Quran-burning pastor was expelled from German church
It turns out the Florida Pastor Terry Jones, who plans to host an “International Burn a Koran Day” event at his chuch on Sept. 11, has an interesting history in Europe as well. From Der Spiegel: In the United States, Jones has already attracted attention on several occasions as an Islamophobic provocateur. What is less ...
It turns out the Florida Pastor Terry Jones, who plans to host an "International Burn a Koran Day" event at his chuch on Sept. 11, has an interesting history in Europe as well. From Der Spiegel:
In the United States, Jones has already attracted attention on several occasions as an Islamophobic provocateur. What is less well known is that the pastor led a charismatic evangelical church, the Christian Community of Cologne, in the western German city up until 2009. Last year, however, the members of the congregation kicked founder Jones out, because of his radicalism. One of the church's current leaders, Stephan Baar, also told the German news agency DPA that there had been suspicions of financial irregularities in the church surrounding Jones....
Former church members are still undergoing therapy as a result of "spiritual abuse," Schäfer said. According to Schäfer, Jones urged church members to beat their children with a rod and also taught "a distinctive demonology" and conducted brainwashing.
It turns out the Florida Pastor Terry Jones, who plans to host an “International Burn a Koran Day” event at his chuch on Sept. 11, has an interesting history in Europe as well. From Der Spiegel:
In the United States, Jones has already attracted attention on several occasions as an Islamophobic provocateur. What is less well known is that the pastor led a charismatic evangelical church, the Christian Community of Cologne, in the western German city up until 2009. Last year, however, the members of the congregation kicked founder Jones out, because of his radicalism. One of the church’s current leaders, Stephan Baar, also told the German news agency DPA that there had been suspicions of financial irregularities in the church surrounding Jones….
Former church members are still undergoing therapy as a result of “spiritual abuse,” Schäfer said. According to Schäfer, Jones urged church members to beat their children with a rod and also taught “a distinctive demonology” and conducted brainwashing.
“Terry Jones appears to have a delusional personality,” speculates Schäfer. When he came to Germany in the 1980s, Jones apparently considered Cologne “a city of Hell that was founded by Nero’s mother,” while he thought Germany was “a key country for the supposed Christian revival of Europe,” Schäfer says….
Jones and his wife were expelled from the congregation in 2007 and returned to the United States.
Jones’ latest stunt has now been condemned by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as well Gen. David Petraeus and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating
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