Why Dove World Outreach Matters, Even Though It Shouldn’t

By Travis Pillow

From Tim Tebow to “Don’t Taze me Bro!” to its adoption of America’s first solar feed-in tariff program, Gainesville is no stranger to the national spotlight. But nothing in this town has set off a worldwide media firestorm like a local eBay furniture business with a congregation of about two dozen.

That outfit goes by the name Dove World Outreach Center and prefers that we call it a church, although most churches don’t fill their sanctuaries with lamp shades and shrink-wrapped sofas, or have their preachers castigate their congregations for failing to load trucks properly.

Then again, most churches don’t get denounced by the American Association of Evangelicals or scoped out by the FBI. But most churches also don’t have “outreach” programs that get featured on CNN and the Daily Show, or garner headlines from England to Indonesia.

In case you haven’t heard, Dove World has designated Sept. 11 “International Burn a Qur’an Day,” the latest in a long string of hate-filled publicity stunts that have driven away members of its congregation faster than its members can ship off antique end-tables.

Before this, Dove World had its “No Homo Mayor” campaign (targeting Craige Lowe, who was eventually elected Gainesville’s first openly gay mayor in a tight race in which students were the deciding factor).

Before that, it was “Islam is of the Devil” T-shirts (which got some of the congregation’s children sent home from their elementary schools).

Last year on 9/11, while many of the town’s Muslims were busy handing out food to homeless people on the Downtown Community Plaza, Dove World targeted them with another hateful protest. No holy books were burned, and the hatemongers got the attention they deserved. Everyone pretty much ignored them.

This year, Dove World’s congregation is shrinking. Former members have handed over damning documents to the Gainesville Sun. The bank has called in its mortgage, and Pastor Terry Jones has warned his flock that Dove World’s insurance policy may soon be canceled.

Meanwhile, the shock value of their T-shirts and sign-waving has worn away. Whenever they launch into protest near businesses owned by people who look Middle Eastern, only the TV news vans pay them any heed.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and what remains of Dove World’s membership has discovered that its salvation can only come at the hands of the news media.

So this year, on the ninth anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil, they’re planning their most outrageous spectacle yet. So far the results have been, in the words of Dove World Pastor Terry Jones, “a blessing.” Headlines in many US papers, plus the UK’s Guardian and Daily Mail. Hits by the hundreds of thousands across the international blogosphere. Even a smattering of cable news segments.

Unfortunately, with all this attention, the jig may be up. Now film crews are coming from Turkey and Cyprus, and at least one plans to be rolling during an upcoming Sunday service. As Jones himself put it, it’s a shame that they’ll soon realize how few people support what he’s doing.

The flames of religious hatred can be fueled by so few only with the help of people like us. If you’re looking to do your part to extinguish intolerance, consider joining members of Gainesville’s Muslim community for the fasts, feasts and charity work they’ve planned for this September.

Leave the book-burners where they belong: alone, on a miserable plot of land sliding toward foreclosure, beneath the cold glow of the TV cameras.

This year on 9/11, I hope to see you downtown.