Pastor Terry Jones' "International Burn a Koran Day" approaches! And surely his fear of Islam is based on a deep understanding of the Koran, right? Nope: "I have no experience with it whatsoever. I only know what the Bible says."

The Times' Damien Cave caught up with Pastor Jones at his Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, where the he wore jean shorts and had a .40 caliber pistol strapped to his hip. In Jones' "dank, dark office" a poster from Braveheart hangs on the wall, along with a portrait of former President GW Bush. And just like fellow Freedom lovers William Wallace and Bush, Pastor Jones says he and his church are being persecuted. Oh, those poor, extremist right wing Christians. But this will not stop Jones from hosting his "International Burn a Koran Day" on September 11, because he needs to "send a message to Islam and the pushers of Shariah law: that it is not what we want."

Poor old Pastor Jones also says he's been getting lots of nasty emails lately. If you have time, why not drop him a line and say hello? And ask how his "No Homo" protest in downtown Gainesville went while you're at it.