Colorado (Church) shooter was baptized into LDS faith

KSL News, Salt Lake City ^ | 12/13/07 | Sarah Dallof

[colorcountry]

KSL News has learned the man who went on a shooting rampage at two Colorado church properties had been baptized into the LDS Church a year ago.

Matthew Murray killed four people and wounded several others Sunday, before he turned the gun on himself. He targeted people at two Christian churches, posting anti-religion messages online before the shootings. But a year ago, he welcomed religion in his life, according to one man who taught Murray about the Latter-day Saint faith.

A.J. Ormond was there the day Matthew Murray was baptized. He says he immediately noticed a change; Murray seemed happy, calm, at peace. It was a demeanor that changed dramatically in just a year.

"He seemed like a normal person, maybe a little sheltered." That's how A.J. Ormond remembers Matthew Murray, the man police say shot and killed two at a Youth with Mission Center in Arvada, then two sisters at a New Life Church in Colorado Springs 12 hours later.

Before the attacks, he posted hate-filled messages online like "You Christians brought this on yourselves," and "All I want to do is kill and injure as many of you... as I can."

"I think everybody goes through 'Is there anything I could have done? Anything?'", Ormond said.

Ormond met Murray in November 2006 in Colorado. Murray wanted to learn more about the LDS church. Ormond and his wife worked with the missionaries in their ward.

"I think he was interested in learning about all religions, trying to figure out what fit him and his beliefs and finding somewhere where he could fit in," Ormond said.

Ormond describes Murray as polite and friendly, a young man who, despite his family's protests, was seriously contemplating devoting his life to the LDS Church. Murray's experience with the LDS Church culminated with his baptism. Soon after, he stopped going to church; and just a little over a year later, Murray was dead from a self-inflicted gunshot to his head following a shootout with a security guard.

The photos of him splashed on TV were easily recognizable to Ormond; his motives, though, a mystery. Ormond said, "It was obvious that it wasn't the person we had known that had committed those shootings and those murders."

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement saying, "We checked our records, and they confirm that Matthew Murray of Englewood, Colorado, was baptized about a year ago."

Beyond that, the church said it would have no comment.

[MockTurtle]

Thank goodness! With a name like Matthew Murray, I thought they were going to tell us he was a former altar boy.

[ßuddaßudd]

Will the next mass shooter have his religion scrutinized like this Christian?

[FastCoyote]

[Before the attacks, he posted hate-filled messages online like “You Christians brought this on yourselves,” and “All I want to do is kill and injure as many of you... as I can.”]

I’ll take a heavy dose of Blood Atonement with my Prozac please.

[Uri’el-2012]

Matthew Murray was baptized as a Mormon, but it did not seem to remove the demon from him.

[HereInTheHeartland]

” had been baptized into the LDS Church a year ago.”

I will not them accountable for this evil person.

I may take issue with their belief system, but they in no way should be connected with this.

[livius]

I wasn’t referring to you, but I think it’s one thing to be bigoted (that is, an irrational hatred of some group) and another thing to have serious reservations about something that somebody claims to be his motivating creed.

I have serious reservations about Mormonism, which is not an orthodox Christian religion, but yet which Mormons seem to consider beyond discussion. Mormons somehow seem to think it’s unfair that they explain themselves, although every other religion - except Islam - has a developed theology and is perfectly willing to explain itself.

Mormons immediately rush forward and declare that anyone who questions them or wants clarification is a “bigot.”

[festus]

Another way to make the Mormon’s look bad?

After accepting Mitt Romney into their midst nothing surprises me......

[technomage]

A rag? (KSL is owned by the LDS church.)

No matter who owns it, putting out an article full of the implications this does makes it a rag not worth reading.

Attempt (Next you'll tell us that the MSM escorted him into membership classes, too)

So, it appears you agree with the unspoken implication of this article that the shooting spree was caused partly by this lunatics switch to the Mormon faith?!??!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Scotsman will be Free]

Didn’t mean to swear at you. Sometimes I run out of patience with folks who seemingly ignore my point for some weird reason. My apologies.

[Elsie]

Maybe the underpants pushed him over the edge.

Now this is a smear.

 

 

Not necessarily - read on...

---

A man went to the doctor suffering from severe headaches.

 

After a thorough examination, the doctor turned to him and said: "Jerry, the good news is I can cure your headaches. The bad news is that it will require castration.  You have a very rare condition, which causes your testicles to press on your spine, and the pressure creates these serious headaches you've been experiencing. So the only way to relieve the pressure is to remove the testicles."

 

Jerry was shocked and depressed. He wondered if he had anything to live for. He couldn't concentrate long enough to answer, but decided he had no choice but to go under the knife.
When he eventually left the hospital Jerry was pleasantly surprised at how good it felt not to have a headache for the first time in 20 years, but he also knew that he was missing an important part of himself.
As he walked down the street, he realised that he felt like a different person. He could make a fresh start and live a new life. He saw a men's clothing store and thought to himself a new suit would be the perfect thing to mark this new beginning.

 

He entered the shop and told the salesman: "I'd like a new suit."

 

The elderly tailor eyed him briefly and said: "Let's see... size 44 long?"

 

"That's right, how did you know?" said Jerry, laughing.

 

"I've been in the business 60 years!" replied the tailor.

 

Jerry tried on the suit and it fitted like a glove.

 

As Jerry admired himself in the mirror, the salesman asked: "How about a new shirt?"

 

Jerry thought for a moment and then agreed.

 

The salesman eyed Jerry again.

 

"Let's see... 34 sleeve and 16-and-a-half neck?"

 

Once again, Jerry was surprised.

 

"That's right, how did you know?"

 

"Like I said, I've been in the business 60 years!"

 

So Jerry tried on the shirt, and it was a perfect fit. 
As Jerry adjusted the collar in the mirror, the salesman asked: "How about new shoes?"

 

Jerry was on a roll and so thought, why not?

 

So the salesman eyed Jerry's feet and said: "Let's see... you must be a size nine-and-a-half?"

 

Jerry was astonished.

 

"That's right, how did you know?"

 

"Well, young fella, I've been in the business long enough to know these things!"

 

Jerry tried on the shoes and they were also a remarkable fit.
While he was walking around the shop comfortably, the salesman asked, "So that only leaves the new underwear. How about it?"

 

He thought for a second and agreed.

 

The salesman stepped back, eyed Joe's waist and said: "Let's see... size 36."

 

Jerry laughed and said, "Ah ha! I got you! I've worn size 34 since I was 18 years old."

 

The salesman shook his head. "There's no way. I'm never wrong. You can't wear a size 34."

 

"Oh yes I can," replied Jerry and have been most of my life.

 

"I don't understand," said the tailor, "By my reckoning a 34 underwear would press your testicles up against the base of your spine and give you one hell of a headache."

[Elsie]

Somehow I believe this rampage will be all my fault by the time the media is done.

Indeed!

They'll twist and turn and get all KINDS of air time for 'experts' who claim to understand the Mind!

[Elsie]

to blame it on LDS is a cop-out!

But; the article DIDN'T!

[Broker]

CLDS will baptise anybody.. They claim the the dead. No joke.

[Elsie]

Will the next mass shooter have his religion scrutinized like this Christian?

Although he HAD a lot of interaction with 'Christians', did the shooter EVER show any signs that HE was, in fact, a CHRISTIAN?

[Badeye]

‘LP hosts the most lunatic elements of our society.’

From the now locked thread (whats up with that?) it wasn’t always that way. Yes, there were kooks there, but they weren’t as pervasive as they are now.

[Badeye]

Thanks.

[Badeye]

Thats never been my experience with members of LDS. I dated one in highschool, knew her entire family very well.

Its not for me, but I’d be fine with LDS members as neighbors. Good people.

[wita]

Why did you feel it necessary to swear at me?

I had the same reaction, followed by, “hope he isn’t LDS”
He is a retired cop, maybe that’s it.

[ßuddaßudd]

I wouldnt know the answer to that.

[theFIRMbss]

>people like this always blames others, never himself

Yes. That's a great point.
I know someone like that now.
They had me convinced

they had no support,
no friends and nothing but grief.
I befriended them

and discovered that
their parents were working hard
to do _everything_

for them, they had friends
who were always supportive
and their life was _cool_ .

Yet they STILL have bouts
of wild, deep depression
where they feel 'oppressed'

and alone, hopeless.
I've never known anything
like it. Freaks me out.