Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 11:09, 12 September 2012

Terry Jones
Jones in March 2011
Born	October 1951
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
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Sylvia
Awards	Honorary degree from California Graduate School of Theology

Terry Jones (born October 1951) is the senior pastor of Dove World Outreach Center in Gainsville, Florida, the author of the book Islam Is of the Devil, and a 2012 independent presidential candidate.

Biography

Early life and education

Jones, a native of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, graduated from Cape Girardeau's Central High School in 1969. 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 Koran burning controversy.

Career

Jones worked as an assistant hotel manager in the late 1970s, then became an assistant pastor with Maranatha Campus Ministries in Kentucky. He went to Cologne, Germany with his first wife to work as a missionary 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. 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 title "doctor" when all he had was an honorary degree from an unaccredited school. 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. The Gainesville Sun reported that he left the church in Germany after being accused of fraud. 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." 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.” Der Spiegel reported that Jones had been ejected by Cologne church for creating "a climate of control and fear." 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.

Personal life

His first wife died in 1996, after which he married Sylvia Jones, with whom he runs TS and Company; a vintage furniture outlet on eBay.

Controversies

Qur'an burning controversy and aftermath

Jones believes Islam promotes violence and that Muslims want to impose sharia law in the United States. He became widely known after announcing plans to burn copies of the Qur'an.

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.

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.

2012 presidential candidacy

On October 27, 2011, Jones announced that he was running for President of the United States. Noting that he was not as intelligent as Herman Cain, 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.

His platform calls for the deportation of all illegal immigrants, withdrawal of American troops abroad, and a reduction in bureaucracy and corporate tax rates. Under party, his FEC filing lists NPA.

Film controversy

In September 2012 it was reported that Terry Jones was involved in the production of a low-budget film movie vilifying Egypt's Muslims, titled Mohammed, Prophet of the Muslims (Arabic: Mohammed Nabi al-Muslimin). The movie led to protests in Cairo, with protesters breaching the wall of the American Embassy and burning the flag. The US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, was largely burnt and looted; one US official was killed and another injured

References

1. ^ Goldman, Russell (2010-09-07). "Who Is Terry Jones? Pastor Behind 'Burn a Koran Day': Controversial Florida Pastor Preaches 'Islam Is of the Devil'". ABC News.
2. ^ "A whirlwind of attention later, Dove World's pastor remains on the fringe". The Gainesville Sun. September 11, 2010. Retrieved September 12, 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
3. ^ Frankel, Todd (2010-09-10). ""Quran-burning" Fla. pastor is Cape Girardeau native, ex-classmate of Rush Limbaugh". Saint Louis Post-Dispatch.
4. He was in the same class asRush Limbaugh.
5. ^ Gibson, David. "Who Is Pastor Terry Jones, and Why Is He Burning to Torch the Koran?". Political News Daily.
6. Alfono, Sean (2010-09-10). "Pastor Terry Jones says Jesus Christ would burn Korans, will go ahead with controversial 9/11 event". New York Daily News.
7. 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.
8. Rachel Zoll (September 8, 2010). "Pastor on Fringe of US Christian Life". The Boston Globe. Associated Press.
9. "German Evangelical Alliance distanced themselves from the burning of a Koran" (in German).
10. Niels Sorrells and Quaran Buring (September 8, 2010). "Pastor's Former German Church Denounces Him". Religion News Service.
11. Musharbash, Yassin (2010-09-08). "Islamophobe's Past in Germany: Terry Jones Accused of 'Spiritual Abuse' at Cologne Church". Der Spiegel. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
12. "How pastor Terry Jones was expelled from a church in Germany for creating 'a climate of control and fear'". Daily Mail. 2010-09-10.
13. Cave, Damien (2010-08-25). "Far From Ground Zero, Obscure Pastor Is Ignored No Longer". New York Times.
14. "Koran-protest pastor Terry Jones invited to UK rally". BBC News. 12 December 2010. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
15. "Koran-protest US pastor Terry Jones excluded from UK". BBC News. 19 December 2011.
16. "Florida pastor burns Islam's holy book". 2012-04-30.
17. Shellnutt, Kate (2011-10-27). "Quran-burning pastor announces presidential run". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
18. Goldman, Russell (2011-10-27). "'Burn a Quran' Pastor Terry Jones Sets Sights on White House but He'll Settle for Herman Cain". ABC News. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
19. Weinstein, Jamie (2011-11-02). "Quran-burning pastor says he's not as smart as Herman Cain, but seriously entering presidential race". The Daily Caller. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
20. Shahid, Aliyah. "Terry Jones, Florida pastor who oversaw Koran burning: I am running for President in 2012". Daily News (New York). Retrieved 2012-09-11.
21. "Statement of Candidacy of Jones, Terry Dr". FEC. 2011-11-01. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
22. Fisher, Max (2012-09-11). "The Movie So Offensive That Egyptians Just Stormed the U.S. Embassy Over It". (includes clips from movie). The Atlantic. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
23. "Egypt protesters breach US embassy over 'insulting' film". (includes video report). BBC News Online. 2012-09-11. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
24. http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/american-killed-in-libya-protest-over-anti-islamic-film.aspx?pageID=238&nID=29930&NewsCatID=359
25. "Libya militias storm US consulate over 'insulting' film". BBC News Online. 2012-09-11. Retrieved 2012-09-11. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
26. Labott, Elise; Karadsheh, Jomana (2012-09-11). "Libya reports employee at U.S. consulate killed during protests, U.S. official says". CNN. Retrieved 2012-09-11.

External links

• Campaign website
• FEC filing

Template:Persondata

• Living people
• 1951 births
• American Christian clergy
• American evangelicals
• Opposition to Islam in North America
• People from Cape Girardeau, Missouri
• People from Gainesville, Florida
• United States presidential candidates, 2012
• Critics of Islam