• New sign for Dove church: For sale

   

  The 20-acre property is being listed for sale for $4 million.

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  By Megan Rolland
   Staff Writer
   
          

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    Published: Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 6:01 a.m.
    Last Modified: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at 10:32 p.m. 

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  The northwest Gainesville location of the Dove World Outreach Center - which houses not only the controversial church but also an eBay furniture company - is up for sale, with an asking price of $4 million.

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• "We're part of this community, and we deserve some respect," said Rais, who questioned how she could feel safe walking with their two children on a street where a message like the one in front of the church was displayed.

  Another child, accompanied by adults, held his own sign proclaiming, "I am a Muslim. Please don't hate me," as cars passed by with motorists honking or giving a thumbs-up sign.

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• A new sign paraphrasing a quote from the Quran has been placed in front of the Dove World Outreach Center in northwest Gainesville, where an earlier anti-Islamic sign has stirred protests.
• The new sign reads "Koran 9:5 Kill the disbelievers wherever you find them." It joins a series of signs that read "Islam is of the devil," which were placed in front of the church recently.
• The first sign drew protesters to the church and greater scrutiny of the church's activities, particularly its role in a for-profit furniture business.

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• Islamic advocate holds a meeting with Dove Outreach pastor over sign

   

  Ramzy Kiliç was unable to persuade Terry Jones to take the sign down.

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• "I was pleased that at least he was making the bridge to meet with me," said Ramzy Kiliç, Tampa's executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "It doesn't seem like (taking down the sign) is going to happen, and he didn't want to know more about Islam."

  Kiliç met with Senior Pastor Terry Jones for about 25 minutes Tuesday at the Dove World Outreach Center, 5805 N.W. 37th St., which has a series of hand-painted signs that read in red "Islam is of the devil."

  Jones was not available for an interview Tuesday.
• "I don't think (Terry Jones) had any intent to be hateful to Muslims, but I just think he sees the Bible as the only way to God," Kiliç said of Jones and the church.
• "A lot of the things he was raising were not even about Islam. They were about countries with Muslim majorities," Kiliç said.

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• Entwined with the church's message is a theme stressing obedience to senior pastors and work for the kingdom of God - a theme that persuaded one couple from Germany to work full time and uncompensated for Terry and Sylvia Jones' business, TS and Company. The business sells vintage furniture on eBay.

• "It's all about how much did you work, how much profit did you bring in," said Emma Jones, the 29-year-old daughter of Terry Jones and his deceased first wife, Lisa Jones. "He made 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds work 12-hour days."

  Emma Jones said she is speaking out against her father and the church she grew up in with the hope of helping others leave what she calls a "cult" that "forced us with oppression to be obedient."

  "They used mental violence. They'd say, 'If you're not obedient, God will punish you,' " Emma Jones said.
• "The main part of training is, the students live on the (Dove World Outreach Center property), they eat and sleep here, and work in the areas we offer, the (Lisa Jones House), TS and company or Dove Charismatic Ministries, the church," stated an introduction published in February on the Web site and signed by Sylvia Jones. "Going through the whole process for three years breaks the pride, because the students need to humble themselves not only under God's mighty hand but under the hand of man as well."
• Visits from family and friends are not allowed, and occasions such as weddings, funerals or birthdays are no exception, according to the original rule book.

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• Those behind a sign posted in front of their northwest Gainesville church, proclaiming in red letters "Islam is of the devil," say it's a way to express their religious beliefs and is a message of "a great act of love."
• "It's an act of saying there is only one way, and that is actually what Christianity is about. It is about pointing the people in the right direction, and that right direction is Jesus and only Jesus," said the church's senior pastor, Terry Jones. "We feel the sign is an act of giving the people a chance."
• "We actually posted the sign because there is a tremendous growth in Islam at this time. It is a violent and oppressive religion and does not have anything to do with the truth of the Bible," Jones said. "We are definitely trying to send the message that Jesus Christ is the only way."
• "We are definitely trying to open up dialogue, create interest, create awareness, get people to think," Jones said.

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• About 30 participants weaved their way through the mall parking lot and went out on the sidewalk on Newberry Road shortly after 5 p.m. They were wearing T-shirts with the slogan "Islam is of the devil" on the back and carrying signs saying such things as "Jesus is not a liberal," "Islam Kills" and "Jesus is the only way."
• The Muslim Association of North Central Florida feeds homeless at the Bo Diddley Downtown Community Plaza in Gainesville Friday, September 11, 2009. The meal was a variety of pakistani dishes served as part of Project Downtown.

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• More children from the Dove World Outreach Center arrived Tuesday at area public schools with shirts bearing the message "Islam is of the Devil" and were sent home for violation of the school district's dress code when they declined to change clothes or cover the anti-Muslim statement on their clothing.
• "Students have a right of free speech, and we have allowed students to come to school wearing clothes with messages," Wittmer said. "But this message is a divisive message that is likely to offend students. Principals, I feel reasonably, have deemed that a violation of the dress code."

• Emily Sapp said the "Islam is of the Devil" statement was aimed at the religion's beliefs, not its members.

  "The people are fine," she said. "The people are people. They can be saved like anyone else."
• He added that his children decided it was time to "stand up for what they believe instead of saying the rules might not let me do it" and said that society has grown "so tolerant of being tolerant" that free speech is eroding.

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