Governor Palin's Home Church Damaged By Arson

Governor Palin's Home Church Damaged By Arson

www.examiner.com

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Map, News) - Gov. Sarah Palin's home church was badly damaged by arson, leading the governor to apologize if the fire was connected to "undeserved negative attention" from her failed campaign as the Republican vice presidential nominee.

Damage to the Wasilla Bible Church was estimated at $1 million, authorities said Saturday. No one was injured in the fire, which was set Friday night while a handful of people, including two children, were inside, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele.

He said the blaze was being investigated as an arson but didn't know of any recent threats to the church. Authorities didn't know whether Palin's connection to the church was relevant to the fire, Steele said

(visit the link for the full news article)

Palin's church received some very unfavorable scrutiny during the election campaign, but there is no conclusive evidence yet that the fire was directly related to her or if someone just had their own issues with its teachings on one of a number of controversial subjects.

There is always the possibility, though, that there is a connection. Even with all its negative publicity Obama's church was never damaged. Maybe there's a conspiracy here?

www.examiner.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 13-12-2008 by Sestias]

Hi,
just did a search and found you'd posted on this already..
The latest news says the Chief confirms arson.

Chief: Gov. Palin's home church damaged by arson

Official: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's church purposely set on fire, incurs $1 million in damages

news link

Boy I hope all that works. It's the first time I've posted a headline or a link here. =)
~ana

reply to post by anahna muss

Thanks for the link (it works). The story was slightly updated but essentially the one I posted. So it's definite it was arson, then.

I am personally of the opinion that Palin is something of a dingbat, but whether one likes her or not I'm interested in WHY this was done. Is it an attack on her personally or was it motivated by some other grievance?

I cannot believe that this isn't major news. I didn't hear anything about it until I looked on the internet this morning. Glenn Beck talked about it in his first hour. It's on FoxNews homepage but not on CNN.

Can you imagine the uproar if this had been Obama's church or maybe a mosque?

Without a doubt you can say or just about get away with anything if you are against Christianity. Draw a cartoon about another religion and the globe is inflamed. Display a crucifix in dung and urine and it can be called art.

OBTW women and children were inside Sarah Palin's church when it was set on fire.

Again, where is the media?

Maybe it has NOTHING to do with the fact that Sarah Palin is a member.
Churches being burnt to the ground is nothing new, the 'Satanists' have been at it for years.

I mean, OK I live in England, but the general image of Alaska that we see over here is that not a lot happens there. Its a bit bleak, a bit boring.

Maybe some bored teenagers who are just against the religious establishment in general, and decided to torch it?

Never assume anything.

Foot in mouth disease.

[edit on 12/15/08 by Yoda411]

reply to post by selfisolated


Even if it was a bored teenager, do you think the media would've sat on the story if it was Obama's church?

They would've been running around like Daffy Duck trying to exploit this story.

The point of my original post was to just point out the double standard in our media.

reply to post by Yoda411


Please elaborate what you think is so wrong. I watched the first video that you posted and removed. There was nothing wrong in that one. I watched this second one and all I see is a person that is being prayed over at church. What is wrong with that? Are you suggesting we repeal freedom of religon in this nation? The only thing I could find wrong in the last video was that pastor's voice. I don't think I could sit there for a whole service.

Originally posted by on_yur_6
I cannot believe that this isn't major news.

That's what amazed me about this! I was reading opinions at townhall.com (right leaning website) and they had a blurb about it. So I went checking other news sources. I had to dig for the articles. They were there but buried. At least initially. I came here to post and thought to do a search first. I was glad to see Sestias posting! It still seems like this has gotten almost zero coverage.
There are people who will "OMG" anything and hype it. When people, like the Chief up there in Alaska are calm, rational and not pointing fingers it's like people aren't interested because there isn't enough "drama" for them. That's just my opinion but it's something I see over and over. The more 'terrible' the "witnesses" act in an interview the more news outlets are willing to splash them on the front page. I also agree that if this had happened to a recognized (by the MSM) "victim" group church it would be front page news. I'm just glad to see at least some conversation on it here.
~ana

reply to post by on_yur_6


Read their posts here. Demo/libs basically hate religion. They'd hate o(bs)ama's religion (whatever it is), too, if his preacher didn't also spew out hatred towards his own country - which is another thing the demo/libs also like to do.

Originally posted by Yoda411
Maybe this is why somebody would do that...

Yes.

How dare we have freedom of religion in this country!

That's almost as bad as a pastor who would say GD America and the US of KKK.



Don't make crimes political.

[edit on 12/15/08 by Yoda411]

reply to post by Yoda411


Yoda,
Thank you very much for posting that. It was a good report and there was some info I hadn't heard yet also. I loved the interview. What an awesome response to something like this happening. I hope that if anything should ever happen to my family's church that our parishioners would be as gracious and faithful.
Anyhow, watching it made me sad for them but thanks again for the link, Yoda.
I'm praying for them.
~ana

reply to post by centurion1211

Hey, I'm a liberal and I don't hate religion OR my country. In fact, I'm a "liberal/demo" because of my faith, but that's not the subject of this thread. I may not agree with somebody else's beliefs but I would still maintain that they have a right to hold them, as long as they're not hurting anybody else.

I agree that if it was Obama's church it would be all over the news and many people would be enraged. That's why I posted this story. The crime against the Wasilla church deserves equal attention.

Here's an update, posted on the Examiner website 31 minutes ago:

Accelerant Poured Around Palin's Church

Hi,
Just wanted to post the latest info I have found on this. Sarah Palin gave an interview to "On The Record" on December 15th.
Also, this is the link to Wasilla Bible Church, which has information on how to help and progress reports.

Tonight, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin goes "On the Record" about her church, torched in a case of arson.

Link to story and video of the interview.

Hope everyone has a Merry Happy.. =)
~ana
I think I'm getting better at posting links and stuff! =)
Edit for typo.


[edit on 12/17/08 by anahna muss]

Again, thanks for the link. It looks like Fox News was one of the main sources of information, though I believe the story has run in most major news outlets by now. There wasn't any coverage about it when I watched MSNBC, but maybe I just missed it.

It's too bad that it has to be such a partisan issue.

All sorts of churches and synagogues with many different views have been attacked throughout history and around the world, not just evangelical ones. Ignorance and prejudice have often been the cause, whoever the target was.

Obviously, somebody had a greivance here. But it shouldn't be a left/right, liberal/conservative thing. Human decency hopefully transcends politics.