Florida Church To Hold "International Burn A Koran Day"

 AHN

Gainesville, FL, United States (AHN) - A church in Florida plans to burn Korans on the anniversary of 9/11 this year, drawing fire from American Muslims and pundits already engaged in debate about a planned mosque near Ground Zero. Dove World Outreach Center, a New Testament Church in Gainesville, will burn the Koran on the night of Sept. 11 "to stand against the evil of Islam." Its senior pastor, Terry Jones, is author of a new book, "Islam is of the Devil."

The church early this month led a protest outside the Islamic Center of Gainesville. It plans to hold a "No Homo Mayor" rally against Craig Lowe, the first openly gay mayor of the city, next week.

"There is only one true book, and that is the Bible," Jones says in an episode of his Braveheart Show on YouTube. "Demand that all Moslems that are here must adapt to our values, that they become Americans... You come here... you adapt to our values, our Constitution, our way of life... We should stop, immediately, the building of all mosques in America."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has called on American Muslims to host "Share a Koran" dinners in August, when Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is observed.

The civil rights group believes distributing copies of the text to the public, law enforcement officials and journalists will provide accurate information about Islam and thereby decrease anti-Muslim bias.

"American Muslims and other people of conscience should support positive educational efforts to prevent the spread of Islamophobia," Ibrahim Hooper, CAIR national communications director, said in a statement.

The controversy over Dove World Outreach Center's planned 9/11 activity comes amid debate about the construction of a mosque near Ground Zero.

The proposal would turn the old Burlington Coat Factory building in New York City into a $100 million center that will have a mosque, a 500-seat auditorium, swimming pool, art exhibition spaces, bookstores and restaurants.

The project is the brainchild of Feisal Abdul Rauf, imam of a New York City mosque and founder of a non-profit, the Cordoba Initiative, that aims to "bring together leaders across the Muslim-West divide."

Proponents say the facility, called Cordoba House, seeks to foster better ties between Muslims and all other faiths. The project has the support of community and city officials, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and the September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.

Opponents of the facility have questioned Rauf's image as a moderate Muslim and argued that a mosque near hallowed ground is an assault on the memory of 9/11 victims.

Four planes were hijacked by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001. Two of the planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, one crashed into the Pentagon and the other into a field in Pennsylvania. A total of 2,973 people died.