Lawrence churches hit in wave of vandalism

LJWorld.com weblogs The Lawrence Crime Blotter

Posted by Joel Mathis July 30, 2007 at 11:01 a.m.

Eight Lawrence churches were damaged by graffiti over the weekend. Police responded to calls reporting the damage from 11:15 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Monday. The church buildings include:¢ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3615 W. 10th St.¢ Faith Church of the Nazarene, 1020 Kasold Dr.¢ Westside Presbyterian Church, 1024 Kasold Dr.¢ First Southern Baptist Church, 4300 W. Sixth St.¢ Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church, 5700 W. Sixth St.¢ Free Methodist Church, 3001 Lawrence Avenue.¢ Redeemer Lutheran Church, 2700 Lawrence Ave.¢ Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 6001 Bob Billings Parkway.Police are continuing their investigation.

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guesswho (anonymous) says…

To whoever did this, just remember:

Paybacks are hell.
July 30, 2007 at 11:11 a.m.
punkrockmom (Nikki May) says…

Weird why do that? They hit most of the westside churches. So you'd think it was just someone in that area, but they might want a car. There are still a few in that area that didn't get hit. Guess the cops will be staking out churches tonight.
July 30, 2007 at 11:59 a.m.
Pywacket (anonymous) says…

At least they're ecumenical vandals and didn't play favorites.
July 30, 2007 at 12:14 p.m.
Kam_Fong_as_Chin_Ho (anonymous) says…

Would this qualify as a hate crime? If so, the vandals could be looking at serious jail time.
July 30, 2007 at 12:32 p.m.
ndmoderate (anonymous) says…

I don't know, Scene, but I'm sure Ferd can fill us in!
July 30, 2007 at 1:37 p.m.
Ohyasee (anonymous) says…

Kids need better things to do. Or one better, Parent's will you please start watching your Kids!
July 30, 2007 at 1:44 p.m.
Termcd4 (anonymous) says…

This town needs a skating rink!
When I was growing up here all us kids were always at the skating rink!
There is almost nothing for our youth to do around here except hang out at the movie theater!

anyone know how we can obtain a skating rink!???

from A 43 year old, mother of 4 teenagers!
aahhhhhhh!!
July 30, 2007 at 2 p.m.
Ohyasee (anonymous) says…

I have had the thought that where Food 4 Less was. That would be a good area for a skating rink.
July 30, 2007 at 2:10 p.m.
Write2Know (anonymous) says…

I Second Termcd4 and Ohyasee!
July 30, 2007 at 2:21 p.m.
Confrontation (anonymous) says…

Is this what happens when you take God out of the churches?
July 30, 2007 at 2:29 p.m.
grubesteak (anonymous) says…

I third Ohyasee, Termcd4 and Write2Know. There's hardly anything for youth to do in this town.
July 30, 2007 at 2:29 p.m.
Veritas (anonymous) says…

I grew up in Lawrence, and I turned out just fine. I also really enjoyed a good cardboard box. Those things are amazing if you're somewhat creative.
July 30, 2007 at 2:40 p.m.
TheRob (anonymous) says…

I grew up in Lawrence too. I enjoyed playing in the creek and reading the vandalism on the underpass at Clinton Parkway. I don't think we ever had the desire to vandalize anything ourselves. None of us had a computer. One friend had an Intellivision video game system, but our parents conspired to keep us outdoors all the time, away from the TV.
July 30, 2007 at 3:39 p.m.
bugmenot (anonymous) says…

I love skating rinks! Oh, back in the day...
July 30, 2007 at 3:48 p.m.
mick (anonymous) says…

This is an 8th grade male bonding thing. Parents- where were your boys last weekend?
July 30, 2007 at 3:51 p.m.
softtalker (anonymous) says…

I love how everyone automatically assumes it was a bunch of kids..
July 30, 2007 at 4:02 p.m.
mick (anonymous) says…

What do you think, Softtalker, Someone out to make a meaningful political statement?
July 30, 2007 at 4:07 p.m.
yankeelady (anonymous) says…

There used to be a skating rink, right where Kohls and Old Navy sit. Those are way more profitable.
July 30, 2007 at 4:13 p.m.
Uhlrick_Hetfield_III (anonymous) says…

I'm thinking this is the same kind of stuff you get when swastikas are painted on the side of synagogues. Bigotry is bigotry whether it's racism, anti-Semitism, or religious intolerance, and America is a very hateful country.
July 30, 2007 at 5:22 p.m.
cschott (anonymous) says…

I understand the mentality behind most crimes, but not vandalism.
July 30, 2007 at 7:48 p.m.
punkrockmom (Nikki May) says…

Spywell, what? I'm still going with kids - kids on bikes.
July 30, 2007 at 8:31 p.m.
ndmoderate (anonymous) says…

Spywell, how do you function in society with such an awful grasp on the English language?
July 30, 2007 at 8:41 p.m.
KsTwister (anonymous) says…

If it's a gang or some odd sort of club these guys are in then sue the gangs--it works in other cities. The graffiti should tell you which one to look for.
July 30, 2007 at 9:25 p.m.
lunacydetector (anonymous) says…

have the police interviewed any of our atheist or satanist population?
July 30, 2007 at 10:32 p.m.
ndmoderate (anonymous) says…

Spywell says:

"I never have to write anything, I don't sat a a computer all day at work."

--I don't either.

"So, I thought this would improve my rusty poor writing skills that I never had in the first place."

--excellent! I'm glad.

"This does'nt mean that your any smarter than me, now does it? "

--not necessarily.

"Do you use your spell check. No?"

--Nope. I have slipped here and there, though, but usually catch it and fix it.

Look. I just find it really hard to take someone seriously when they can't spell or write correctly. If they can't spell or write, that usually means they didn't pay attention in school. If they didn't pay enough attention to spell words and write correctly, that usually means (just usually) they didn't pay attention to a lot of other things as well. It's that simple.

As to your riddle: You got me. I'm stumped. What's the answer?
July 30, 2007 at 11:46 p.m.
Machiavelli_mania (anonymous) says…

It wasn't me.
July 31, 2007 at 12:11 a.m.
ndmoderate (anonymous) says…

Spywell, where did you get that riddle?
July 31, 2007 at 12:43 a.m.
hberciunas (anonymous) says…

Greetings,
I am a co-pastor at one of the churches that were hit. We are considering leaving up the legible remarks and removing just the obsenity and illegible.

The graffiti sparked some significant conversation in our church concerning our role in the community. Some of think that whoever did this has some anger at the church. Some of us understand that and have our own complaints at the way the church has behaved in America.

Some in our congregation has see these marks as prayers. They came to vandalize churchs - the symbol of God in our community. The comments that they made are angry comments - much like some of the prayers found in the Psalms.

As a church community we are trying to find ways to answer some of the same questions that were posed by the artist. How can we be a better portrayal of Jesus in Lawrence. The church at large has not done well at being Jesus.

Here are the comments that we may leave up (at least for awhile): "Judge Not" "Love thine enemies" "Who would Jesus bomb?" . . .

Commenting here, and allowing them to remain, we understand may give cred to the vandals, but we also want to say that we hear you.

Perhaps a different perspective - we are open to dialogue.

Grace and Peace,
July 31, 2007 at 6:08 a.m.
jonas (anonymous) says…

hberciunas: An interesting perspective, and an interesting method. I'm not sure whether I think it's a good idea or not, but it's certainly different.
July 31, 2007 at 6:33 a.m.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…

What was the message in the graffitti? Was it anti-religion?
July 31, 2007 at 8:13 a.m.
Machiavelli_mania (anonymous) says…

"Little things like that annoy me as they are not typos but indicative of a basic lack of understanding of the very basics of the language."

And it is very telling that you have no patience for people and mistakes. What does that say about you?

Certainly, you are no one I would like to know personally.
July 31, 2007 at 8:27 a.m.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…

The irony meter buries its needle when Marion goes off on someone else's keying.
July 31, 2007 at 8:49 a.m.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…

"I do not have to be perfect but expect erfection in those around me."

Another Nick Danger classic!
July 31, 2007 at 9:21 a.m.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…

No, you're just acting like a hypocritical old poop.
July 31, 2007 at 12:18 p.m.
Jeezus (anonymous) says…

WWJB?
I would bomb the skating rink, but dad says, "NO!"
Maybe Wal+Mart...
July 31, 2007 at 3:27 p.m.
OldEnuf2BYurDad (anonymous) says…

These are hate crimes. I wonder if they will be prosecuted as such. This will be a test for the system, to see if there is fairness, or if hate has to be linked to the hot issue du jour in order to matter.

Skating rink? Kids do this sort of thing because they have been ignored by their parents. Parents who used TV to babysit their toddlers now want skating rinks so they can also neglect them in their adolesence.
July 31, 2007 at 4:58 p.m.
hberciunas (anonymous) says…

I don't know if these are "hate crimes." I think these are more acts of anger.

I don't think that these acts are "war protests" - although Fox 4 Kansas City seemed to title them so.

I do think that there are several folks that are angry at the church. Even as a pastor, I have asked those same questions of my brothers and sisters who call themselves "Christian."

I ask those same questions of myself - or better: Jesus says those same things to us:

note the scriptural quotes: Jesus said: "Judge not, . . ." "Love thine enemies" . . . (interesting that the graffiti artist used the old King James language "thine")

A question we should all ask: "who would Jesus Bomb?" (I think that whoever wrote this saw a bumper sticker or t-shirt - belonging to a war protester.)

Nevertheless, what would Jesus' perspective be on our current (or any) war?

Grace and Peace,
July 31, 2007 at 7:50 p.m.
MaggotFace (anonymous) says…

Q: Who would Jesus bomb?

A: Sodom and Gomorrah.
July 31, 2007 at 9:59 p.m.
Sigmund (anonymous) says…

William Jefferson Clinton signed "The Church Arson Prevention Act of 1996." The act amended an existing law prohibiting violence against churches by lowering the ten thousand dollar minimum damage requirement. Thus, more attacks could be prosecuted under federal jurisdiction.
http://www.clintonfoundation.org/roa-...

The FBI lists church vandalism as a "hate crime" and believes that Title 18, U.S.C., Section 247, prohibits "intentional defacement, damage, or destruction of any religious real property, because of the religious, racial, or ethnic characteristics of that property." Punishment for such offense starts at one year Federal prison time (Leavenworth not Douglas County jail), a fine, or both.
http://miami.fbi.gov/hate.htm
http://miami.fbi.gov/statutes/title_1...

Those pastors, partitioner's, or local LEO's who wish can contact the local FBI field office using the link below.
http://kansascity.fbi.gov/contact.htm
August 1, 2007 at 12:30 a.m.
hberciunas (anonymous) says…

Maggotface,

interesting - actually when the disciples wanted to "bomb" or in their terms rain down fire and brimestone on a certain town because of their unbelief - Jesus rebuked them . . .

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is really about grace - when no one was worthy of salvation - God listened to the pleas of Abraham - and rescued the one family that had any kind of righteousness - and even then the sons were too stubborn to leave and the wife of Lot was turned to stone - because she left, but turned back wanting the evil she had left.

Usually, I don't know if always, judgement/punishment is by our own doing. I don't think that is what God - especially in Jesus - wants for us.

Grace and Peace,

Grace and Peace,
Harold
August 1, 2007 at 8:23 a.m.