Terry Jones (pastor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Terry Jones |
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Jones in March 2011
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| Religion | Nondenominational Christianity |
| Church | Dove World Outreach Center |
| Known for | Qur'an burning |
| Education | High school degree, two years of college |
| Personal | |
| Nationality | American |
| Home town | Cape Girardau, Missouri |
| Born | October 1951 (age 73) Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States |
| Spouse |
Sylvia Jones
(m. 2001) |
| Senior posting | |
| Based in | Gainesville, Florida, United States |
| Title | Pastor |
| Period in office | 1981–present |
Terry Jones (born October 1951) is an American activist and former pastor. He led the Dove World Outreach Center, a small Christian church in Gainesville, Florida, until July 2013. He also became the president of a political group called Stand Up America Now.
Jones became widely known in 2010. This was due to his plan to burn copies of the Qur'an, which is the holy book of Islam. This event was planned for the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. He later carried out the burning of the Qur'an. Jones also ran as an independent candidate in the 2012 and 2016 United States presidential elections.
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Early Life and Education
Terry Jones grew up in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He finished high school at Central High School in 1969. After that, he studied at Southeast Missouri State University for two years. He did not earn a degree in theology from a traditional school. However, he received an honorary degree in 1983 from the California Graduate School of Theology. This school later tried to distance itself from him during the 2010 Qur'an burning events.
Career and Activism
In the late 1970s, Jones worked as an assistant hotel manager. He then became an assistant pastor with Maranatha Campus Ministries in Kentucky. In 1981, he moved to Cologne, Germany, with his first wife. There, he worked as a missionary and started a church called Christliche Gemeinde Köln (CGK). This church grew to have about 1,000 members. It was connected to Maranatha Campus Ministries and was a sister church to the Dove World Outreach Center.
In 1997, Jones spoke in Washington, D.C. He talked about the challenges faced by Christians in Europe. While in Germany, Jones faced a fine for using the title "doctor." This title came from an honorary degree from a school that was not officially recognized.
Jones left the church in Germany in 2008. Reports from Germany stated that he was removed from leadership. This was due to his unusual religious statements and a desire for attention. Some church members felt he ran the church in a very controlling way. After he left, the CGK church closed and then reopened with new leaders.
Jones later became the leader of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida. This happened because of his earlier connection with Maranatha Campus Ministries. In October 2010, he started a political group called Stand Up America Now.
In October 2011, Jones announced he would run for President of the United States. He ran as an independent candidate. His main ideas included sending back people who were in the country illegally. He also wanted to reduce the number of American troops overseas.
In 2013, Jones and the Dove World Outreach Center planned to move from Gainesville, Florida. They moved to Bradenton, Florida, later that year. He continued his ministry there with his associate pastor, Wayne Sapp.
Personal Life
Terry Jones's first wife, Lisa Jones, passed away in 1996. He later married Sylvia Jones. They worked together on a company called TS and Company. His daughter from his first marriage, Emma, has publicly stated that she does not agree with his beliefs and actions.
Public Protests and Controversies
"Islam Is of the Devil"
Terry Jones wrote a book titled Islam Is of the Devil. In July 2009, his church, Dove World Outreach Center, put up a sign. It said "Islam is of the Devil" in large red letters. This caused many people in the community to object and drew media attention. Students from the church also wore T-shirts with this phrase to school. They were sent home because of it.
Qur'an Burnings
Jones believed that Islam encourages violence. He also thought that Muslims wanted to bring sharia law to the United States. He became widely known after he announced his plans to burn copies of the Qur'an.
He first announced his plan to burn Qur'ans on Twitter in July 2010. He also promoted it on Facebook and YouTube. This led to a lot of discussion and protests around the world. Many media outlets covered the story.
Important leaders spoke out against his plan. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said it was a "disgraceful plan." General David Petraeus, who was leading troops in Afghanistan, warned that it could cause serious problems. He said it could be used by groups like the Taliban.
President Barack Obama also spoke about the controversy in September 2010. He warned that the act could lead to violence in places like Pakistan and Afghanistan. He also said it could increase the recruitment of people who might harm Americans. Obama urged Jones to understand that his actions went against American values of religious freedom.
Later, Jones announced he would cancel the event. He claimed he had arranged a meeting with an Imam in New York. However, the Imams involved denied that any agreement had been made to move a mosque.
On March 21, 2011, Jones and his supporters held a mock trial of the Qur'an. They then set a copy on fire as a "punishment." This act led to protests and deaths in Afghanistan. On April 28, 2012, Jones burned another copy of the Qur'an. This was to protest the imprisonment of an Iranian-American pastor in Iran.
In September 2014, Jones and Wayne Sapp held another protest. During this event, they burned an ISIS flag and hundreds of Qur'ans.
Dearborn, Michigan Protests
On April 29, 2011, Jones led a rally in Dearborn, Michigan. This area has a large Arab and Muslim population. Police were called to control people protesting against Jones.
Jones returned to Dearborn in June 2011. He planned to speak at the annual Arab Festival. However, protesters blocked his way, and some were arrested. Police said they did not have enough officers to keep everyone safe.
In April 2012, Jones led another protest in front of the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn. He spoke about Islam and free speech. The mosque was put on lockdown, and many police cars were present. Jones returned to Dearborn in October 2012. He led a small protest outside a high school. He claimed it was against "Muslim bullying," but school officials said there was no such problem.
Innocence of Muslims Film
In September 2012, Terry Jones helped promote a movie. This film, titled Innocence of Muslims, showed Islam in a very negative way. The movie led to protests in several countries, including Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia, and Libya. In Libya, the U.S. consulate in Benghazi was attacked. This resulted in the death of the U.S. Ambassador and three other American citizens. Jones showed the film to his followers on September 11, 2012. He called that day "International Judge Mohammad Day."
Safety Concerns
Since July 2009, Jones and his church have received many threats. These threats came through phone calls, mail, and online messages. In March 2011, a group in Pakistan offered a large reward for Jones's death. After a Qur'an burning protest in 2012, a religious leader in Iran called for Jones to be executed. In March 2013, an Al Qaeda magazine also featured Jones on a "Wanted Dead" poster.
