Westboro Baptist Church, the small Topeka, Kan., church that pickets funerals of American soldiers to spread its message that God is punishing the country for being tolerant of homosexuals, has vowed to hold a Quran burning if Gainesville's Dove World Outreach Center calls its off.
"WBC burned the Koran once – and if you sissy brats of Doomed america bully Terry Jones and the Dove World Outreach Center until they change their plans to burn that blasphemous tripe called the Koran, then WBC will burn it (again), to clearly show you some things," the church announced in a news release this week.
And Jones in the last day has indicated some reluctance to burn the Muslim holy book.
The Canadian Press reported Thursday that in an interview with a Canadian radio station, Jones said the church was considering calling it off.
"We are very much in prayer about it. There is the possibility, of course, that we will not do it," Jones was quoted as saying.
He told a group of reporters Wednesday that he planned to burn at least one copy of the Quran.
Dove World is one of the few groups to join forces with Westboro members, who have protested at funerals across the country.
In April, a handful of Westboro members picketed outside of the University of Florida Hillel, the Jewish student center, and Trinity United Methodist Church, and Jones and about 30 members of his congregation joined the WBC members outside of Trinity United.
While officials from President Barack Obama to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton have condemned Jones' plan, Fox News reported Thursday that a White House spokesman said the administration is considering contacting Jones to urge him to call it off.
