DOCUMENT: Bizarre, Florida

Koran Burner: Creepier Than You Think

Florida church’s “rulebook” worthy of pastor’s bonfire

Rev. Terry Jones

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Dove Church Rulebook

SEPTEMBER 8--The Florida pastor who is planning to burn a pile of Korans this weekend runs a church that has established a variety of cult-like rules for individuals studying to become ministers, according to the group’s “rulebook.”

The Dove World Outreach Center (DWOC), headed by Islam-hating Rev. Terry Jones, has been widely denounced for its September 11 bonfire plans. The tiny Gainesville church is headed by Jones and his wife Sylvia, a co-pastor.

The DWOC’s “Academy Rulebook,” a copy of which you’ll find here, was created in November 2007 by Sylvia Jones. The document, which details the standards to which a prospective DWOC minister must adhere, addresses topics such as behavior, study, and communication. It is also filled with the kind of creepy directions that are often associated with cults.

For instance, students are directed to cut off most contact with family members. “Family occasions like wedding, funerals or Birthdays are no exception to this rule,” the rulebook notes. “No phone calls. Exceptions can be made under certain circumstances but only after receiving permission.”

The Joneses also barred “Singles” from having “romantic relationships to the opposite sex…Except work things, there is no need to talk at all, or even flirt!” Students were barred from “eating out in restaurants” and warned that they would be weighed “once a week to follow the tendency,” an apparent reference to a weight goal established by the Joneses.

The rulebook--which is riddled with misspellings and grammatically challenged--notes that students must “wash or shower at least once a day but not more then 2 a day,” and make sure to cleanse “Mouth, sweat areas, hair, feet hands.” (6 pages)

Comments (104)

this is not Christianity - it is a perversion of the Gospel - you wonder why the world has such a negative view of the church
He is the blind pushing and bullying other blind followers
I bet he makes them raise their hands to ask permission to go to the restroom. sicko control freak!!! dare any child to point a chicken finger at him like it was a gun or something. I do question the sanity/love of any parents willing to send their kid's to that guy's place. Let'em stay home and watch him on The Beverly Hillbillies instead!
Jeez,this stuff makes me NUTS! Aside from a few sensible comments pointing out that the bible,koran,and any other religious tomes were written by MAN,the debate is utterly pointless! We'd all be better off following the ideas set forth in the 10 commandments,or better yet,the golden rule--doesn't take belief in anything spiritual to see that treating others with kindness and understanding will get us a lot farther than forcing beliefs on anyone else...
this guy was never any threat to any Muslim. he apparently wasn't even worth a decent FATWA. (whereas an important intellectual like Salman Rushdie has more influence on more important levels) ... who cares about pagan-like, quasi-Christian?
Christ died to create Christianity, mohammed killed to create islam.
They can burn our churches, our Bible, and our Flag. I say burn the Quoran baby, burn it! In fact, if I had an outhouse, I would keep a copy of Allah's thoughts and phrases in there in place of the basket of corn cobs.
HAHAHA you guys beleive in an invisible man in the sky. lol. really, I'm actually laughing...
I read the source document... There is no story here. The no contact with family rules only applies with students while they're studying, and they can still have contact, just minimal and via email. I in no way agree with what the church was doing, rather, planning to do. The cleanliness and shower rules are to conserve water and save money, how the hell are they creepy and cult-ish? These people are asshats, and I 100% disagree with their teachings on Islam, but branding the church as cult-like isn't applicable.
The comments were quite interesting, it still seems (according to the comments) that Islam doesn't believe in the Christian God and Christians don't believe in the Islam god. I don't believe Allah is God either. In Detroit one evening I saw a sign "Allah is God" I wanted to tear the sign down, it's a lie. I can tolerate a person regardless of his beliefs, but when I believe a man is facing damnation and hell, I am compelled to rescue him and I think I should. It's in this context that I would attempt have a person become Christian, so that he may have eternal life. Thou shalt have no other god's before me God has said, this includes Allah. To accept Allah as god is to compromise God. I cannot do that. of the remarks about this article, the remarks by the Muslim about the Bible is completely false. The media, even conservative media, are calling this guy who wants to burn the Koran a kook, why do they characterize him as a kook? The reason why is because he wants to burn the so called holy book the Koran. This bothers me, calling this guy a name when we just let it fly by when someone burns the American flag or Bibles. There are hotel's in the USA that take Gideon Bibles from the rooms and throw them in dumpsters to be burned, these are Muslim owned hotels. Do we call these people kook's, no we don't. So let's let this man have his day of protest like we allow all others to protest. We really need to be even handed, or we are hypocrites.
I don't think you understand. Muslims worship the God that (Jewish and Christian prophet) Abraham worshiped. I should also note that, from a simple linguistic standpoint, "allah" is indeed god. It is not a separate name for god, it is just the Arabic translation for the word "god." Saying that "allah is the name of the Muslim god" is just as ridiculous as saying that "dios is the name of the Hispanic god." Muslims believe in one god, the same as the Jewish and Christian god. From a Christian standpoint, you could say that Muslims believe in God the Father, but not God the Son or God the Holy Spirit.
grail68, I don't know where you get your information but you are completely and utterly wrong about the following statement: "I don't think you understand. Muslims worship the God that (Jewish and Christian prophet) Abraham worshiped. I should also note that, from a simple linguistic standpoint, "allah" is indeed god. " In fact the arabic term for "GOD" is actually 'Elah'. Allah was one of many persian gods known as 'the moon god' by them. Muhammed (the pedophile) literally picked the moon god one day because he was the most powerful of their gods and he called him the one and only. Please get your facts straight. Not trying to be mean here but you are either misinformed or misinforming. I'm not sure if you are Christian or Muslim. If Christian, then you are making a serious false claim that could effect the faith of an individual. If muslim then I get why you say they are the same God. Musliims would have you believe this to legitimze their misguided faith. Don't take my word for it though.....look it up. Here are two resources among many: www.answer-islam.org/ElahhisntAllah2.html www.answering-christianity.com/allah2.htm
Yeah this is true, the world was at one time a very large place, and different cultures within different isolated regions developed....developed, their own laws, education, religion, etc...The queaston I am asking "Is why the hell are we still fighting about it ?" We as humans have wasted so much time fighting over beliefs of others....I reckon, "sit them (religious leaders) all down at the round table, and we as a race; human...tell them the time is up...get over it and get on with more important things"
Have you studied the context within which Islam was formed? To state that the Islamic God is not the same god as the Christian God would be like claiming that the Jewish God is different than the Christian God. It's not really something for you to speculate about...
Our beliefs in God is said to be of a loving, caring almighty God that only whats us to be happy, joyous and free. How come so many U-tube video's have been viewed concerning the Islams beliefs that to die by killing others is to die to eternal life.? Now, a belief system of this type has been translated, not by spiritual people, but insane people. How come over 4,000 American soldiers have died over-seas so we can have freedom? I'm a 100% white american citizen. My beliefs of what my God expects of me is to help others, do the very best at all I can do and OBEY THE10 COMMANDMENTS! In another case of thought, if it is to happen, it will be what it'll be. I believe the outcome of burning the Koran books/ Islamic religious study books, the worst of the Arab's will stand forth right here and we will actually see how safe we really are NOT! I'm betting, the secret service of the many types will get busy right here. Ha? Best yet, Burn all that can be had. Burn there Flag. Protest the "Haven't moved the NY location yet?" and now arrest or kill all the wrag heads that protest OUR right to FREEDOM OF SPEACH!
Be it Christians or whatever, I believe religions in general has caused more harm than good in the world. Believe in yourself rather than what is forced upon you by others. There is no Heaven or Hell or Paradise with Virgins. Only illiterate or really ignorant people believe it and it's these sort of folk that cause the most harm to society.
With that horrible grammar in this lousy handbook of his, he should be burning his report cards from grade school!!! He failed miserably to get any point accross...I kind of agreed with him until I see he is another cult leader...is this the type of so called leader America counts with? And this man is on TV, radio, etc. and he probably has a 3rd grade education??? Terry Jones, you are dreadful!
I'm still confused. Tell me again why we would burn any book after fighting so hard to have the right to exchange ideas freely. Sure the Koran is nonsense in my opinion, but you have the right to read it and dismiss or accept it. Only an ignoramous like Jim Jones, I mean Terry and Sylvia Jones would reduce themselves to a symbolic "fist-fight" with radical islam. Their parents must have been related; redneck yuck-yucks.
Of course if Muslims want to burn bibles that's ok, on the other hand the Muslim's will probably just burn the Christian's instead and save time.
If he really wanted to get some Korans burnt, he should box them up and send them to a certain Sgt. in Afghanistan. After they arrive, email the chaplain to have them confiscated and burnt as trash, just like these bibles: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/05/bibles-destroye.html
EEP!
This guy and his parishioners have the same rights as the imam and his parishioners have that are building the "Cordoba House Cultural Center" 2 blocks from Ground Zero. Neither of them are doing the politically correct thing, but thanks to the First Amendment there is not a PC police. Funny to see how a (w. t.) preacher that most people in the town would not give 2 cents thought over, now has world-wide attention. He now holds more power than the President of the United States, because everyone has told him that if he does this one act, the Islamic world will go out of control. After all look how they reacted to a single comic strip.
Does anyone remember Jim Jones??? This guy sounds almost like he was. I remember the Jonestown massacure cause I was a little kid when it happened and this nut job sounds almost like Jim Jones! I recommend that no parent sends their family member there it actually soulds like a cult in the extreme. Those who are knocked down Islma please look aat this guy and he is claiming to be a Christian. It would be like all muslims claiming that Christianity is bad cause of this Jones character and those who follow him. PLEASE DO NOT JUDGE ALL MUSLIMS BASED ON A FEW AS I AM ASKING ALL MUSLIMS TO NOT JUDGE THOSE WHO ARE OTHER RELIGIONS BASED ON THIS jerk.
"Radical" muslims DEMAND we respect them as they burn our flag and cry "DEATH TO AMERICA"; Just say you're going to disrespect them - burn the Koran - and look what you get. "Mutual Respect" is NOT in their playbook - uh, their dictionary. Their "non-radical" muslim brothers aren't being much help either... I haven't heard of a single one of them asking the radicals to chill out in this whole debate. I guess they're too busy planning their trophy building near ground zero. Actually, Jones and his little "rulebook" remind me a lot of the -ready for this- radical muslims. At least all of his crazy rules apply to everyone and not just women. Takes a crazy to know a crazy???
It seems as if DWOC is going to extremes again.This is certainly not the first time. But hold on a sec because if I was to believe that the Koran was holy, I as a Christian would be denouncing the Holy Bible and what God says. The Holy Bible is the word of God...not the Koran who some guy named Muhammad recited...who also stayed in the ground after death. Yes, the Muhummad who married an 8 year old girl? Although I am not for burning any books, regardless of what they are...I cannot declare this book any more valuable, than lets say "The Cat in the Hat". NO CHRISTIAN is allowed to promote another faith or god, nor should they want too if they are indeed "belonging to Jesus". We are to remain separated from them, scripture says so. In fact, God killed those people who served other gods. What I do believe is that people are getting sick and tired of appeasing the Muslims who are trying to have their laws recognized in the west. What I do believe is that people are sick of the constant threat of murders against us. The radical Muslims will still kill us, regardless of the book burning. I do think that Christians should stand up for themselves and proclaim ONLY the Holy Bible. Christians are being attacked on every level...even by our own locals who claim to be Christian. God never said welcome other gods or faiths...What he said is..No one comes to the Father, except through me." Jesus is the only one who has the power to save. Jesus is for all people and all cultures. I have Muslim friends who are indeed Christian. But I would not burn the Koran before any of my unsaved Muslim friends, because I have respect for them, not the Koran. But they should also respect my duty to only promote the God of the Holy Bible, so I cannot call the Koran holy by any standard...for I do not have the authority to declare something other than what Jesus says. It would be nice for the Dove Outreach center to admit that they are sinners too, yes of course. Clearly we should all recognize not one of us are without sin. However when it comes to me acknowledging the Koran as holy...I never will. The only thing the Koran is doing is deceiving people who cannot have a relationship with Jesus because they do not hold true "Jesus is the son of God." This belief is their doom alone. If any proclaimed Christian has a problem with the book burning because they relate the Koran as being holy...they are on the wrong path. If they think this...than they discount God, and the Holy Bible.
1st whether you believe in it or not can be consider Holy. Jesus didn't write the Bible nor did God.It was translate from many other texts. So how can one book be holier than the other. The koran was atleast the works of one person and does contain alot of beautiful scriptures of one inspired by God. Can the writers of the Bible be more inspired by God.Who are the authors of the bible? Who transalted the Bible? Who is King James to have his version of the Bible? The author of the Cat in the Hat could have translated it and had his version? So all I'm saying is truth is truth. If God says there is a law of gravity then no matter what religion a person is the truth is still evident. HE didn't say gravity is going to pull Christianss to the earth at a slower rate than non-christians. God didn't make these divisions, MAN did. God is the Creator and the Jews Muslims and Christian all pray to this same God. Why is there not as much hatred for Jews who deny Jesus completely atleast Muslims say Jesus existed? hmmmm maybe because the media is controlled by Jews. Jesus did not start Christianity. THe Holy Bible does not denounce other books because it is made up of other books some authors unknown.So to use the bible to justify reading another book is invalid reasoning. Not one of the 9/11 terrorists wrote that they were warring against Christianity. So how did this become a religious war. Marriage according to Islam in not based on marriage of how it is in the US. Marriage here is about love sex money and the lucky ones do find love and family. But these marriages are not based on pleasing God hence the highdivorce rates. So you can't judge muhammad marriage to a 8 year by our standards. Marriage is to provide for the woman, protect the woman, and love her. I guess like sort of giving her her status in the community where she can be who she is suppose to. He wasn't marrying her to have sex with her. It never said he did. Her father when giving her to marriage asked that he don't.just to be sure. So you don't have to look down on any religion just learn what you can and that that you don't agree with ignore.
You are not true Cristian for bashing or speaking on another religion when you know nothing about it but what you see on t.v. are Muslim=s in america acting dis way no.and then you speak of child molestors dont go there because you make me seem like its good for preast to do it.Lets talk history King james Person who wrote the Bilble also was a peddiofile,homosexual,probably does everything the bible says not todo as far as alot more christians and your not speaking on them I am a Muslim from america that dont bash in religion because we are the alike no matter what religion you are we are all brotthers and sisters dont let a crash dummy decide your faith not to offend anybody just speaking da honest truth while you are digging up lies because Alah(God) sent more than one book down dummy.Salaams Brothers and sisters
I am dumber for having read this post.
Only in America - this is what gives Christianity a very bad name - That is a set of rules and regulations that put people into slavery - No Thank You
You cannot chalk up 30 people to signify the multitudes. What gives Christianity a bad name is Christians we do not repent...yes I am speaking about the fornicating, lying, deceitful, greedy etc type. However there are many who do live as Christ commands and do not partake in certain activities. You also cannot claim to not want to be a Christian because you have experienced these types of Christians. I am a Christian and I know what your talking about...but why should I not have a relationship with Jesus because of other Christians who misbehave? Their relationship or doings have no impact on my own relationship with Jesus. Jesus has not done a wrong thing towards you...people have, so you are reasoning why you do not want to honor Him by using some lame excuse to live your way, not His. You are choosing death over life, hell over heaven? If you are focusing on others when you should be focusing on your own relationship with God...He will hold you accountable. If you choose to commit the sins that you know are sin, you will also be held accountable. If you have desires that conflict with scripture...you are choosing to not overcome them. Just because humans have a tendency to "want" to sin...or "like" to sin does not justify sinning. Clearly we have the power to say yes or no to any action. Never mind putting the blame on people who don't always act godly when they should. If I did that...I wouldn't want to be a Christian either.I know its like to deal with not very nice Christians. But I am not putting my salvation into their hands...I put my salvation into Christ's hands. If you do not want to follow the commandments be honest and admit it...but don't push it off to 30 people when it comes to denouncing Jesus. Your not reasoning properly.
"but why should I not have a relationship with Jesus because of other Christians who misbehave? " Because you're too old for imaginary friends?
Where's the BATF/FBI when you need them?
This hatemonger is an idiot. I fully expect him to wear a brown shirt and a swastika armband like those other book burners did in the 1930's
Does anyone besides his wife and mother belong to this"tiny Gainesville church"? Without the press coverage this guy would just be another self-proclaimed pastor/preacher who roams the streets yelling at passersby.
Jones is screaming "Fire" in a crowded theater. There is NO justification for doing that - or is endangering our troops OK when you can point elsewhere and say: "They" did (whatever) first? It wouldn't hurt "Pastor" Jones to spend a semester taking a grammar course. He scores waaaay less than 90% there! Shows his general level of knowledge.
The comments here are just so unbelievably disheartening. This country is so absolutely doomed. I consider myself a moderate, but the biggest plague on us is the extreme right wing conservative bible quoter's who justify bigotry, hatred and ignorance by quoting scripture. There is no more objective thought left in the world. The Bible has plenty of violence and hatred, but Christians and ultraconservatives conveniently ignore those parts. Any idiot that takes the Bible literally, is just as bad as those extremist idiots within Islam who take parts of the Koran literally. You're both extremists. It's probably tough to swallow, but the Bible and Koran were written by man. They are both the equivalent of Old Mother Hubbard. Stories to help you find direction and make choices in life. Ugh. I don't know what makes me more sick, Small sects of Muslim extremists, or the ever growing sects of Bible spewing sheep.
How about the small sects of muslim extermists suicide-bombing everyone else, be they ultraliberals, liberals, moderates, conservatives or ultraconservatives. You, me, and the "Bible spewing sheep" are all a part of that one. (This was intended as a reply to MustWarnOthers)
"The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his." (Gen George S. Patton). Maybe should be revised to "The object of war is not to die for your religion but to make the other bastard die for his." Since most radical Muslims believe religion and political ideology are interchangeable!
The same Constitution that allows America-hating Islamist cultists to daily plan their terrorist acts against the United States and all non-Muslim countries allows this church to burn Korans in protest. I don't agree with them burning the Koran as I don't believe Jesus would have supported it, but I respect their right to do it. What's wrong with this picture? Why are we demonizing the guy who loves our country and passifying those that would destroy us. It's time to bring back internment camps.
"passifying"?? You must have gone to the Sarah Palin school of language improvising. This guy is not someone who "loves our country." He is a disciple of HATRED. If he truly loved this country, he would be respecting the First Amendment's guarantee of religious freedom for everyone else in addition to him. He is also a cult leader whose stock in trade is brainwashing. This planned event of his is nothing but an exercise in hate. And you seem to think that's so great. Maybe we should also have a Bible-burning, since some radical Christian cultists have killed or tried to kill people in this country whom they don't agree with. That means ALL Christians are violent fanatics, right? Oh yeah, let's round up all the Muslims in this country and put them into internment (concentration?) camps. Call the Lord's justice down onto the ones who won't convert. Hallelujah, amen!
The fools who support this ass-clown in Florida have no clue about the meaning of this great country of ours. They're false patriots who cheer their country (and their religion) as if they're cheering a football team, without having any idea of the real meaning of America, and the Constitution and Bill of Rights that make this country so great. All you right-wing, religious nut-jobs should find another, more appropriate country to live in, and leave America to those of us who truly appreciate it. Go find some Christian version of Saudi Arabia. You don't deserve to call yourselves Americans. This is truly the land of the free, where we accept and tolerate those of other faiths and those of no faith. That's what makes us so strong and so great.
You want others to be tolerant ... as long as you don't have to be tolerant of them. Aren't you just the accepting type?
Mr. Raygun - glad to see you practicing the tolerance that you preach. Apparently you draw the line of tolerance at Floridian ass-clowns?
You never hear about a liberal (in the classical sense) division among the Muslims. Just islamist radicals and so-called moderates. Now a moderate, as I understand it, means someone who believes parts of both sides. Meaning that he has SOME radical views, like, maybe we should not necessarily stone this woman to death, but just until it causes severe injury. A liberal Muslim would be one who simply opposes radical islamism and supports human rights. But where are they? Being stoned to death, mostly.
Google "sufi" and quit flaunting your ignorance.
Wow, next thing you know, they'll be stoning women who are raped, or amputating the limbs of those who steal. Shocking!
The enhanced danger to our troops and citizens who are overseas is real. But then so was the danger posed by the NY Times with its publication of articles about secret counterterrorism programs that the U.S. government had in place to head off another 9/11. Why the double standard here?
This "school" reminds me very much of a madrassa and his rule book reminds me of the Taliban's Layeha for the Mujahidin. Jones is less like Koresh and more like Mullah Omar than you think people!
This guy is as crazy as the people responsible for putting Christian images in unsavory contexts and calling it art. Yet they got support from the National Endowment for the Arts, and were defended by no less than Hillary Clinton and the liberal media in general. Why the abrupt turnaround? What they should do is sponsor this event as an example of performance art. Then maybe the same folks who decry the planned burning will come out and support it.
Well Julia898 I guess you would be wrong about the ignorant part because I have a doctoral degree from Tulane, and did postdoctoral work at the University of Texas and the National Institutes of Health and have published several articles in refereed scientific journals -unless by "ignorant"you mean "anyone who disagrees with my kneejerk liberal simpleton view of the world"This pastor may not be Albert Einstein,but he has Mohammedans and their deadly religion right-it is evil and encourages it's followers to lie to and murder anyone who won't convert to their vile religion-have you ever read the Quran?-no,I didn't think so-well maybe you should-I"'ll bet you'd look great in a burkha...bwahahahahaha!!