Posted on 04/14/2014 1:34:03 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A wooden cross that sits in front of an Upstate church was set on fire over the weekend, according to an incident report from the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office.
A church deacon at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church on Old Howard Gap Road reported the burned cross on Saturday morning.
He told deputies that someone set fire to the large wooden cross which had a wreath and purple cloth over it between 6 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m. Saturday.
According to an incident report, church leaders believed that a purple cloth and crown of thorns on the cross were set on fire, and the flames ultimately charred the cross and the grass around it.
"To think in 2014 something like this is still happening, it's just a tragedy," the Rev. Walter R. Belton told WYFF News4's Mike McCormick. "Like anyone, anger was the first (reaction). But then something else came, when you think about an individual who can actually do something like that, you really want to pray for them, because apparently they're not where they need to be with God."
The churchs camp director spoke with officers at the scene and she said on Friday a truck pulled into the church parking lot while the children were on the playground.
She said she approached the truck and one of the men inside made a comment about burning everything down across the street so he would be able to see Howard Street.
"Regardless of who did it, it was a horrible thing to do it, especially in front of a church," said Belton.
Belton is reviewing surveillance video from cameras outside the church.
Deputies said they have no suspects or motive, and that there is no indication that the arson was a hate crime.
"Even though they set fire to the cross in an attempt to destroy it, the fact that it's still standing it's a testimony to our faith that regardless of what happened, we're going to be here, we're going to make a difference," Belson said. "I think to leave it up is a testimony to the one who tried to destroy it to let them know that we're not going to be defeated."
Read more: http://www.wyff4.com/news/church-cross-set-on-fire/25465304#ixzz2ytXQqPAu
Well, PUT that on Eric H0lder’s front lawn....
Must have been the tea party.
Any other religion and it would have been called a hate crime.
Install a metal cross with cameras in it and add a cannister of remote detonatable mace. Stand back and have with the punks. You know they will return to admire their handiwork.
Now you know why we normally put them on top of the steeple.
A lot harder to reach, a lot harder to mess with...
The left has been attacking churches since at least the time of the Bolsheviks. It was thus in the Spanish Civil War. It was thus in Calles’ Cristero War in Mexico. It was thus in Cuba and China and everywhere the left has sought totalitarian power.
Was Bill Maher in the vicinity?
Who do they think they are they kidding?
Were this a mosque that was torched -- would the authorities be saying something that?
islamists or islamism facilitators.
-.-. - -.-
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.