# Was the "Burn the Quran" plan just an attention getter and fundraising scheme? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 11, 2010, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398 "2010-09-11T13:22:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/1 "2010-09-11T13:22:12Z")
I don’t think the stupid pastor really had any plans to burn the Quran today. It seems like it was just a combination of a balloon boy type of attention grab as well as “God is taking me to heaven if I don’t raise a million dollars” fundraiser. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/2 "2010-09-11T13:25:30Z")
The answer is so obvious it almost belongs in General Questions-_yes_. ---
**Author:** ![Plan\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Plan\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plan_B)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/3 "2010-09-11T13:40:54Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The answer is so obvious it almost belongs in General Questions-_yes_. Maybe it should be in the Pit. I’d like to rant about the media giving that scumbag all this free publicity and giving people everywhere the absolutely wrong impression about Americans. And for giving evil idiots some little factoids they can use in future debates to besmirch us. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/4 "2010-09-11T14:18:14Z")
I voted yes. I told my wife the other day that it was something that I would expect out of someone like the Phelpses. Then the next day I read in the paper that the Phelpses were all bent out of shape about the Quran burning - not because they were against it, but because they had done something similar a couple years ago and nobody gave a rats ass when _they_ did it. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/5 "2010-09-11T14:43:30Z")
I think it was sincere, but a fairly immature attempt at making a point. Basically a tantrum. He wanted to prove that he could hurt them Muslims back. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/6 "2010-09-11T14:56:40Z")
Attention whoring[sup]nx10[/sup], most like for $. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/7 "2010-09-11T15:17:53Z")
First option one, then option three when he started blathering about how the Quran burning would all hinge on this big meeting with the imam (like _that_ was going to go well). Is it off? My homepage news widget says it’s off. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/8 "2010-09-11T15:54:12Z")
I voted for “started sincere”, but to clarify. I meant sincerely bigoted and crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/9 "2010-09-11T15:54:48Z")
I don’t know that “attention getter and fundraising scheme” and “planned to really burn the Quran” is mutually exclusive. I think he did plan to burn the book and that he did it to get attention and raise money. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/10 "2010-09-11T15:56:58Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > I voted yes. I told my wife the other day that it was something that I would expect out of someone like the Phelpses. Then the next day I read in the paper that the Phelpses were all bent out of shape about the Quran burning - not because they were against it, but because they had done something similar a couple years ago and nobody gave a rats ass when _they_ did it. If the Phelps were sane, which they’re not, they’d be against the Koran burning, because the people who’d get violent at the thought of a Koran being burnt hate fags plenty enough. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/11 "2010-09-11T17:10:15Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > If the Phelps were sane, which they’re not, they’d be against the Koran burning, because the people who’d get violent at the thought of a Koran being burnt hate fags plenty enough. No, because the people who get violent at the thought of a Koran being burnt hate fags for the wrong reason. They should hate fags because the one true God tells them to, not because they worship their demon moon-god. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/12 "2010-09-11T17:28:05Z")
It would be interesting to know if Jones had ever actually bought any Korans. If not, that would seem to suggest that he never intended to burn anything. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/13 "2010-09-11T19:42:25Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > > [@Ludovic](#): > > > > If the Phelps were sane, which they’re not, they’d be against the Koran burning, because the people who’d get violent at the thought of a Koran being burnt hate fags plenty enough. > > No, because the people who get violent at the thought of a Koran being burnt hate fags for the wrong reason. They should hate fags because the one true God tells them to, not because they worship their demon moon-god. That’s a mighty fine hair you’re splitting. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/14 "2010-09-11T20:06:01Z")
I think he was 100% sincere. I just think he’s kind of an idiot who was attention whoring and would have burned the Koran as a publicity stunt if he didn’t run into the firestorm he did. The media firestorm and the I will/I won’t jig he began dancing when the poo hit the fan blades and the FBI and others got involved to warn him how irresponsible this was, was the aggravating part because in the end he got exactly what he wanted re massive attention. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/15 "2010-09-11T22:38:59Z")
This was never about humanity’s connection to the Divine or even leading errant sheep home; this was about shit-stirring and publicity. But I think he got a little too much publicity, and when the big guys with the guns (governments) started leaning on him, he realized he was in over his head and had to find a way to back out. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/16 "2010-09-12T23:45:11Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I voted for “started sincere”, but to clarify. I meant sincerely bigoted and crazy. I will go with this. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/17 "2010-09-14T04:14:04Z")
Three. Personally, I’m a little disappointed that he seems to be backing out of it now. NOT, mind you because I agree with what he was doing, but just because I think if he’s going to go out and try to offend people like this, he should just stand up and take it. Does that make sense? ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/18 "2010-09-14T04:49:01Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I voted for “started sincere”, but to clarify. I meant sincerely bigoted and crazy. That’s my take on it as well. I believe the plan started as a garden variety nutso plan to impress his community, then when the media started noticing and the story took wings, that nutso’s inner attention whore took over. Hence the “OK, I call it off. WAIT ! I’m not. All right, now I am, if the President asks nicely…” nonsense. [QUOTE=Guinastasia] Three. Personally, I’m a little disappointed that he seems to be backing out of it now. NOT, mind you because I agree with what he was doing, but just because I think if he’s going to go out and try to offend people like this, he should just stand up and take it. Does that make sense? [/QUOTE] I absolutely concur. Now the guy not only looks like a bigoted idiot, but a bigoted idiot cocktease to boot. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/19 "2010-09-14T09:44:52Z")
That comment he made about moderate Muslims joining him was stupid enough that I think he must have been sincere at some point. Combine that with the fact that he announced this in July, and I think that’s enough to know he was sincere. But since I intentionally did not pay attention to him after the first announcement, I have no idea what happened after that. Can anyone offer a summary? I’m not finding anything online that is complete, and I don’t want to spend any real time on this guy. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398/20 "2010-09-14T11:57:01Z")
To summarize: “I’m gonna burn the Koran.” “I’m gonna burn the Koran.” “I’m gonna burn the Koran.” “I’m gonna burn the Koran.” “I’m gonna burn the Koran.” “I’m not gonna burn the Koran. Ya’ll go home now.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-burn-the-quran-plan-just-an-attention-getter-and-fundraising-scheme/553398.md?page=2)