Controversial El Monte church damaged by homemade bomb; FBI investigating

[essentialsaltes]

The FBI and local authorities are investigating the explosion of a homemade bomb at an El Monte church that had drawn protests due to its anti-LGBTQ teachings.

The church’s pastor, Bruce Mejia, filed a police report about two weeks ago after receiving an arson threat on social media, said El Monte Police Chief David Reynoso. It’s too soon to know whether the explosion was linked to the threat, Reynoso said.

The group that organized the protests, Keep El Monte Friendly, issued a statement expressing “profound shock” and said a demonstration planned for Sunday outside the church would be canceled.

First Works Baptist is part of a network of about 30 churches called the New Independent Fundamental Baptist Movement, which, experts on hate and extremism say, is growing and spreading violent rhetoric against LGBTQ people. At a preaching conference near Sacramento in August 2019 attended by Mejia, several of the speakers called for the U.S. government to start executing LGBTQ people. The Southern Poverty Law Center lists First Works Baptist as one of 88 hate groups in California.

 

[Speedwell]

But a bomb or any other form of violence whatsoever is not the way to respond to these people. It's wrong and only feeds their hatred.

 

[essentialsaltes]

FBI, LASD bomb squad recover pieces of device that exploded at El Monte church

FBI recovery teams aided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad wrapped up work securing an El Monte church and scouring the area for evidence after an explosive device was set off there Saturday, officials said Monday.

Now the investigation turns to figuring out who set off the bomb at First Works Baptist Church, and why.

[The pastor] called whoever bombed the church “sodomites” and terrorists, and said they were trying to “intimidate us.”

“Folks, this is the best thing that could ever happen to our church. This is literally the best thing that could ever happen,” Mejia said. “You say why is that? I’m going to share with you why … there are blessings in persecution.”

 

[Lg2000]

Crazy . This is my old church building and the city i live in.
Sad how people could vandalize and do such a thing to any church , let alone a small congregation. God forgive them but hopefully they get caught. You dont mess with god or his people.

Random and not the point of this thread but Saying you want the us gov to execute gays is wild though

 

[Tinker Grey]

Column: How long will hate have to go unanswered after explosion at rabidly antigay church?

Mejia didn’t return multiple requests for comment. But First Works livestreamed his Sunday sermon on YouTube. After denouncing the “terrorists” and “sodomites” whom he claimed blasted his church, Mejia giddily cited multiple biblical verses about the glories of persecution. Congregants laughed and proclaimed “Amen!” when he described as “exciting” the events of the previous 36 hours.

“Everyone thinks we’re like —,” Mejia said as he cut himself off and pretended to cower. He then straightened up and snickered. “We’re just going like, ‘This is kind of cool!’ We don’t want a boring life. … We want buildings to blow up. Because there’s only one life to live.

“There’s only one life to live, folks,” he repeated. “Might as well go out in a blaze of glory.”

I think that the new media outlets that have been assuming an outside job might be over generous.