-unless-iranian-pastor-nadarkhani-relea


    American pastor Terry Jones to burn Qurans again -unless Iranian Pastor Nadarkhani is released
    Christian Today / Katherine Weber
    27-Apr-2012 (one comment)
    Pastor Terry Jones has once again threatened to burn Qurans, this time in protest of Iran's continued imprisonment of Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. The Florida minister, whose previous protests attracted violent reaction, tells CP why he is once more taking such a controversial stance.
    Jones and his organization are calling for supporters worldwide to burn copies of the Islamic holy book and images of the faith's founder the prophet Muhammad. The controversial pastor plans to carry out his own torching this Saturday, April 28 at 5 p.m. ET in front of his church, Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla.
    Jones told The Christian Post Wednesday that the service will be roughly an hour long, during which he will speak on "the last 1,400 years of Islamic persecution of Christians, believers, nonbelievers, homosexuals, and women."
    "We'll be dealing with the injustice that has gone on, and continues to go on, under Islam," he told CP, calling the faith a "bully."
    Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who has been imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith since Oct. 2009, represents "all of the death and destruction caused by Islam, and the apathy and the lack of us really doing anything. Of course if our government would put pressure on Iran, we could do more, [as well as] with the help of the United Nations," the minister said.

    and....

    http://moroccoworldnews.com/2012/04/36530/u-s-pastor-to-burn-qurans-prophet-images-if-christian-cleric-executed/

    U.S. pastor to burn Qurans, Prophet ‘images’ if Christian cleric executed

    U.S. pastor Terry Jones has set a deadline for the release of Iranian cleric Youcef Nadakhani otherwise he warned of a repeat of last year’s Quran burning.
    April 24, 2012 (Alarabiya)
    U.S. pastor Terry Jones, a self-professed scourge of Islam, has threatened to “burn Qurans and images of Prophet Mohammed” if a Christian religious leader in Iran is not released from jail, he announced on his organization’s website this week.
    Jones has set a deadline of 5 p.m. on Saturday April 28 for the release of Iranian pastor Youcef Nadakhani otherwise he warned of a repeat of last year’s Quran burning which led to widespread rioting and deaths around the world.
    Nadarkhani, who has been charged with apostasy and sentenced to death for leaving Islam and converting to Christianity, receives support from Jones through his organization, Stand Up America Now.
    “The time of doing nothing must come to an end. We call citizens around the world to burn Qurans and images of Mohammed publicly if Pastor Youcef is executed and not released!” a statement on the site said. It is unclear which images of the Prophet (pbuh) the statement referred to.
    “Even the actual thought that someone could possibly be executed, imprisoned, just simply because of what he believes is totally barbaric … Again, another example of the radical element of Islam, and its unbelievable violations of human rights, and freedom of speech.,” it added.
    In March last year, Jones burned a Quran on the grounds of his church in Florida which prompted attacks on a U.N. compound in Afghanistan where seven people died.
    When asked about the cost in terms of the lives lost in his previous escapade, Jones told the Guardian that the impact of his Quran burning was not his responsibility.
    “What happened last time and what could happen this time is not our responsibility. All we did was burn a book. It posed no threat to anyone else, yet riots broke out several thousand miles away – which just proves how extreme Islam is.”
    He threatened to burn more books on last year’s anniversary of the September 11 attacks but after international outrage, the burnings never took place.
    The Pentagon is urging restraint after the Florida pastor announced his threats.
    “We are aware of Pastor Terry Jones’ threat to burn a Quran, and are monitoring the situation,” Pentagon spokesman Commander Bill Speaks told the Guardian. “The last time Pastor Jones burned a Quran, back in March of 2011, more than 16 people died and more than 90 people were injured from the resulting protests. We hope Pastor Jones will take into account the safety and welfare of deployed U.S. military personnel before engaging in such an activity again.”
    There are also worries that Jones’ behavior could be used as insurgent propaganda if the pastor burns copies of the Quran again.
    “Islam doesn’t allow us to dishonor the Christian holy book, so it is the job of Christians to respect the holy Quran as well,” Jamshed Hashimi, a 45-year-old teacher at one of the private universities of Kabul, told the newspaper.
    “It is the job of the Americans to stop this person, otherwise the militants, the insurgents will use this opportunity and the people will help them,” he added.

    and....

    http://islamnewsroom.com/news-we-need/1842

    Here he is AGAIN - the "Quran Burning Preacher in Florida" . . . 

    US Christian cleric Terry Jones has called for a World Wide Burning of holy Qurans on Saturday (TODAY) if the Iranian government does not release Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, a convert and preacher of Christianity in Iran.

    Terry alleges that Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian preacher was imprisoned for calling to Christianity and he now faces execution (according to some reports).
    ‘‘His fate is in the hands of Ayatullah Haajj Sayyid Ali Khamenei and those that can influence the Iranian government to release him so that he can rejoin his family and freely practice his chosen religion.’’ Terry claims.
    He said his church had contacted Islamic leaders and Islamic government officials around the world and warned them that they would burn Qurans if Youcef was not released.
    Demands
    ‘‘If Pastor Youcef is not released by 5 pm April 28th we shall burn the Qurans’’ the radical cleric warned.
    It is reported that on April 24th, General John R. Allen, Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A) called Terry Jones and expressed his fear of retaliation against the US Military in Afghanistan if Terry carry’s on with his plans for April 28th. Terry is reported to have said he will continue with his plans. Religious analysts say if Terry burns the Quran they might be a huge backlash for him and his supporters.
    Efforts to get a comment from the Iranian embassy in South Africa regarding this issue were futile as no one answered the phone.

    This pastor in Florida is at it again. But now he is threatening the government of Iran. Last time it was Afghanistan that came under his attacks and USA government had to quiet him down to avoid attacks there against US military.

    This man needs to be exposed for what he really is - a cheap, lying self-promoted "wanna-be" famous preacher...
    We need to all work together collectively to let everyone know about "Laa elaha ill lah".

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