.lava
Veteran Member
i understand. seems like attack on religion itself. i would not be surprised if they also burn synagogs and mosques.
i am glad noone got hurt and i hope they find them as soon as possible before they get someone killed
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Churches burn in East Texas
- Thread starter Kathryn
- Start date
i understand. seems like attack on religion itself. i would not be surprised if they also burn synagogs and mosques.
i am glad noone got hurt and i hope they find them as soon as possible before they get someone killed
.
Kathryn
It was on fire when I laid down on it.
Three more churches in the area were broken into in the past 48 hours:
Monday's church break-ins may be related to fires - KLTV 7 News Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville |
SMITH COUNTY, TX (KLTV) - Three nearby churches were broken into, but unlike their unfortunate neighbors, they did not go up in flames, Clear View Church and Pine Brook Baptist Church on Highway 110 reported break-ins just minutes after the fire was called in at Dover Baptist Church.
Just after midnight, Smith County sheriff's deputies responded to a possible break-in at Lifegate Church.
Sanctuaries in Monty Nation's neighborhood are now nothing more than burnt debris and ash. He says his church was lucky.
"The Lord was with us last night," he said.
When Nation heard that Dover Baptist Church was on fire, he immediately drove to his church, Clear View, just a few miles away. He was startled by what he found.
"I came up here and found the glass broke out in the front door," said Nations.
It turns out, fire was not the only attack on churches.
"There was also two attempted break-ins last night for churches in the area," said Clay Alexander, an ATF agent. "It doesn't appear as though they entered. It appears as though they tried by smashing windows or doors."
At Clear View, the front glass door was shattered. The church installed an alarm system last week. The alarm wasn't set, but still may have scared the criminal away.
"We had a security sticker on the door," said Nations.
Farther down the road the front door at Pine Brook Baptist Church was also smashed - reported 30 minutes after the fire at Dover was called in.
And, just after midnight, a third possible church break in reported at Lifegate Church in Smith County.
"Following the timeline, they all occur around the same time," said Alexander. "It would lead us to believe that it is somehow related."
It is a pattern that has East Texas churches on guard.
"You don't think about it happening to you," said Nicky Westberry, a member at Dover Baptist Church.
"Many many churches in the area that I know of are having people that spend the night in the church or outside the church and they have alarm systems also," said Nations.
They are ready to protect their places of worship.
ATF asks that if your church is going to use congregation members for added security, do not do it armed. They say being a witness would be the biggest help, so instead of a gun, they ask that you have your phone and camera close by.
Monday's church break-ins may be related to fires - KLTV 7 News Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville |
SMITH COUNTY, TX (KLTV) - Three nearby churches were broken into, but unlike their unfortunate neighbors, they did not go up in flames, Clear View Church and Pine Brook Baptist Church on Highway 110 reported break-ins just minutes after the fire was called in at Dover Baptist Church.
Just after midnight, Smith County sheriff's deputies responded to a possible break-in at Lifegate Church.
Sanctuaries in Monty Nation's neighborhood are now nothing more than burnt debris and ash. He says his church was lucky.
"The Lord was with us last night," he said.
When Nation heard that Dover Baptist Church was on fire, he immediately drove to his church, Clear View, just a few miles away. He was startled by what he found.
"I came up here and found the glass broke out in the front door," said Nations.
It turns out, fire was not the only attack on churches.
"There was also two attempted break-ins last night for churches in the area," said Clay Alexander, an ATF agent. "It doesn't appear as though they entered. It appears as though they tried by smashing windows or doors."
At Clear View, the front glass door was shattered. The church installed an alarm system last week. The alarm wasn't set, but still may have scared the criminal away.
"We had a security sticker on the door," said Nations.
Farther down the road the front door at Pine Brook Baptist Church was also smashed - reported 30 minutes after the fire at Dover was called in.
And, just after midnight, a third possible church break in reported at Lifegate Church in Smith County.
"Following the timeline, they all occur around the same time," said Alexander. "It would lead us to believe that it is somehow related."
It is a pattern that has East Texas churches on guard.
"You don't think about it happening to you," said Nicky Westberry, a member at Dover Baptist Church.
"Many many churches in the area that I know of are having people that spend the night in the church or outside the church and they have alarm systems also," said Nations.
They are ready to protect their places of worship.
ATF asks that if your church is going to use congregation members for added security, do not do it armed. They say being a witness would be the biggest help, so instead of a gun, they ask that you have your phone and camera close by.
Humanistheart
Well-Known Member
Breaking News: Fire Reported At East Texas Church - KLTV 7 News Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville |
Fires Strike 2 More East Texas Churches : NPR
Since the first of the year, arsonists have burned ten churches in this area to the ground. Two were torched last night. Most of the churches are on main highways and are not small buildings. There are so many similarities between the fires that authorities are pretty sure that the same person or group is responsible.
There is a reward for information leading to the arrest of the arsonist(s). Please contact the authorities in Smith County, Texas if you have any information on this.
We can only hope they were insured.
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Father Heathen
Veteran Member
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Humanistheart
Well-Known Member
Since churches aren't privately owned property that's not a relevant question.
Autodidact
Intentionally Blank
You'd think law enforcement could catch the culprits.
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Humanistheart
Well-Known Member
Helping black slaves escape pre-civil war was also criminal. And?
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Humanistheart
Well-Known Member
Since I've already addressed other posts like this I'll simply ask, AND?
.lava
Veteran Member
nope, i would not think lovely things about Hitler as i would not have nice thoughts about people who burn places that some other people show respect. these are people who don't care for others and they certainly don't respect paths of others therefor i don't think they deserve to be respected since they are the ones who show no respect in the first place. besides, it does not take a talent or a genious to destroy, i can't admire
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Humanistheart
Well-Known Member
I agree, which is why I don't care that their buildings were burnt down.
Autodidact
Intentionally Blank
Oh give me a break. Talk about an inapposite metaphor. Why did you even bring this up?
Humanistheart
Well-Known Member
Lol, I'm sure. If it makes you feel better I have no intention of driving out to texas, or anywhere, to join arsenist groups.
Autodidact
Intentionally Blank
And burning them down is immoral. I respect their right to practice their bizarre ancient superstition as I expect them to respect my right not to. They don't have to like it, and neither do I, but that doesn't give either of us the right to burn down each other's buildings.
Humanistheart
Well-Known Member
Why? Auto your smarter than that, I'm sure you know why. The argument I responded to said it was 'crimial' to burn them down, my point is so what? Legality and morality are not the same. Rosa parks not giving up her seat was illegal, helping black slaves was illegal, many many imorral acts have been and are legal. Legality cannot be the only measure of an action.
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Humanistheart
Well-Known Member
The christian golden rule is do unto others what you would have done unto you.
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Kathryn
It was on fire when I laid down on it.
HUmanistheart - I assure you I'm not worried about you joining a band of arsonists. You strike me as the type that's a lot more talk than action anyway - and I certainly hope so since your ability to reason certainly seems impaired.
So what you're saying is that since some feudal lords who called themselves Christians participated in the crusades 1000 years ago, that justifies some punkass sneaking around East Texas at night and setting fire to little country churches - churches who are supported by their local communities and who also offer support to those same communities?
You're saying that since it was illegal but not immoral for Rosa Parks to sit at the front of the bus, it's illegal but not immoral for her great grandson (or the bus driver's great grandson) to break into a building where simple people gather together to pray, douse it with gasoline, and destroy it?
Martin Luther King Jr would have a thing or two to say about that, I believe.
By the way, just to clarify - there's been no indication that the fires are racially motivated. The churches have been black, white, and of mixed congregations - no one particular group or denomination has been targeted. Just Christians in general.
So what you're saying is that since some feudal lords who called themselves Christians participated in the crusades 1000 years ago, that justifies some punkass sneaking around East Texas at night and setting fire to little country churches - churches who are supported by their local communities and who also offer support to those same communities?
You're saying that since it was illegal but not immoral for Rosa Parks to sit at the front of the bus, it's illegal but not immoral for her great grandson (or the bus driver's great grandson) to break into a building where simple people gather together to pray, douse it with gasoline, and destroy it?
Martin Luther King Jr would have a thing or two to say about that, I believe.
By the way, just to clarify - there's been no indication that the fires are racially motivated. The churches have been black, white, and of mixed congregations - no one particular group or denomination has been targeted. Just Christians in general.
KatNotKathy
Well-Known Member
wth?
Hey I never said it was a good thing by any means. Before you jump on me, just ask yourself, "Can I think of many other things that have happened in recent times that could be considered as 'metal' as a church-burning spree?"
It'd be hard.