Terry Jones (pastor)
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A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject. (November 2012) |
| Terry Jones | |
|---|---|
 Jones in March 2011 |
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| Born | October 1951 (age 61) |
| Residence | Gainesville, Florida |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | High school degree, two years of college |
| Alma mater | Central High School, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Southeast Missouri State University |
| Occupation | Pastor |
| Years active | 1981-present |
| Organization | Dove World Outreach Center |
| Known for | Qur'an burning |
| Home town | Cape Girardeau, Missouri |
| Political party | independent |
| Religion | Nondenominational Christianity |
| Spouse(s) | Sylvia |
| Awards | Honorary degree from California Graduate School of Theology |
Terry Jones (born October 1951) is the pastor of Dove World Outreach Center, a small nondenominational Christian church in Gainesville, Florida.[1] He first gained national and international attention in 2010 for his plan to burn Qur'ans, the scripture of the Islamic religion, on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. He was a self-declared independent presidential candidate in the 2012 U.S. Presidential election.
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Biography
Early life and education
Jones, a native of Cape Girardeau, Missouri,[2] graduated from Cape Girardeau's Central High School in 1969.[3][4] He then attended Southeast Missouri State University for two years. Jones received no academic degree in theology but was given an honorary degree from the unaccredited California Graduate School of Theology in 1983, which sought to disassociate itself from him during the 2010 Qur'an burning controversy.[2][5]
Career
Jones worked as an assistant hotel manager in the late 1970s, then became an assistant pastor with Maranatha Campus Ministries in Kentucky.[2][6][1] He went to Cologne, Germany with his first wife to work as a missionary[2] and founded and led the Christliche Gemeinde Köln (CGK) in 1981, with that church growing to as many as 1,000 members over the years.[7] initially as a branch of the Maranatha Campus Ministries and a sister church to Dove World Outreach Center of Gainesville, Florida. In 2002, Jones was fined $3800 by a Cologne court for using the "doctor" title awarded with an honorary degree from an unaccredited school.[8]
According to the German Evangelical Alliance, Jones was released from the leadership of the Christliche Gemeinde Köln in 2008 due to his indefensible theological statements and his craving for attention.[9] The Gainesville Sun reported that he left the church in Germany after being accused of fraud.[2] A leader of the Cologne church said that Jones "didn't project the biblical values and Christianity, but always made himself the center of everything."[this quote needs a citation] German press agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported that church members said Jones ran the Cologne church like a sect leader and used psychological pressure on members, “subordinating all activities to his will.”[10] Der Spiegel reported that Jones had been ejected by Cologne church for creating "a climate of control and fear."[11][12] Following Jones' departure, the CGK closed, then reopened under new, independent, leadership.
Jones came to lead the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida church by way of his association with the Maranatha Campus Ministries.[5]
In October 2010, Jones founded the political organization, Stand Up America Now. [13] [14]
On October 27, 2011, Jones announced that he was running for President of the United States,[15][16] as an independent candidate, with no political party affiliation.[17] He remarked that he was entering the race because none of the candidates were adequately communicating the dire state of the U.S. economy to the U.S. citizenry.[18] His platform calls for the deportation of all illegal immigrants, withdrawal of American troops abroad, and a reduction in bureaucracy and corporate tax rates.[19]
Personal life
His first wife, Lisa Jones, died in 1996,[3] after which he married Sylvia Jones, with whom he runs TS and Company.[5] His daughter of the first marriage, Emma, has distanced herself from his beliefs and practices.[20]
Controversies
Qur'an burning controversy and aftermath
Jones believes Islam promotes violence and that Muslims want to impose sharia law in the United States.[1] He authored a book titled, Islam Is of the Devil,[1] but did not become widely known until after announcing plans to burn copies of the Qur'an.[21]
Jones was invited to an English Defence League rally in Luton in February 2011 to share his views on Islamic extremism. Anti-fascist group Hope not Hate successfully petitioned the Home Secretary to have Jones banned from entering the UK.[22][23]
On April 28, 2012, Jones, and about 20 others, burned copies of the Qur'an. He was fined $271 by Gainesville Fire Rescue for burning books without authorization.[24]
Canada
On October 11, 2012, Jones was barred from entering Canada, where he was scheduled to attend a debate on free speech. He was blocked at the U.S.-Canada border in Windsor, Ontario, because of a previous legal infraction in the US and because the German government has issued a complaint against him.[25][26]
Obama effigy
In 2012 Jones hanged an effigy of Barack Obama in the front yard of the Dove World Outreach Center.[27] Another effigy of Barack Obama was burned along with an effigy of Bill Clinton in January 2013.[28]
Innocence of Muslims film
In September 2012, it was reported by The Atlantic that Terry Jones was involved in the promotion of a movie vilifying Islam, titled Innocence of Muslims.[29] The movie led to protests in Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia and Libya. In Cairo, protesters breached the wall of the U.S. Embassy and burned the flag.[30] The U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, was largely burnt and looted;[31][32] killing Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other American citizens.[33] Jones screened the film for his followers on September 11, 2012, a day he dubbed, "International Judge Mohammad Day".[33]
On October 2012, Jones was set to discuss the film in a Canadian event, but he was denied entry into the country after being detained by border officials.[34]
In November 2012, an Egyptian court convicted Jones in absentia and sentenced him to death on charges linked to the anti-Islam film.[35]
References
- ^ a b c d Goldman, Russell (September 7, 2010). "Who Is Terry Jones? Pastor Behind 'Burn a Koran Day': Controversial Florida Pastor Preaches 'Islam Is of the Devil'". ABC News.
- ^ a b c d e Chad Smith and Kimberly C. Moore (September 11, 2010). "A whirlwind of attention later, Dove World's pastor remains on the fringe". The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
- ^ a b Frankel, Todd (September 10, 2010). ""Quran-burning" Fla. pastor is Cape Girardeau native, ex-classmate of Rush Limbaugh". Saint Louis Post-Dispatch.
- ^ He was in the same class as Rush Limbaugh.
- ^ a b c Gibson, David (September 8, 2010). "Who Is Pastor Terry Jones, and Why Is He Burning to Torch the Koran?". Political News Daily.
- ^ Alfono, Sean (September 8, 2010). "Pastor Terry Jones says Jesus Christ would burn Korans, will go ahead with controversial 9/11 event". New York Daily News.
- ^ Kate Connolly in Berlin (September 9, 2010). "German church disowns Terry Jones, Qur'an-burning American preacher". London: The Guardian (UK). Retrieved September 13, 2010.
- ^ Rachel Zoll (September 8, 2010). "Pastor on Fringe of US Christian Life". The Boston Globe. Associated Press.
- ^ "German Evangelical Alliance distanced themselves from the burning of a Koran" (in German).
- ^ Niels Sorrells and Quaran Buring (September 8, 2010). "Pastor’s Former German Church Denounces Him". Religion News Service.
- ^ Musharbash, Yassin; Dominik Peters (September 8, 2010). "Islamophobe's Past in Germany: Terry Jones Accused of 'Spiritual Abuse' at Cologne Church". Der Spiegel.
- ^ Daily Mail Reporter (September 10, 2010). "How pastor Terry Jones was expelled from a church in Germany for creating 'a climate of control and fear'". Daily Mail.
- ^ http://www.wtsp.com/news/topstories/story.aspx?storyid=150398
- ^ http://www.standupamericanow.org/
- ^ Shellnutt, Kate (October 27, 2011). "Quran-burning pastor announces presidential run". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
- ^ Goldman, Russell (October 27, 2011). "‘Burn a Quran’ Pastor Terry Jones Sets Sights on White House but He’ll Settle for Herman Cain". ABC News. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
- ^ His filing as a candidate with the Federal Election Commission filing lists "NPA" as his party."Statement of Candidacy of Jones, Terry Dr.". FEC. November 1, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
- ^ Weinstein, Jamie (November 2, 2011). "Quran-burning pastor says he’s not as smart as Herman Cain, but seriously entering presidential race". The Daily Caller. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
- ^ Shahid, Aliyah (October 27, 2011). "Terry Jones, Florida pastor who oversaw Koran burning: I am running for President in 2012". Daily News (New York). Retrieved September 12, 2012.
- ^ Musharbash, Yassin (September 10, 2010). "Interview with Pastor Jones’ daughter: 'Papa, don’t do it'. (translated from German)". Spiegel Online International. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
- ^ Cave, Damien (August 25, 2010). "Far From Ground Zero, Obscure Pastor Is Ignored No Longer". New York Times.
- ^ "Koran-protest pastor Terry Jones invited to UK rally". BBC News. December 12, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
- ^ "Koran-protest US pastor Terry Jones excluded from UK". BBC News. December 19, 2011.
- ^ "Florida pastor burns Islam's holy book". PressTV.com. April 30, 2012.
- ^ "Koran-burning U.S. pastor barred from entering Canada for debate". Reuters. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
- ^ Koran-burning pastor Terry Jones barred from Canada for anti-Muslim film debate by Stewart Bell, National Post, October 11, 2012.
- ^ "Koran-Hating Pastor Hangs Barack Obama In Effigy In Florida Church's Front Yard". The Smoking Gun. June 8, 2012.
- ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/28/pastor-terry-jones-obama-clinton-effigy-gay-rights-_n_2567595.html
- ^ Fisher, Max (September 11, 2012). "The Movie So Offensive That Egyptians Just Stormed the U.S. Embassy Over It". (includes clips from movie) (The Atlantic). Retrieved September 11, 2012.
- ^ "Egypt protesters breach US embassy over 'insulting' film". (includes video report) (BBC News Online). September 11, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
- ^ "Libya militias storm US consulate over 'insulting' film". BBC News Online. September 11, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
- ^ Labott, Elise; Karadsheh, Jomana (September 11, 2012). "Libya reports employee at U.S. consulate killed during protests, U.S. official says". CNN. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
- ^ a b Hernández, Arelis R. (September 12, 2012). "Terry Jones: Florida pastor linked to bombing protests". Orlando Sentinel.
- ^ U.S. pastor Terry Jones denied entry into Canada retrieved 25 October 2012
- ^ http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/11/28/egyptian-court-sentences-american-pastor-terry-jones-to-death-over-anti-muhammad-video/
