Gainesville Turns Against a Book-Burning Pastor

Dear Ronald Reagan: Thanks for Wrecking America

Bill Moyers Makes Newt Gingrich Look Like an Idiot

Right's Stupidity Spreads, Enabled by Too-Polite Left

FOCUS | Madonna, Like a Man, and Hated for It

FOCUS | Why Democrats Fracking Suck

Tim Padgett: "In a city where there's really no longer a place for the kind of religious intolerance promoted by Jones' shrinking congregation, which has fewer than 50 members and whose website recently decried Gainesville's prevailing credo of 'coexistence,' Jones is simply lashing out for attention in the only way delusional bigots know how."

Rev. Terry Jones at the Evangelical Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, 09/05/10. (photo: John Raoux/AP)

Comments

+8 # Guest 2010-09-09 09:33

Good for Gainsvillians. There are many ways that they can peacefully protest Mr. Jones reprehensible tactics for bringing shame on himself. I hope they will look to the tactics of Ghandi, Martin Luther King and others to make their rejection of acts of ignorance and hatred clear to everyone.

+1 # Guest 2010-09-09 20:00

First of all, one has to have a conscious to feel ashamed. This dude doesn't have one. He is mentally sick and should forcefully confined to a mental institution.

Civilized communities should demand it!

+7 # Guest 2010-09-09 09:40

The writer of this piece, Tim Padgett, suggests that all that the reverend wants is attention. Well, I'm afraid that that may not be a very accurate explanation. I'm afraid that it has more to do with the special nature of his religious faith - that being Pentacostalism. This sect believes that that can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and that they are special conduits of the will of God. This is actually a whole lot scarier than the "doing it for attention" explanation of Mr. Padgett. I hope that Mr Padgett is right.

+8 # Guest 2010-09-09 09:51

Is there a reaction from the Republican party or members of congress? Is silence complicity? Will the democratic party speak out on this one?

+6 # Guest 2010-09-09 09:58

It is obvious that the Reverend?? Terry Jones does not realize that the first seven books of the Koran are the first seven books of the Old Testament likewise the Torah. In my mind in burning the Koran he is desecrating Christianity's holy book.

He will never convert Muslims by those actions.

+1 # Guest 2010-09-09 19:58

Terry Jones is not a Christian. He just think he is. Anyone try testing him for illicit drugs?s

Who is going to protect the children?

+4 # Guest 2010-09-09 11:08

Does Gainesville or the county have an Air pollution ordinance that would require a permit to burn anything?? If such a requirement were needed, the city or county could refuse to issue such a permit.

+4 # Guest 2010-09-09 11:30

Personally, I'm "virtually" shunning Jones and the coverage I expect he and his misguided followers will get from the media this weekend. If I can hear who they are with my back turned, I'll shun the sponsors' products as well.

The problem here seems to be that not only has Jones failed to read the Koran he intends to burn, he seems to have failed to read his New Testament as well.

You go, Gainesville! Love thy neighbors and stay inclusive and sane!

+1 # Guest 2010-09-09 19:57

It's assuring to know there are sane folks in Gainesville. It seem the more republican one is in Florida the more insane they become.

It's a disease of the mind.

+5 # Guest 2010-09-09 11:41

The author states there is "majority opposition" among New Yorkers to the neighborhood Islamic center. I'd like to see some fact-checking on that. I recall hearing that it's just a vocal (and misguided) minority demonstrating against it.

+3 # Guest 2010-09-09 12:21

It is my hope that every reasonable person in a position of responsibility -- pastors, members of congress, business leaders, entertainers and sports luminaries, etc., will speak out and condemn this moronic and hateful act.

Some pastors have come forward as have lots of Democrats in congress. Where are the Republicans? Holding out for some political gains? Where are the business leaders -- afraid to offend their GOP stooges in congress?

Is this not a test as to who are really Christians?

+2 # Guest 2010-09-09 18:27

So how does he differ from Rush and Glen and the other right wing whackos anyway? I judge him to be an essential spin-off from those older nuts. Whether he is more crazy, who knows. He will certainly rake in more bucks from the nuts-of-the nation with this stunt, however. Don't be surprised if other crazies of the same ilk start popping out from under their rocks--get in on the action!

+2 # Guest 2010-09-09 19:07

If the fire dept hasn't issued him a permit, I hope they are there with their firetruck before he lights the first match and aims their hose at the match in his tiny little fingers. And, if he doesn't have any property insurance, someone should go there quickly and trip and sue the guy for all he's worth and shut down the "church."

+1 # Guest 2010-09-09 19:54

The town should force lock the dude in an insane institution. That is where most of the insane go anyway. He should not be let loose in the streets.

With so many right wing conservative "Christian" kooks going berserk trying to out do each other on who is, does or speaks or makes the most money feeding off the weak minded, the nation should tag them as being unfit to be in the streets.

0 # Guest 2010-09-10 14:12

Where are all these Korans coming from?

Did this nut go buy a few hundred? Or are many people in Florida will to part with a personal copy?

0 # soularddave 2010-09-10 19:22

Not likely that many Muslims were involved in the 9/11/01 stunt in NYC, given the likelihood of so many explosives involved in demolishing the 3 buildings that fell that day. Reasonable people are more likely to try to figure out that puzzle, push for an honest inquiry, and work to avert such catastrophes in the future.

Reverend Bonfire is endangering many others with this desperate stunt to promote himself.

Refresh comments list
RSS feed for comments to this post.

THE NEW STREAMLINED RSN LOGIN PROCESS: Register once, then login and you are ready to comment. All you need is a Username and a Password of your choosing and you are free to comment whenever you like! Welcome to the Reader Supported News community.

rsn

Name:	*
Username:	*
E-mail:	*
Password:	*
Confirm password:	*
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.