Episcopal Churches Desecrated

[seeking.IAM]

I find it so sad that these houses of worship in Maryland and Indiana were desecrated... and even more sad that such hatred permeates our society. Oh, God, deliver us from such hatred.

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/...maryland-indiana-vandalized-with-hate-speech/

 

[Tigger45]

Lord have mercy

 

[Paidiske]

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

The latest political events do seem to have touched some raw nerves. Two days ago, half a world away from America, someone was swearing at/insulting me at work, and when I said something in response, said, "What? Now that Mr. Grab-them-by-the-[you know what] Trump has been elected, I thought it was open season."

What is going on here?

 

[seeking.IAM]

...What is going on here?

Some days I think the world has gone mad. I fear for our future. When I was a child my grandfather used to lament that the world is going to hell in a handbasket. As I now approach the age he was then, I find myself thinking about how much more unkind, intolerant, and hate-filled the world seems now compared to then. When I speak, I hear my grandfather's voice and words. And, I wonder. What will my grandchildren experience? What will they say?

 

[FireDragon76]

Where I live it's decidedly blue (and hispanic) but I can't help but imagine in other parts of the country, many people feel alot less safe.

 

[everbecoming2007]

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

The latest political events do seem to have touched some raw nerves. Two days ago, half a world away from America, someone was swearing at/insulting me at work, and when I said something in response, said, "What? Now that Mr. Grab-them-by-the-[you know what] Trump has been elected, I thought it was open season."

What is going on here?

I am so sorry to hear that happened to you.

Based on news reports and other sources I have read hate crimes are spiking across the USA particularly toward minorities and women.

I am also hearing accounts from my friends of threats of violence toward them and others in my local area. And the KKK is planning marches.

I have been so unsettled and upset, shaken. I plan to reconnect with some old friends soon for support. We need each other.

 

[Fish and Bread]

Bigoted Trump supporters hating the Episcopal Church is the best possible advertisement for the Episcopal Church in terms of showing that it is an inclusive tolerant loving church where all are welcome. That's why Trump supporters can't stand it.

As Paidiske said, it is reminiscent of the biblical saying: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.".

I actually think all the churches that bigoted Trump supporters aren't targeting may want to think about what they are doing wrong that bigoted Trump supporters don't think they are worth targeting, and maybe even think that they are the same side as they are. How many churches actually serve as mouthpieces for the type of politics that Trump represents, or tacitly endorse it? Too many.

 

[everbecoming2007]

*sigh* I just don't understand what is happening.

Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.

 

[Tigger45]

I would like to see fundamentalist churches speak out against this declaring they may disagree with liberal churches but vandalism is never acceptable.

 

[Goatee]

In all probability, it is Trump haters who have done this to build up more hate against Trump!!!

 

[jimmyjimmy]

I find it so sad that these houses of worship in Maryland and Indiana were desecrated... and even more sad that such hatred permeates our society. Oh, God, deliver us from such hatred.

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/...maryland-indiana-vandalized-with-hate-speech/

You do know that Liberals have done things like this in the past in order to make their political opponents look bad, right?

Until someone is caught for doing this, we know very little; therefore we ought not jump to conclusions.

 

[seeking.IAM]

You do know that Liberals have done things like this in the past in order to make their political opponents look bad, right?

Until someone is caught for doing this, we know very little; therefore we ought not jump to conclusions.

I pointed no fingers, accused no one. Two churches were desecrated with hateful messages. That is fact, not a conclusion. Politics don't matter. What matters is growing intolerance and striking out at others who think differently. Live and let live. Love your neighbor as yourself.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

I pointed no fingers, accused no one. Two churches were desecrated with hateful messages. That is fact, not a conclusion. Politics don't matter. What matters is growing intolerance and striking out at others who think differently. Live and let live. Love your neighbor as yourself.

I see no end to the division. It's Cain and Abel.

 

[Constantine the Sinner]

You do know that Liberals have done things like this in the past in order to make their political opponents look bad, right?

Until someone is caught for doing this, we know very little; therefore we ought not jump to conclusions.

If they did, they picked a poor church to target, since the Episcopal Church is probably the most liberal denomination of its size in the U.S. It would have made more sense to false-flag a conservative church.

 

[graceandpeace]

My heart is just broken. It doesn't surprise me that the hateful message of the president-elect won support, but that doesn't make it any less painful. I'm sad for these churches, for women, for the Muslim community, & for others who've been targeted/will be targeted.

As an aside, I realize not everyone who voted for the president-elect necessarily supported his hateful ideas - they cared about the promise of jobs, or stopping abortion, or whatever. But, with their vote, they decided xenophobia, misogyny, etc weren't deal-breakers. This is beyond disappointing to me.

God help us.

 

[graceandpeace]

In all probability, it is Trump haters who have done this to build up more hate against Trump!!!

*sigh*

This trend of denial I'm seeing everywhere to absolve others of culpability is beyond the pale.

Of course it's *possible* that folks who hate the president-elect did this, but let's be realistic: if it looks like a duck, & quacks like a duck, it's a duck.

The president-elect is the one who chose to be a flame-thrower throughout his entire campaign. His hateful rhetoric about immigrants, Muslims, & others has now been justified in the eyes of many due to his presidential win. Now, they're emboldened to act out their own hate. This story in the OP & countless others reported since Election Day supports this obvious conclusion.

 

[everbecoming2007]

*sigh*

This trend of denial I'm seeing everywhere to absolve others of culpability is beyond the pale.

Of course it's *possible* that folks who hate the president-elect did this, but let's be realistic: if it looks like a duck, & quacks like a duck, it's a duck.

The president-elect is the one who chose to be a flame-thrower throughout his entire campaign. His hateful rhetoric about immigrants, Muslims, & others has now been justified in the eyes of many due to his presidential win. Now, they're emboldened to act out their own hate. This story in the OP & countless others reported since Election Day supports this obvious conclusion.

I've heard people saying the planned KKK marches are really Democrats in disguise, and I think they mean it, too.

 

[ByronArn]

One of the churches is in my diocese, about 65 miles south of our cathedral. For the LGBT members of our diocese, it hit too close to home. There was a sermon done by one of our officiants during morning prayer about it(we alternate between Eucharist and morning prayer because we do not have enough money to pay a priest to do the Eucharist every week). She is an LGBT person, and she described the hurt, pain, and fear that she felt when hearing about the news. It was an emotional and heart-wrenching sermon.

 

[FireDragon76]

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"

I don't think vandalism is indicative of the average Trump supporter. Alot of people voted for Trump just because they perceived Hillary as having too much Clinton baggage. This past election we were presented with two highly problematic candidates from a moral standpoint. The pastor at church (ELCA) seemed very much offended by Hillary Clinton, for instance, and regarded her as a cynical narcissist with very little respect for the law. It all comes down to what we value. We're all willing to cut "great" men and women alot of slack when it suits us.

At least that's my 2 cents as a Bernie Sanders supporter.

 

[BelleC]

My heart is just broken. It doesn't surprise me that the hateful message of the president-elect won support, but that doesn't make it any less painful. I'm sad for these churches, for women, for the Muslim community, & for others who've been targeted/will be targeted.

As an aside, I realize not everyone who voted for the president-elect necessarily supported his hateful ideas - they cared about the promise of jobs, or stopping abortion, or whatever. But, with their vote, they decided xenophobia, misogyny, etc weren't deal-breakers. This is beyond disappointing to me.

God help us.

Here is the thing many don't understand about either Trump supporters or acceptors. The messages people heard and believed were extremely colored by which news outlet you turned to and/or believed. For example, it's not that they accept xenophobia, it's that they don't accept the charge that believing immigration laws should be enforced and improved where necessary is xenophobic. The extreme blatant biases of various news outlets, both left and right, bred suspicion and hysteria on both sides.

The bits of rhetoric people heard, accepted, and believed were absolutely different on each side. Trump supporters voted on hope not hatred. They believe a resurgence of a manufacturing economy is the US will benefit all races and genders. They hope that fixing immigration will benefit Americans and legal immigrants from all countries. And definitely they hope for conservatives on the Supreme Court who will leave more issues up to state governments to decide. I have no idea how the reality will turn out, of course. But I'm hopeful and prayerful about our future.

I am extremely disheartened though at the angst, bigotry, and distrust this election has brought out on all sides. Assuming half of all Americans are bigots of some kind (and I'm not saying you inferred that) has been common. The crazy (actually bigoted) fringe coming out of the woodwork is pretty scary too.