Tag: Christianity

U.S. strengthens hate crimes laws to protect churches and religious institutions

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church damage

U.S. President Donald Trump this month signed a bill into law increasing punishments for criminals who target churches or religiously affiliated organizations. The bill was introduced in response to a growing number of vandalism, bomb threats and other attacks on religious freedom in the U.S.

Existing U.S. law protects abortion clinics and other facilities frequently target by vandals.  The new law expands similar protections for churches. According to a news release from the White House, The Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act of 2018 criminalizes the intentional obstruction of any person’s free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force against religious real property. It increases the penalty to three years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine for threats that lead to damage. Those offenses were misdemeanors with a maximum one year in jail before the bill was signed.

 

Indiana man arrested for vandalism of multiple churches, more charges pending

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Mug shot - arsonist
Renzo Signorino

Sheriff’s deputies in Indiana arrested the man they say is responsible for a string of church vandalism cases. Renzo Signorino, 20, of Columbus, Indiana, is charged with numerous crimes against congregations in Brown County, Indiana including burglary, institutional criminal mischief, and felony level theft.   Investigators say his victims include the congregations of the Way of Holiness Tabernacle, St. Agnes Catholic Church of Nashville, and the Pikes Peak Church of Christ. A police spokesperson said more charges are pending.

According to a report in The Republic newspaper, investigators were able to file charges after they received a tip from an FBI agent who was investigating vandalism at a synagogue.  The Brown County Democrat says the agent contacted investigators on August 19 after the suspect in the synagogue vandalism told authorities she and Signorino had previously targeted other houses of worship.  Further investigation uncovered evidence that implicated Signorino.

A Sheriff’s Office news release lists the following charges as of Friday:

  • Burglary – Level 5 Felony (Way of Holiness Tabernacle Church)
  • Theft – Class A Misdemeanor (Way of Holiness Tabernacle Church)
  • Institutional Criminal Mischief – Class A Misdemeanor (Way of Holiness Tabernacle Church)
  • Burglary – Level 5 Felony (St. Agnes Catholic Church)
  • Institutional Criminal Mischief – Class A Misdemeanor (St. Agnes Catholic Church)
  • Institutional Criminal Mischief – Class A Misdemeanor (Pike’s Peak Church of Christ)

The news release does not give Signorino’s motivation for vandalizing church property.

 

Virginia church building targeted by vandals 7 times since May

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A Virginia congregation is cleaning up damage criminals left behind for the 7th time since May.

Vandals have caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage to the sanctuary of The Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Annandale, Virginia.  Pastor Elijah Mwitanti told Fox5 Television that a church member was hit with a fire extinguisher when he encountered one of the vandals.

“He hit me. I think I was just in his direct path of exit of the building. And he left as soon as he hit me,” Brennan Hutchinson told Channel 4 television about the attack.

Police have not yet announced a suspect or motive behind the attacks.

Criminals continue to target church property in the Halifax area

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Photos Courtesy: Nova Scotia RCMP

Vandals have continued attacks on church properties in the Halifax area.  The latest attack is reported at a Lower Sackville church, according to a news release from the Halifax RCMP.

“This is not art, this is a poor excuse for attention,” say’s Cpl. Dal Hutchinson, Halifax District RCMP. “There are more appropriate ways to express yourself, this is not one of them.”

The vandalism comes days after a similar attack at St. Theresa’s Catholic church and nearby Mount Olivet Cemetery.

Anti-Christian graffiti was discovered in all of the instances.  The motive of the vandals has not yet been determined.

Anyone with information about either incident is asked to contact the Halifax District RCMP at 902-490-5020. Should you wish to remain anonymous call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers toll free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at http://www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips App.

Do we have evidence of God’s hand in creation?

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The Universe

Is there evidence of God’s hand in creation?

While my faith is not based on scientific discovery, I find evidence of God’s creation interesting.  I also find it interesting to note how strongly some anti-theists work to discredit evidence of God.

Just one of the evidences, often called the “fine-tuned universe” goes something like this: against incredible odds, the numbers in basic physics are exactly what they need to be for life. They have to be so precisely what they are for life that it stands credulity on its head to say that it happened just by chance.  The ball had been thrown into the anti-theists court.  Discussion of the latest physics of the matter was avoided by anti-theists, at least until the multiverse theory came along.

The multiverse theory threw the ball back into the theists’ court.  It provided a refutation to the fine-tuned universe.  The rebuff at that time was basically this: There are so many plausible variations in a multiverse that at least one fine-tuned universe would be expected. Now, talk of the latest science was in fashion again among anti-theists.  The ball has been shot back to the theists’ court.  Then, a new paper was published following the death of Stephen Hawking and the ball had been returned.

The last published paper by Stephen Hawking and Thomas Hertog says if a multiverse exists, it would not have an infinite number of physical properties.  If the infinite number of possible physical properties goes away, then the multiverse theory is not the kill shot to the fine-tuned universe as previously thought.

Throughout all of this fuss about fine tuning, and other evidences of God, I find it amazing how some anti-theists accept or reject the physical evidence as an indicator of God based on whose court the ball happens to be in at the time. At the end of the day, a relationship with God has nothing to do with the latest scientific discovery.  It has everything to do with our acceptance or rejection of God and his precious gift of salvation.

Have you accepted his gift?