Police look into 2 incidents at UU church

[Green Gaia]

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/07/30/Northpinellas/Police_look_into_2_ch.shtml

Police look into 2 church incidents

An effigy and a thrown, flaming bottle are being investigated as possible hate crimes against Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater.

By EILEEN SCHULTE, Times Staff Writer
Published July 30, 2005

CLEARWATER - One day in late May, the Rev. Abhi Janamanchi opened the door of the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater to let some children out to play when he saw the body lying behind an AC unit.

It was 5 feet long and had a screwdriver sticking out of its chest.

Its head was an inflatable yellow smiley face.

Its torso was an orange backpack.

Its legs were a pair of pants stuffed with paper.

"We called the police," said Janamanchi.

Officers came and put the grinning effigy in a squad car.

"They said it looked like a scarecrow," said Wayne Shelor, Clearwater police spokesman. "Detectives are looking into this. It's an open case."

That incident on May 24 is one of two at the Unitarian Universalists' property that Clearwater police are investigating as possible hate crimes.

The other occurred at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, when an elderly UU volunteer watched in horror as a man walked onto the parking lot, lit a wick made out of a paper towel stuck in the mouth of a green beer bottle, and threw the flaming Molotov cocktail toward the parking space marked "Reserved for Minister."

"It exploded into flames," Janamanchi said. "The volunteer called the fire department."

Because Janamanchi was not working that day, another employee had parked in his spot. No damage was done to the car, but it scared the congregation.

"It shook us, given it took place in broad daylight," Janamanchi said. "I'm not jumping to the conclusion it's a hate crime, but I'm not dismissing the possibility either."

 

[Scuba Pete]

Is this in Clearwater Florida??? This just sounds so Satanic! Who would do such a thing?

 

[michel]

As a hate crime it is a pretty pathetic one - I can't really see anyone who could possibly find anything to hate about U.U's anyway.......Or am I living in dreamworld?

 

[Davidium]

Oh, if you want to mobilize Unitarian Universalists... just keep doing things like this.

If there is any group that you are unlikely to scare with such tactics, we UU's are it...

I'm going to publicize this story Maize....
I will put it in my weekly newsletter.

YoUUrs in Faith

David Pyle
Galveston Island, TX

 

[michel]

Oh, if you want to mobilize Unitarian Universalists... just keep doing things like this.

If there is any group that you are unlikely to scare with such tactics, we UU's are it...

I'm going to publicize this story Maize.... Can you send me the proper attributation (like a link to a web story).

I will put it in my weekly newsletter.

YoUUrs in Faith

David Pyle
Galveston Island, TX

Isn't this just 'silly bored kid's stuff' ?

 

[Green Gaia]

Isn't this just 'silly bored kid's stuff' ?

It certainly could be, in fact I hope it is for all involved. But that it happened twice to the same church in a short time period makes you wonder. Also the nature of the incidents, makes you wonder too, especially the throwing of the bottle on fire.

 

[Scuba Pete]

A molotov cocktail ain't kiddie business. Someone has an axe to grind.

 

[michel]

What a sad world - I would have thought U.U's the least likely to be 'targetted'

 

[CaptainXeroid]

What a sad world - I would have thought U.U's the least likely to be 'targetted'

It's hard to use logic when you are trying to understand a sick mind, and anyone who would do these things is truly sick.

 

[Mike182]

It's hard to use logic when you are trying to understand a sick mind, and anyone who would do these things is truly sick.

well the perpitrators of the attacks are cleary very moral and well reasoned people:banghead3

how does such a crime accomplish anything? where did they get from it? i don't get it? why?

C_P

 

[laserone]

Yikes, I'm in southwest Florida, I'm sad to hear of this! That's awful. Yeah, alot of it does sound like bored kids stuff, but some of it doesn't (i.e. the duck, the cocktail). It's disturbing. I mean, what, they hate UU's because we are free thinkers? How sad is that? I hope it's not a hate thing, I really do.

 

[Davidium]

I work as a UU Church Administrator.

As such, I receive and open all the mail that we receive at the Fellowship. Now, usually this is invoices and bills, and the occasional uplifting letter from a member or a request for assistance...

But every once in awhile I will get one of those letters that go in the "special" file. It is a file of letters telling us we are going to hell, or that we are a cult, or that we are "responsible for all the souls you lead away from Jesus". Just about once every two months we will get a letter like this, usually just talking about how we will pay for our sins in the afterlife, but every once in awhile talking about how we will suffer in the "end times".

They are almost never signed. They are usually handwritten, then photocopied. Sometimes, they are quite personal. I assume they have more to do with the writer than the reader.

But it is unnerving. One, it shows that there is a lack of understanding as to what UU is... one that I think is perpetuated among some of the more fundamentalist/evangelical community. One letter even accused us of being polygamists (certainly not), or of "luring people away from God with sex".... Go to a UU party just once with the thought behind that letter in mind and you will laugh the whole time! Everyone kept asking as they sipped their wine and discussed political issues why I kept giggling....

But the letters are unnerving. I dont let anyone else read them, because there is no reason for them to be disturbed by them. If one is ever too bad, I will get the police involved. But it makes me wonder if there is a motive of hate behind such acts when I hear of them. And as a former evangelical christian myself, it makes me wonder how a doctrine of love can espouse such hate.

I was talking a few months ago with an older evangelical christian couple, whom I had not met before. As the conversation went on, they asked me what my future plans were. Here is a synopsis of that conversation....

"Well, I've recently been accepted to Seminary in my Denomination!"

"Great! You are articulate, and you will be a wonderful Ambassador for Christ! What denomination are you?"

"I'm a Unitarian Universalist...."

"A UNITARIAN! DO YOU WANT TO GO TO HELL!?!"

"As a Universalist, I dont believe in Hell...."

"Well, I hope you realize the error of your ways before you burn in hellfire. UU's are just about sex and doing whatever you want and believing whatever you want... I mean UU's are satanists! I cant talk to you anymore, I am too angry....."

I stood in shock. This woman was nice and wonderful to me, even before religion had been discussed.... right up until I said I was a UU... and worse, working towards UU ministry.

We have allowed others to define us, and it is this false understanding that I believe leads to actions such as the attacks on the UU Church in Clearwater.

YoUUrs in Faith,

David Pyle
Galveston Island, TX

 

[Green Gaia]

We have allowed others to define us, and it is this false understanding that I believe leads to actions such as the attacks on the UU Church in Clearwater.

I agree with you somewhat, David. But as we are not in the business of actively trying to convert others and "spread our message, people usually don't know of us unless they ask, I just wish they'd ask us! How can we change this? I think one way is to be more involved in the religious community as a whole. I think some churches do a wonderful job of this, working with other churches and religions on social and community projects. While some churches just stick to themselves. I think we have to be the one reaching out to others and saying, "we may disagree, but we can work together" and I think by that working together a lot of misunderstandings will be cleared up.

Anyway, just my thoughts this morning after a sleepless night, lol.

 

[michel]

I agree with you somewhat, David. But as we are not in the business of actively trying to convert others and "spread our message, people usually don't know of us unless they ask, I just wish they'd ask us! How can we change this? I think one way is to be more involved in the religious community as a whole. I think some churches do a wonderful job of this, working with other churches and religions on social and community projects. While some churches just stick to themselves. I think we have to be the one reaching out to others and saying, "we may disagree, but we can work together" and I think by that working together a lot of misunderstandings will be cleared up.

Anyway, just my thoughts this morning after a sleepless night, lol.

I don't understand; but maybe that is living in a comfortable closeted home in England. The point I have been making is that I find it incomprehensible that anyone should find anything remotely able 'to be bashed' - in U.U.

To my mind, U.U is one of the most all encompassing, groups who could not upset anyone - does this mean that the 'bashing' is coming from (say) Christians, who think U.U are 'too' lax ? - I just can't get my head around this............

 

[Green Gaia]

Well, I can certainly think of a view groups who call themselves Christians that would really not like UUs. Fred Phelps in his gang come to mind, simply because we support gay rights. But it could be anyone who doesn't like something we stand for, and anyone who would do something like this, I would hesitate to call a Christian.

 

[Scuba Pete]

David,

even evangelical churches get their share of "hate mail". It is un-nerving and ALL of it should be given to the police. It might be prudent to let at least one other person read the letters. It sounds wise to protect others, but their safety is at stake too.