Remember Terry Jones? The pastor of the tiny, fundamentalist Dove World Outreach Church in Gainesville, who set off a mini-international spectacle by threatening to host International Burn a Koran Day on the anniversary of 9/11? After widespread criticism and condemnation, he decided to call it off, but this past weekend, Jones's church made good on the threat and burned a Koran during a service.
During Dove World's Sunday service, Jones declared the book guilty of crimes after an eight-minute "trial" and sentenced it to an "execution." Wayne Sapp, a fellow pastor, lit the book on fire. The Koran had been soaking in kerosene for several hours. Sapp ignited it with a barbecue lighter as it sat in a metal tray in the middle of the church.
Only 30 people turned out for the event. But those who did show up were apparently quite enthusiastic.
"These people [Muslims], for me, are like monsters," supporter Jadwiga Schatz told the New York Daily News. "I hate these people."
Jones said he had decided to postpone the demonstration because he was "trying to give the Muslim world an opportunity to defend their book." Apparently, the Muslim world had better things to do than defend its magical book of tall tales to a man who clearly prefers to misinterpret his own favorite magical book of tall tales.
God wasn't available for comment, but her press assistant indicated to Riptide she had just the place in the afterlife for people who enjoy being surrounded by flames.
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