Mormon Churchs Vandalized in Utah, Maybe Over Prop. 8

[skooooo]

http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=9323804

By KTVX

Three Mormon churches in Utah were vandalized Sunday, and church members say it is related to the controversy over California's Proposition 8.

Proposition 8 bans same-sex marriage in California. It was passed by 52 percent.

Layton, Utah, authorities say the holes in church windows appear to be from a BB gun. The doors of the churches were also damaged.

Authorities are not saying whether it was related to California's Prop 8 or whether it was random vandalism. Church members, however, believe it is because the church has taken a stand against same-sex marriage.

Protesters have targeted Mormon temples in cities across California and in Utah since the proposition passed. Protesters say they are upset that Mormon church members funded and supported the proposition.

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. this is not good

not good at all.

[GodlessBiker]

2. So, have you seen any good movies lately?

[Clintonista2]

8. Actually yes!

Watched "W" the other day, it wasn't half bad.

[GOPNotForMe]

3. I guess I should be more upset than I am.

I don't condone violence or law-breaking but I just can't bring myself to feel bad about this vandalization, as much as I probably should....

[leftofcool]

5. A church in Michigan was also vandalized

[tekisui]

4. Not a good development.... but

You go advocating hate legislation, taking away minorities rights, it's like kicking a bee's nest. You don't know what the repercussions could be.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

6. BAN MORMON MARRIAGES

[LoKnLoD]

23. The first marriage or the second, third and forth?

The first marriage or the second, third and forth?

[leftofcool]

7. Catholic Churches next? Buddhist Temples? Mosques?

[tekisui]

11. What did the Buddhists do?

Mormons are a unified religion following one leader. Their leader gave a call to action and they acted. I am not defending violence or vandalism, but I am not surprised, either.

[closeupready]

9. If positive things are to happen, they have to happen peacefully and non-violently, without

infringing on other's rights, and without destroying property.

Even though authorities don't know whether it's related or not, this serves as a good reminder to people to keep passions in check and to respect others. "Fight the good fight", as they say.

[anigbrowl]

10. Vandalism isn't a constructive form of protest.

If it's related to prop 8, it's just feeding RW paranoia.

[Howardx]

12. pathetic attempt to garner sympathy

bb holes? gimme a break, more likely bored local teens. no evidence this had anything to do with prop 8.

[GodlessBiker]

15. Self-inflicted, perhaps.

[justiceischeap]

21. That's what I'm thinking... n/t

[liberalmuse]

13. That is not cool.

Protest, but do so peacefully.

[Democrats_win]

14. If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. The politics of hate delivers hate.

Of couse we don't know if this involves Prop 8. If any GLBT people were involved, that would be bad. This would be contrary to everything GLBT people stand for. We, the innocent, may take a few knocks now and then, but those who harm us usually receive punishment in full.

The Mormon church should not have gotten involved in politics. It is illegal and immoral for a church to do this.

[pgh_dem]

16. BB gun? Any chance the B's were spelled backwards?

;-)

[GreenPartyVoter]

30. *snarf*

[WeDidIt]

17. I dunno, the LDS church has attempted a false flag opeation before

I'll wait and see what comes of this before making any judgements.

[grantcart]

18. Bullshit - mormons have lots of historical tradition of feigning attacks to

manipulate public opinion

1) Meadow Mountain Massacre - they tried to make it look like it was Indians

2) Bombing in Salt Lake City - set bombs against yourself to cover up your fraud.

[LoKnLoD]

24. I agree

I live here in Utah, they have a persecution complex.

[T Wolf]

19. There are consequences for actions, though Shrub has tried to change that reality.

Those who condemn this and say "only non-violent protest gets results" are forgetting that little set-to back in 1776.

To paraphrase Andromeda Captain Dylan Hunt,

Violence may not be the best way, but it may be the only way.

[galaxy21]

20. Its not really about fighting any cause though, its just seems like payback now

Which I don't really agree with. What's done is done.

All this scapegoating over prop 8 is rather worrying. First, its black people. Now its the mormons.

The fact is, even though the Mormons funded a lot of the attacks on gay marriage, people were all too eager to listen to them. If people were really committed to gay rights, none of the BS arguements would have worked.

Put the responsiblity on the individual person, rather than these 'all powerful Mormons'.

[T Wolf]

22. So, it's better to attack a specific Mormon than a building? Works for me.

If there had been little or no publicity pushing the anti-equality agenda, most of those bigots would not have voted for it.

The millions from the Mormons and Catholics are what made the proposition successful. Your argument would hold if it carried with 70-80 percent. it passed by a small margin - and would not have happened without the filthy lucre from those churches of hate.

[galaxy21]

25. "Most of the bigots would not have voted it for it,' Really?

I think they almost certainly would have. You don't remember you suddenly hate gay marriage just because the mormons remind you.


By placing the blame on the individual...I meant placing the blame on the people that actually, you know, voted for it.

As for the involvement of Mormon/Catholic churches: Why is only the Mormons getting all the hassle? Is it because Mormons are an easier target?

[Howardx]

26. are you a mormon?

why not hassle the mormons?

[galaxy21]

27. I'm not a Mormon (Mitt Romney's the only high profile one I know of)

But I don't like religious bigotry at all. Which is what going on here. People are taking cheap shots at a 'weird' religion because they know they can get away with it.

Considering all the Hispanics that voted for it, you'd think people would be attacking the Catholic church with such vigour. Except, no one would dare alienate that many people by doing so. Mormons are an easy target because there aren't that many of them and most people think they're all odd anyway.

[Howardx]

28. the catholic church has been protested as well

maybe you didnt hear about it because mormons are bigger whiners.

[galaxy21]

29. If Catholic churches started getting attacked and their beliefs slandered like what's happening to

the mormons, I guarantee no-one on here would be encouraging such behaviour.


Honestly, there were a lot of people to blame for prop 8 passing. The Mormons were a part of it, but it wasn't solely down to them. Generally, it was many different factors (Hispanics, conservative blacks, the democrats unwillingness to throw their total support behind gay marriage). Blaming the Mormons and making them out to be sinister/evil isn't fair at all.

[Howardx]

31. first off

theres no proof any mormon church was "attacked" so thats out.

the catholic churches beliefs are just as rotten to the core as the mormons, catholics had no trouble slandering the beliefs of no on 8 supporters, did you have anything to say then? for a non mormon you seem to be awfully interested in defending them.

[galaxy21]

32. "for a non mormon you seem to be awfully interested in defending them"

That would be like saying only gay people can defend gay rights, or you have to be black to stand up against anti black rhetoric.

Honestly, I'd never given much thought to Mormons prior to this. I'd never even met one (to my knowledge). I had this stereotype of them as these perky, clean living, slightly eccentric people that lived in Utah and voted republican all the time.


But there's something quite ugly about the way people who pride themselves on tolerance are just badmouthing an entire people based on some of their members's involvement in one (admittedly bad) decision. As I mentioned, its not fair to give them ALL the blame for prop 8 passing, because there were other factors involved. Were Hispanic voters more likely to listen to the mormons or their priests? Were black voters more likely to listen to a Mormon than Obama?(regardless of how Barack personally feels, he has came out against gay marriage on more than one occasion) Its ridiculous.

And its hypocritical because no one on here is speaking out about Barack's lack of support for gay marriage. Or the various other religious institutions involved. Or even the voters themselves. No, it was all the evil mormons fault.

[Howardx]

37. clearly you arent getting it

and are only hearing what you want to hear, ALL the groups that made up the coalition that pushed through 8 have been mentioned on du and have been protested against, because you dont know about it doesnt mean it hasnt happened.

[galaxy21]

38. There has been way more anti morman stuff than anything else

For a day or so it was black conservatives getting the blame, now its the Mormons. I've even noticed threads that say 'oh, did you know mormons believe X and Y?' Or people trying to paint them as some sort of cult that brainwash children. Regardless of how zany their beliefs may seem, the recent critcism on here sounds somewhat bigoted and intolerant.

I personally think if the democrat party had been been more encouraging of gay marriage it might have passed. As it is, most democrat politicians consider it a politically unviable positon to support gay marriage and have never acknowledged it as a civil rights issues and never tried to convince the base it was a civil rights issues (and it was lack of democrat supported that caused it to pass). Nevermind the outside forces, what about the base?

[Howardx]

40. so what?

the mormons deserve all they get and more, newsflash, THEY ARE A CULT.

[galaxy21]

41. 'So what? ' You sound intolerant.

As for the Mormons, they're considered a religion (and I assume are legally recognised as one) so lets have the decency to call them a religion.I'd never tell a Jewish person they were part of a cult. Or a Catholic. Or anyone else. And its not like Mormonism is that much crazier (I'm somewhat of an agnostic myself.)

As for Mormons 'deserving everything they get' what have they done that's bad? Like I said, I don't know that much about them. So enlighten as to why they all deserve to be hated.

[Howardx]

42. im extremely intolerant

of people using the iron age myths they believe in to attempt to regulate what other free people can or cant do. im extremely intolerant towards organized religion in general. i do agree with you that mormonism isnt any crazier than judaism or catholicism.

[galaxy21]

43. But you don't call Judasism or Catholicism a cult, do you?

I think its very unfortunate that prop 8 passed, buy you can't fight bigotry with even more bigotry. And that's whats happening with all this recent fuss around Mormons.

[Howardx]

44. catholicism and judaism are both cults

are you getting where im coming from yet galaxy21?

[Danger Mouse]

33. Hmm. This isn't the way to win an argument.

[regnaD kciN]

34. Because, of course, gays from California...

...are going to drive to a small town in Utah with their BB guns to shoot out a few church windows. :crazy:

If I had heard of the firebombing of a Mormon Temple located in L.A., San Francisco, or even another large, liberal metro area like here in Seattle, I would have suspected it had to do with Prop8. But BB guns in a small town? Sounds more like some local teenager who's decided the Mormon faith they've been raised in is a load of horsesh*t, or whose girlfriend's parents made her dump him because he isn't "devout" enough for them.

[TexasObserver]

35. false flag operation from a church that has done them before

[QC]

36. Were the perpetrators dressed up as Indians? n/t

[musette_sf]

39. i'd be looking at people named Jessops and Jeffs

THERE'S a group that would like to put the smack down on the LDS. and make it look like someone else did it.