Qur'an burning: Cult leader bully Terry Jones set up German base in quest to 'awaken' Europe

They should keep the wacky bully away from the Iman in New York or he will make things worse. ---BBB

Qur'an burning: Terry Jones set up German base in quest to 'awaken' Europe
guardian.co.uk
Thursday 9 September 2010

Fundamentalist preacher left Cologne in disgrace after being accused of using fear and control to run sect-like movement

When he arrived in Germany on what he called his "God-sent" mission in 1982, charismatic bible fundamentalist Terry Jones came with a message of hope, promising to show his followers the "riches of the kingdom of God".

Germany, he said, was "central" to his plans to lead the "Christian awakening of Europe".

At prayer rallies that were used as recruitment drives, congregations dropped to their knees in worship or danced ecstatically in the aisles, so taken were they by him.

But when Jones left Cologne 26 years later it was as a disgraced preacher who was accused of running a sect-like community with an iron fist, forcing members to give him a percentage of their earnings, making them work for little or no money and causing the breakup of families and friendships. He also faked a title as "Doctor of Theology", for which he was fined.

As tension mounted ahead of Jones's plan to burn Qur'ans at his Florida church, it emerged that he had been dismissed by the board of the Christian Community of Cologne in 2008 after years of strife.

Andrew Schäfer, an official sect monitor for the protestant church in Germany's Rhine region who has closely observed the activities of the community, said Jones had "enormous manipulative potential" and believes that his failure in Germany led to his increased desire to achieve fame and notoriety in Florida.

"He has clearly not been able to cope with the immense loss of his power and significance," said Schäfer.

Bankrolled by the late US businessman Donald Northrup, the founder of the Dove World Outreach Centre in Gainsville, Florida, that Jones now leads, the pastor's brief was to establish a branch of the community of Gainsville in the west German city.

New recruits were drawn to the flamboyant, brash American with his trademark moustache and gangly frame. Jones, who had brought his wife, Sylvia, and their three children with him, liked to describe himself as a pioneer whose goal it was to "re-establish the kingdom of God on Earth". He promised that he would heal people and bring new vigour and meaning to their lives.

"He was very charismatic," said a former member of the CGK who left in the mid-2000s and identified himself only as Thomas. "How else did he manage to recruit 1,000 members? And how else do you explain that since he's left the church's numbers have dwindled to around 60?"

Jones had hoped to replicate the community across Europe. "His goal had been to awaken the whole of Europe," said Schäfer. "But in truth he never got beyond Cologne."

The sense of hope with which the community had initially garnered its members began to crumble, replaced instead by a climate of fear and control. "Spiritual abuse as well as economic and psychological dependence were run of the mill," Schäfer added.

"He was certainly not the type of pastor who approaches everyone and looks after them," said another former member who asked not to be named.

Among the numerous documented reports of the ways in which he used to allegedly manipulate members were demands for money, as well as complete commitment to the community. Members were reportedly forced to work in the community's so-called Lisa Jones shops, named after his first wife, which sold and distributed secondhand clothes and furniture.

The members reportedly worked long hours, lived on next to no wages and had no health insurance despite this being required of all German employers.

Members were forced to review relationships with family and friends and in some cases to break up with partners. Parents were reportedly encouraged to beat their children because, said Jones, it was "God's will".

Those in the group say that Jones became increasingly radical over the years. He offered to help homosexual people "pray away" their "sins". Later he directed his attention more towards condemning Islam. He warned the congregation they could be attacked by Muslims at any time. "Some people lived in real fear that we really would be attacked by Muslims during the religious services," said former member Thomas.

"He didn't put the biblical values and Christianity at the forefront, rather his own person," said Stephan Baar, the deputy leader of the community.

"Looking back," said Thomas Muller, another community member, "you have to say that this man had an exaggerated need to be admired, which is probably why he came up with this idea [to burn the Qur'ans]."

Baar was quick to disown Jones. "We distance ourselves from this plan of his and don't want to be seen to have anything to do with it," he said.

Asked if he thought Jones would carry out the Qur'an burning, he replied: "Terry Jones is someone who carries things through to the very end, because he sees it as God's will."