He burned a Quran and twelve died.

In response to plans to build a mosque two blocks from the site of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attack on New York City, Pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, set off an international incident when he declared "International Burn a Koran Day" for September 11, 2011.  He planned to burn multiple copies of the Quran.  Christian church leaders quickly called on him not to do this, followed by calls from political leaders from around the world.  Jones said he might not burn the Qurans if U.S. President called him.

After traveling to New York and speaking with President Obama, Jones said "there's no longer a need to actually set fire to anything."  He declared that his church would not burn the books, "Not today, not ever."

On 20 March 2011, Jones and another pastor put the Quran on trial (International Judge the Quran Day) and burned it in front of thirty people in Gainesville.  He denied breaking his earlier pledge, saying the the pledge was about International Burn a Koran Day.

On 1 April 2011, Islamic protesters in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan attacked a United nations office. Three foreign United Nations workers, five Nepalese United Nations guards, and four of the protesters died.  Two of those killed were beheaded.  Eight-one other persons were injured in the attack.

The Quran burning was also cited as the cause of an attack at a Catholic Church in Pakistan in March, 2011.

A Pakistani Islamic court has declared a fatwa against Pastor Jones, offering $2,200,000 for his head for desecrating the Quran.

Many are blaming Pastor Jones for the violence, injuries, and deaths and he bears a large part of the blame.  The response to his action seems irrational and disproportionate to many.   U.S. President Barack OBama responded to the incident:

"The desecration of any holy text, including the Koran, is an act of extreme intolerance and bigotry.  However, to attack and kill innocent people in response is outrageous, and an affront to human decency and dignity. No religion tolerates the slaughter and beheading of innocent people, and there is no justification for such a dishonorable and deplorable act.”

The entire incident could have been avoided if Pastor Jones had iust read and obeyed Romans 12:18.

"If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."