Graffiti on a church.

[John in Covina]

Well I am disheartend, the fellowship hall at church got graffiti-ed again, this time with satanic symbols.
My friends discovered it this morning when we met to do yard work - mow lawns.

Crudely painted upside down crosses and 666's in a brilliant blue.

I called the sheriff's office in San Dimas and over the next hour we had about 6 deputies come by. They took pictures and took the paint container in as evidence. When i asked if other churches had been graffiti-ed they wouldn't say.

 

[this one guy]

I've seen graffiti on railroad cars that even looks artistic, but this is disgraceful. I'm glad the sheriff's office responded, and I hope they get the thugs.

 

[Gregg Axley]

So sorry to hear this.

 

[Widebrim]

It's interesting that you don't see Christians, Jews, other theists, or even atheists spraying graffiti on places were Satanists "worship." Although I don't agree with the concept of "hate crimes," this would fall under the accepted definition. Has it been defined as such, John?

 

[vitanola]

I agree, if anything was a so-called "hate crime" the vandalism of a church is a "hate crime".

Similar vandalism back in our county in Michigan a few years ago.

Turned out it wasn't Satanists, but PK's out on a tear.

Actually there had been a spate of "Satanist" activity in our county back in the late 'Nineties, which included the mutilation of cats, and which was found to be
an admitted "holy lie" by a self-styled evangelist, who ended up in jail for trying to set his own failing pole barn church alight.

Whatever the cause of the vandalism, I do hope that your vandals are caught and appropriately chastened. The cleaning and restoration of the church
property would be a good start, but of course only a start.

 

[Feraud]

This sounds like vandalism by bored dumb kids but I hope the cops catch up with these dopes.
We don't need these idiots progressing from vandalism to more serious crimes.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Actually there had been a spate of "Satanist" activity in our county back in the late 'Nineties, which included the mutilation of cats, and which was found to be
an admitted "holy lie" by a self-styled evangelist, who ended up in jail for trying to set his own failing pole barn church alight.

Jail is too good for him. He deserves the same fate he gave the cats.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Jail is too good for him. He deserves the same fate he gave the cats.

Worse!

No respect seems to be a trend now days. There is a need for some serious meetings to take place and try to come up with a plan on helping the youth in the USA (and actually adults as well) to have more respect for everyone and everything. I can only think this is a extension of the mindset of those that want to remove even "Christmas" from being called that and to replace it with "holiday".....some of my UK friends call going on a vacation, "taking holiday".....can there really be so much of a lack of love for what is good and right that individuals continue this destructive activity, and to be so low as to defile a place of worship?

Can any one of us here, even begin to imagine what OUR parents would have done to us for being guilty of this sort of activity? I can tell you JAIL would be a kinder fate than what my parents would have done to me! I thank my late parents so very dearly for giving me some ethics and morals.

 

[sheeplady]

It's interesting that you don't see Christians, Jews, other theists, or even atheists spraying graffiti on places were Satanists "worship." Although I don't agree with the concept of "hate crimes," this would fall under the accepted definition. Has it been defined as such, John?

I really doubt that this was Satanists. Satanists first of all are a really really small group. A lot of what ignorant people consider satanists aren't actually Satanists, they just are of a different religion (typically non-Christian and non-Jewish) and they'd be pretty offended if you said they worshiped the devil. Secondly, Satanists don't tend to "hate" Christians or any other religions any more than Christians hate them. Satanists need to have both Christianity and Judaism to worship the devil; it's kind of the basis of their religion... with no Judaic/Christian "God" there is no "Devil" and so on.

Finally, if a Satanist is going to "go after" a church, I highly doubt they would draw upside down crosses on the property for two reasons. Those aren't really the most powerful Satanic symbols, they just are the ones that are popularized. And if Satanists actually wanted to "scare" a group of Christians they could be quite more creative without causing property damage. From a technical standpoint, these are people who think they can draw the devil to commit acts- they aren't going to draw out the devil with a can of spray paint.

If you know where the Satanists practice in your town, and they can practice openly without fear of harm, then I truly applaud your town for being open and accepting. I have never lived in a place where Satanists were able to advertise where they practiced, lived, or who they were.

If anything, I would personally guess that either this is a group of kids or young adults OR it is someone trying to make trouble for non-mainstream religions in the town. I've actually seen where a church member damaged their own property and then blamed it on a new temple built in town just to stir trouble. Thankfully the good people in this person's church saw right through the evil ploy, but a lot of people were about to form a lynch mob.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Yeah..I bet that's what it really is. One of those dishonest Christain members just trying to stir up trouble....

 

[Widebrim]

I really doubt that this was Satanists. Satanists first of all are a really really small group. A lot of what ignorant people consider satanists aren't actually Satanists, they just are of a different religion (typically non-Christian and non-Jewish) and they'd be pretty offended if you said they worshiped the devil. Secondly, Satanists don't tend to "hate" Christians or any other religions any more than Christians hate them. Satanists need to have both Christianity and Judaism to worship the devil; it's kind of the basis of their religion... with no Judaic/Christian "God" there is no "Devil" and so on.

Finally, if a Satanist is going to "go after" a church, I highly doubt they would draw upside down crosses on the property for two reasons. Those aren't really the most powerful Satanic symbols, they just are the ones that are popularized. And if Satanists actually wanted to "scare" a group of Christians they could be quite more creative without causing property damage. From a technical standpoint, these are people who think they can draw the devil to commit acts- they aren't going to draw out the devil with a can of spray paint.

If you know where the Satanists practice in your town, and they can practice openly without fear of harm, then I truly applaud your town for being open and accepting. I have never lived in a place where Satanists were able to advertise where they practiced, lived, or who they were.

If anything, I would personally guess that either this is a group of kids or young adults OR it is someone trying to make trouble for non-mainstream religions in the town. I've actually seen where a church member damaged their own property and then blamed it on a new temple built in town just to stir trouble. Thankfully the good people in this person's church saw right through the evil ploy, but a lot of people were about to form a lynch mob.

You could be right; it may have been someone, or a group of people, simply appropriating those symbols popularly associated with Satanism. It wouldn't be the first time such a charade has occurred.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

People make me sick. Defacing a place of worship is one of the lowest things one can do.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

If it were up to me and those POS were so hell-bent (no pun intended) on meeting their beloved Satan, I'd be more than happy to facilitate the meeting for them.

 

[ThemThereEyes]

That is terrible. I hope they catch whoever did it and they start punishment with making them clean up graffiti all around town (church first if they catch them sooner).

 

[vitanola]

Yeah..I bet that's what it really is. One of those dishonest Christain members just trying to stir up trouble....

Well, there have been rather more instances of misguided folk adopting what they believe is Satanic symbolism for their own purposes, usually stuff borrowed from the moving pictures. Speaking as a regular church-going Protestant (Episcopal), I must note that there have been an unfortunate number of false charges of "Satanaism", "Satanic Vandalism" or "Satanic Ritual Abuse" made by self-professed "Christians" over a period of many years. I think that we can all agree that any false charges of this sort do not reflect well on the Body of Christ as a whole. In fact, the FBI records that there false accusations of supposed "Satanic" activity appear to be the rule, rather than the exception in these cases, at least over the past thirty or so years.

 

[sheeplady]

Yeah..I bet that's what it really is. One of those dishonest Christain members just trying to stir up trouble....

Anyone who pretends that any religion is free of dishonest individuals is telling themselves a lie. I've met evil individuals of all religious stripes (and atheists as well) and it has certainly taught me that a person's religion or lack of one is a very poor indicator of any measure of goodness.

Let's say that this happened to your place of worship. Would you be more upset if it was a child of a Satanist in your community or a child of your place of worship? It's the same crime, isn't it? Shouldn't both children be offered the same level of forgiveness if they seek it, regardless of religion?

Most of these things are done by kids with a can of paint. Or adults with a can of paint who never grew up. Very rarely is it a case of inter-religious feuding, but it does happen.

 

[ThemThereEyes]

Worse!

No respect seems to be a trend now days. There is a need for some serious meetings to take place and try to come up with a plan on helping the youth in the USA (and actually adults as well) to have more respect for everyone and everything. I can only think this is a extension of the mindset of those that want to remove even "Christmas" from being called that and to replace it with "holiday".....some of my UK friends call going on a vacation, "taking holiday".....can there really be so much of a lack of love for what is good and right that individuals continue this destructive activity, and to be so low as to defile a place of worship?

Can any one of us here, even begin to imagine what OUR parents would have done to us for being guilty of this sort of activity? I can tell you JAIL would be a kinder fate than what my parents would have done to me! I thank my late parents so very dearly for giving me some ethics and morals.

Who wants to change Christmas to Holiday? In my experience, there is Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukka, Happy Solstice/Blessed Yule, and Happy Holidays. Which makes sense since December is a collection of Holy Days. In fact, Christmas as it is celebrated today is a mix of different religions.

 

[ThemThereEyes]

Anyone who pretends that any religion is free of dishonest individuals is telling themselves a lie. I've met evil individuals of all religious stripes (and atheists as well) and it has certainly taught me that a person's religion or lack of one is a very poor indicator of any measure of goodness.

Let's say that this happened to your place of worship. Would you be more upset if it was a child of a Satanist in your community or a child of your place of worship? It's the same crime, isn't it? Shouldn't both children be offered the same level of forgiveness if they seek it, regardless of religion?

Most of these things are done by kids with a can of paint. Or adults with a can of paint who never grew up. Very rarely is it a case of inter-religious feuding, but it does happen.

I agree with this completely. This seems more childish vandalism for shock value.
The Westboro Church is a perfect example of people that parade themselves as Christians, but seem anything but. And certainly, they do start up trouble.
Just this evening, a friend was telling me how two weeks after her mother passed away from cancer, someone told her that her mother couldn't have gone to Heaven as she was a Catholic.

 

[tonyb]

Frustrated kids, by the sounds of it. Or perhaps, as sheeplady speculated, adults who never quite grew up.

I'm certainly no model citizen, but I do pick up litter during my daily walks with my dogs. I do this because I live here, and because that litter doesn't pick itself up, and because too many other local residents seem content to leave it in the streets and on the planting strips in front of their own homes. So, if not for me and what must be at least a few other people, this neighborhood would look, well, trashy, and I'd rather not live in a trashy neighborhood.

While I'm not in lockstep agreement with every aspect of the "broken windows theory," or its many implications, I have little doubt that litter only encourages more litter. People take cues from their surroundings. If there's much litter to be seen, people figure it's okay to litter. So it really must be picked up.

And if there's graffiti, you gotta paint it out right away (after it is photographed and reported to the cops, if that seems appropriate in a particular case).

The best response to most any undesirable behavior is setting a better example. Graffiti of the sort John complains of here is almost certainly the work of a fundamentally unhappy person. If he or she or they are caught doing such a thing, well, there ought to be legal consequences. But if it's a kid (which seems likely) who is released to the custody of his (or her) drunken, abusive father, we can bet that the kid will be back at it soon enough.

Turning these things around takes time. There was a time when you couldn't read the schedules at transit stops in many American cities because they were painted over with graffiti. That's much less the case these days. It wasn't so many years ago that smoking was allowed just about anywhere it didn't present a clear fire hazard, and smokers (myself among them, back when I was still bulletproof) thought nothing of depositing their butts on the sidewalks and lawns or out the windows of their cars. That just isn't accepted anymore.

So, paint it out, pick it up, don't be a jerk.

 

[wsc]

it wasn't too long ago someone stole the copper downspouts off our church and broke into the priests garage. Graffiti seems to be a reoccuring thing around here as well...