Gainesville to bill the Dove World Outreach Center $ 200,000

Florida Pastor Who Vowed to Burn Korans Billed for Security; Says Church Would Go Bankrupt … the security bills from the Gainesville Police Department and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office alone are estimated at $180,000, according to a police spokeswoman. And that figure will rise when costs are added from the Gainesville fire and public works departments, as well as other agencies that responded to an event that drew international attention to the city of 125,000. “In the 10 years I’ve been with City of Gainesville government, we’ve not had a situation that has occurred like this before,” said Bob Woods, a city spokesman. “The city manager has made it clear that he will provide a full accounting of our expenses to the Dove World Outreach Center.”

Discussion

As outlandish as the book burning idea was, how does this not violate the first amendment and constitute religious persecution?

Why is it that my voice always seems to be loudest when I am saying the dumbest things?

[Chip Van Emmerik] As outlandish as the book burning idea was, how does this not violate the first amendment and constitute religious persecution?
I don’t see it as a free speech or religious liberty issue
  • The church proved to be a lousy citizen and brought great costs (the consequences of their poor citizenship) upon the community …. of which
  • Already affords them relief from property tax (a benefit not required by the Scriptures) (a de facto subsidy of the church by the state and local government)
Suppose they purposed to burn Qur’an on http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl] their remote property without the obnoxious publicity. The state would not have been burdened with providing security.

They deserve what they got as far as I am concerned

The state may need to give religious liberty, but you know, I kind of wish they had just backed off and not protected the morons. You have the freedom to do crazy tricks on your bike, but that doesn’t mean I have to buy you a bike helmet. Since they did need protection, they should be billed.

[Jim Peet] One wonders if there is a fully functioning board that helps this man reason!
Forget about a board - where is the congregation’s brain?

BTW, I wonder if he calls himself a fundamentalist?

Why is it that my voice always seems to be loudest when I am saying the dumbest things?

One thing still puzzles me. He called the whole event off - what, 48 hours before it was supposed to happen. Why all the “security” before the event even took place?

Why is it that my voice always seems to be loudest when I am saying the dumbest things?

And another thing. If Islam is such a peaceful religion, why was there such a need for security in the first place. Despite all the uproar over the NYC mosque, no one connected with it is running for their lives from self-proclaimed Christian fanatics out to destroy some perceived desecrators.

Why is it that my voice always seems to be loudest when I am saying the dumbest things?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dove_World_Outreach_Center
Dove World Outreach Center is a small (50 member) non-denominational charismatic Christian church in Gainesville, Florida led by pastor Terry Jones and his wife, Sylvia
There is some kind of link to the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maranatha_Campus_Ministries] Maranatha Campus Ministries
Terry Jones is a native of Cape Girardeau, Missouri and was born in October 1951. He graduated from Cape Girardeau’s Central High School in 1969 and was a classmate of Rush Limbaugh. 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 now seeks to disassociate itself from him.
Jones told the New York Times that following his July 2010 announcement of the book-burning event, the bank which holds a $140,000 mortgage loan on the church demanded immediate repayment of the balance and Jones had his property insurance canceled

[Chip Van Emmerik] And another thing. If Islam is such a peaceful religion, why was there such a need for security in the first place.
For me the statement in your first sentence is not a given!

[Jim Peet]
[Chip Van Emmerik] And another thing. If Islam is such a peaceful religion, why was there such a need for security in the first place.
For me the statement in your first sentence is not a given!
I agree - I was making it tongue in cheek.

Why is it that my voice always seems to be loudest when I am saying the dumbest things?