Author: Texas Gospel

Police in Pennsylvania say they arrested a man responsible for vandalism at two churches.

Richard A. Lowe, 40, of Meadville, Pennsylvania, is charged with two counts of vandalizing a place of worship according to a report from The Meadville Tribune newspaper.  Police say Lowe put graffiti on the buildings of St. Agatha Roman Catholic Church and The Altar International House of Prayer.  The graffiti included vulgar and derogatory messages.

Jail records show as of 8 a.m. Thursday Lowe remains in jail held in lieu of $10,000 bond.  If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

Two congregations in Jasper, Texas found anti-Christian messages scrawled on church doors this week.  The messages included vulgarities such as “(Expletive) all Christians.” The hateful messages were found at the Jasper Pentecostal Church and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jasper, according to a report from KJAS Radio. The church buildings are only a few miles apart.

“We have no clue who did it, but we certainly wish they didn’t. But, I pray for those people and I forgive them,”said Mark Follett, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran church to 12NewsNow in nearby Beaumont, Texas.  Pastor Follett told KTRE television this is the first time his church has been vandalized.

A spokesperson for the Jasper Police Department said the vandals did not get inside either building.

Joy Behar Tuesday apologized for comments she made in February comparing Christianity to mental illness.  Her comment referenced Vice President Mike Pence’s belief about prayer.

“It’s one thing to talk to Jesus. It’s another thing when Jesus talks to you. That’s called mental illness,” said Behar on the Feb. 13 episode of ABC Television’s The View.

ABC News reported Behar’s February comment sparked a protest that made it all the way to a shareholder’s meeting of the network’s parent company Walt Disney Corp. The Washington Post said shareholders discussed her comments during a question-and-answer portion of the meeting.

“I give Joy Behar a lot of credit. She picked up the phone. She called me. She was very sincere, and she apologized and one of the things my faith teaches me is grace; forgive as you’ve been forgiven,” Pence told FoxNews’ Sean Hannity.

A California man has been charged with two counts of felony vandalism as a hate crime.  Rollin Thunder Easley, 23, is accused of vandalizing St. Michael’s Church and the Boulder Creek Community Church in Boulder Creek, California.

A report from KSBW television includes a photo of the Boulder Creek Community Church building spray-painted with “Hail Satan” and “666.” The TV station says the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s office tracked down Easley after reviewing surveillance video.  The Mercury News reports Easley tried to escape after he was handcuffed, but was quickly recaptured. The paper says Easley has numerous prior warrants for non-related charges, including second-degree felony robbery, grand theft, false imprisonment, battery and unlawful sexual intercourse.

Jail records on Tuesday morning show Easley remains in jail held on $5,000 bond.