The controversial Dove World Outreach Center, in Gainesville is organizing the ‘International Burn A Quran Day’ in protest of Islam, which it calls a “violent and oppressive religion that is trying to masquerade itself as a religion of peace.”

In a 3 minutes and 10 seconds YouTube video, Pastor Wayne Supp explains why the church feels it necessary to “burn a Quran”. He said, “Why would we burn a Quran? ‘Cause we’re Christians. Because if you call yourself Christian, then this is something you should be doing.” He quoted 1 John 3:8 which says, “He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning of time.” He ended the video by torching a Quran which he calls a warm up to September 11.

In response to the ‘International Burn A Quran Day’ the Council on American-Islam Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim advocacy group, has announced an educational ‘Share the Quran’ dinner for Sept. 11.

The church last year erected a sign on its premises that read “Islam is of the Devil,” which was met with protest from residents who called the sign hateful. – S.M.