[Mrs. Don-o]

I think a better way -— at least, a more exactly Biblical way-— might have been burning them while chanting the Dies Irae -— then sweeping out the ashes and reconsecrating the church

[ealgeone]

...at least, a more exactly Biblical way...

I agree with your appeal to Scripture as THE authority.

[DoodleBob]

Well, skipping the theft bit...

...if we want to discuss "better" ways of dealing with these horrible statues vs a bath, I have several ideas: carving them into proper Marian statues and returning them while burning the whittle, turning them into a box for people to deposit donations for the poor, or as a scraper for country Churches' parisohners to remove refuse like cow dung from their shoes before entering the Church.

THOSE choices would likely be MORE effective because these modern guys can handle being called names and being subjected to Dubia etc....but they don't like to be ridiculed. Remember how well this was received?