Posted on 02/15/2006 8:20:18 PM PST by Tamar1973
A nighttime fire at the North Valley Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church in Phoenix, Arizona is being blamed on arson, with city and federal officials investigating. The Feb. 7 blaze gutted the church, and caused a reported $200,000 in damage.
While the congregation, which has 150 members, is insured, the emotional toll is heavy. Discussing the thought that the fire was set, church Pastor Claudio M. Martin told the "Arizona Republic" newspaper, "I don't want to even suspect that someone would do such a thing."
However, that same newspaper report indicated arson is, indeed, suspected. Division Chief Mike Sandulak of the Phoenix Fire Department told the Republic the fire was "intentionally set" and "started in some exterior wooden shutters on the south side of the church, then spread to the attic."
Sandulak added that he believes an "accelerant" was used to make the fire spread.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were also called in because church burnings are a federal crime, the paper reported. The Republic quoted ATF spokesman Tom Mangan as saying "there were a lot of 'pour patterns' found," which again would indicate that the fire was deliberately set.
"We appreciate the outpouring of support from the community and neighboring churches. The loss of their church home is a very sad event for North Valley's members and Pastor Claudio Martin. Prayers for the congregation are appreciated during this difficult time," stated Kent Sharpe, treasurer of the Arizona Conference, in a written statement.
According to the Arizona Republic report, the church is the 18th Phoenix-area church to be burned since 2000 in what are believed to be arson fires. Six of those fires have occurred since June 2005.
At first, I thought this fire might be a copycat of the Alabama fires but now I wonder if it's the other way around. How come this isn't reported on more often?
Given the timing of recent events, I don't believe these fires to be a matter of coincidence..
ate = are
It was the first time I had heard about them, too. I figured since the Alabama fires have received so much publicity, I should post the article. However it surprised me even more when they said that they have had multiple church fires in Arizona in the past few years and none of these has received national attention so far as we know.
Do the Seventh Day Adventists go by abother name also?? Are they also know as Jehovah's Witnesses?
Yeah, and they moonlight as Moonies, too. (/sarcasm)
I thought they were Mormons?
No, Seventh Day Adventists are different than Mormons or Jehova's Witnesses.
They're similar to Baptists in some ways, only (as their name implies) they worship on Saturdays. They also have dietary guidelines that they abide by.
Seventh Days actually have a med school out in California, Loma Linda. Probably the most strongly Christian-influenced med school in the country, though it's very distinctly Seventh Day.
Just learned they originated in New Hampshire. I think they may predominatly be located in the west. Saddens me to hear this. I've known some very fine Seventh Days in my life.
Here are their beliefs, for those who want to learn more:
http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html
No, they're a Jewish flavored variant of evangelical Christianity. They keep a number of Old Testament rules, and go to church on Saturday rather than Sunday.
Because if it hurts Christianity, its not considered a problem. Where is the federal task force? Where are the public service messages and reward posters in post offices? Me thinks there have been hundreds of churches burned by arson as liberals have gone off the deep end totally. I know they blame God and Christianity.
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