bbc--2019-07-26--Arctic wildfires Whats caused huge swathes of flames to spread

Arctic wildfires: What's caused huge swathes of flames to spread?

Wildfires are ravaging the Arctic, with areas of northern Siberia, northern Scandinavia, Alaska and Greenland engulfed in flames.  Lightning frequently triggers fires in the region but this year they have been worsened by summer temperatures that are higher than average because of climate change.  Plumes of smoke from the fires can be seen from space.  Mark Parrington, a wildfires expert at the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (Cams), described them as "unprecedented".  There are hundreds of fires covering mostly uninhabited regions across eastern Russia, northern Scandinavia, Greenland and Alaska.  But smoke is affecting wider surrounding areas, engulfing some places completely.  Cities in eastern Russia have noted a significant decrease in air quality since the fires started.  The smoke has reportedly reached Russia's Tyumen region in western Siberia, six time zones away from the fires on the east coast.  In June, the fires released an estimated 50 megatonnes of carbon dioxide - the equivalent of Sweden's annual carbon output, according to Cams.  Arctic fires are common between May and October and wildfires are a natural part of an ecosystem, offering some benefits for the environment, according to the Alaska Centers website.  But the intensity of these fires, as well as the large area they have taken up, make these unusual.  "It is unusual to see fires of this scale and duration at such high latitudes in June," said Mr Parrington.  "But temperatures in the Arctic have been increasing at a much faster rate than the global average, and warmer conditions encourage fires to grow and persist once they have been ignited."  Extremely dry ground and hotter than average temperatures, combined with heat lightning and strong winds, have caused the fires to spread aggressively.  The burning has been sustained by the forest ground, which consists of exposed, thawed, dried peat - a substance with high carbon content.  Global satellites are now tracking a swathe of new and ongoing wildfires within the Arctic Circle. The conditions were laid in June, the hottest June for the planet yet observed in the instrumented era.  The fires are releasing copious volumes of previously stored carbon dioxide and methane - carbon stocks that have in some cases been held in the ground for thousands of years.  Scientists say what we're seeing is evidence of the kind of feedbacks we should expect in a warmer world, where increased concentrations of greenhouse gases drive more warming, which then begets the conditions that release yet more carbon into the atmosphere.  A lot of the particulate matter from these fires will eventually come to settle on ice surfaces further north, darkening them and thus accelerating melting.  It's all part of a process of amplification.  Russian authorities are not tackling the majority of the fires as they argue the cost would be bigger than the damage caused by the flames.  "They do not threaten any settlements or the economy," the press service of the Krasnoyarsk Region forestry ministry told a Siberian news website.  The hashtags #putouttheSiberianfires and #saveSiberianforests are currently trending on Twitter as Russians complain the government is not doing enough to tackle the crisis.  Some argue that the Notre Dame fire in Paris received far more media attention than the forest fires.  "Remember how far the news about the Notre Dame fire spread? Now is the time to do the same about the Siberian forest fires," said one tweet.  Another said: "Let's not forget that nature is no less important than history. Numerous animals have lost their homes, and many of them are probably dead. Just thinking about this is painful."  Alaska Centers agree that "fire-suppression efforts sometimes are more damaging than the wildfire".


bbc--2019-08-20--Brazil wildfires prompt prayers for Amazon

Brazil wildfires prompt 'prayers' for Amazon

A daytime blackout in a Brazilian city has prompted thousands of people to voice their concerns for the welfare of the Amazon rainforest.  Sao Paulo was blackened for around an hour on Monday after strong winds brought in smoke from forest fires burning in the states of Amazonas and Rondonia, more than 2,700km away.  The hashtag #prayforamazonia has now emerged as a global Twitter trend with more than 150,000 references to the fires.  Sao Paulo resident Gianvitor Dias told the BBC what it was like in the city during the smoke-filled blackout on Monday afternoon.  "It was as if the day had turned into night," he said. "Everyone here commented, because even on rainy days it doesn't usually get that dark. It was very impressive."  Some of the most popular tweets online are criticising President Jair Bolsonaro for not taking action.  Scientists from Brazil's National Space Research Institute (INPE) say the Amazon has suffered losses at an accelerated rate since Mr Bolsonaro took office in January.  The president responded by saying the data "doesn't relate to the reality" and accused them of smearing the country's reputation abroad.  You may also be interested in:  The president's denial of the data which the Institute says is 95% accurate, is something that is being picked up by social media users.  In a tweet that's been liked more than 10,000 times Twitter user Bea says: "Jair Bolsonaro is chipping through the Amazon. People are not talking about it... our greatest natural heritage is being destroyed! We need to wake up and see the reality!"  Other people are voicing their concern about damage the fires are doing to the environment and to nature in one of the world's most iconic ecological areas.  In a post that's been liked 17,000 times, Twitter user William Barros highlighted how the world had celebrated Brazil's natural environment at the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympic Games, only to see it burning to the ground today.  He said: "Three years ago the world saw Brazil celebrating nature and encouraging environmental preservation at the opening of the largest sporting event on the planet.  "Today we see the Amazon, our greatest wealth, on fire for over 16 days. Setback? #PrayforAmazonia."  The state of Amazonas declared a national emergency earlier this month because of the forest fires, the fourth most affected area in Brazil this summer.  NASA satellite images show the extent of smoke coverage across swathes of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay.  The fires have come at a time when concerns are being raised over the levels of deforestation taking place in the Amazon.

disaster, accident and emergency incident


bbc--2019-08-21--Amazon fires Record number burning in Brazil rainforest - space agency

Amazon fires: Record number burning in Brazil rainforest - space agency

Brazil's Amazon rainforest has seen a record number of fires this year, new space agency data suggests.  The National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) said its satellite data showed an 84% increase on the same period in 2018.  It comes weeks after President Jair Bolsonaro sacked the head of the agency amid rows over its deforestation data.  The largest rainforest in the world, the Amazon is a vital carbon store that slows down the pace of global warming.  It is also home to about three million species of plants and animals, and one million indigenous people.  Conservationists have blamed Mr Bolsonaro for the Amazon's plight, saying he has encouraged loggers and farmers to clear the land, and scientists say the rainforest has suffered losses at an accelerated rate since he took office in January.  Meanwhile, US space agency Nasa said that overall fire activity in the Amazon basin was slightly below average this year.  The agency said that while activity had increased in Amazonas and Rondonia, it had decreased in the states of Mato Grosso and Pará.  It was earlier reported that a blackout on Monday in the city of São Paulo - more than 2,700km (1,700 miles) away - had been caused by smoke from the Amazon fires.  But some meteorologists say the smoke came from major fires burning in Paraguay, which is much closer to the city and not in the Amazon region.  Wildfires often occur in the dry season in Brazil but they are also deliberately started in efforts to illegally deforest land for cattle ranching.  Inpe said it had detected more than 74,000 fires between January and August - the highest number since records began in 2013. It said it had observed more than 9,500 forest fires since Thursday, mostly in the Amazon region.  In comparison, there are slightly more than 40,000 in the same period of 2018, it said. However, the worst recent year was 2016, with more than 68,000 fires in that period.  The satellite images showed Brazil's most northern state, Roraima, covered in dark smoke, while neighbouring Amazonas declared an emergency over the fires.  Mr Bolsonaro brushed off the latest data, saying it was the "season of the queimada", when farmers use fire to clear land. "I used to be called Captain Chainsaw. Now I am Nero, setting the Amazon aflame," he was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying.  Later he appeared to suggest that non-governmental organisations had set fires, as revenge for his government slashing their funding. He presented no evidence and gave no names to support this theory, saying there were "no written records about the suspicions".  "So, there could be..., I'm not affirming it, criminal action by these 'NGOers' to call attention against my person, against the government of Brazil. This is the war that we are facing," he said in a Facebook Live on Wednesday.  Inpe noted that the number of fires was not in line with those normally reported during the dry season.  "There is nothing abnormal about the climate this year or the rainfall in the Amazon region, which is just a little below average," Inpe researcher Alberto Setzer told Reuters.  "The dry season creates the favourable conditions for the use and spread of fire, but starting a fire is the work of humans, either deliberately or by accident."  Ricardo Mello, head of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Amazon Programme, said the fires were "a consequence of the increase in deforestation seen in recent figures".  The reports of a rise in forest fires come amid criticism over Mr Bolsonaro's environmental policies. Scientists say the Amazon has suffered losses at an accelerated rate since the president took office in January, with policies favouring development over conservation.  Over the past decade, previous governments had managed to reduce deforestation with action by federal agencies and a system of fines. But Mr Bolsonaro and his ministers have criticised the penalties and overseen a fall in confiscations of timber and convictions for environmental crimes.  Last month, the far-right president accused Inpe's director of lying about the scale of deforestation in the Amazon and trying to undermine the government. It came after Inpe published data showing an 88% increase in deforestation there in June compared to the same month a year ago.  The director of the agency later announced that he was being sacked amid the row.  Inpe has previously insisted that its data is 95% accurate. The agency's reliability has also been defended by several scientific institutions, including the Brazilian Academy of Sciences.  Do you have video or pictures of fires in the affected regions? If it is safe to do so email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk  Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:


bbc--2019-09-16--Indonesia haze Why do forests keep burning

Indonesia haze: Why do forests keep burning?

Almost every year, a smoky haze blankets the South East Asian region - signalling the return of forest fires in Indonesia.  For many in this region, grey skies and a lingering acrid smell are not unfamiliar, but 2019 has already brought with it some of the worst haze levels in years.  But what causes these fires - and why do Indonesia's forests burn each year?  According to Indonesia's national disaster agency, there were 328,724 hectares of land burnt this year from January to August alone.  Among the most affected regions were Central, West and South Kalimantan, Riau, Jambi and South Sumatra.  But Indonesia's not the only culprit. There have also been cases of open burning in neighbouring Malaysia, though it pales in comparison to Indonesia.  As of 14 September, there were 10 hotspots in the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, compared to 627 in Kalimantan, according to the ASEAN specialised meteorological centre.  The burning usually peaks from July to October during Indonesia's dry season.  Many farmers take advantage of the conditions to clear vegetation for palm oil, pulp and paper plantations using the slash-and-burn method.  They often spin out of control and spread into protected forested areas.  The problem has accelerated in recent years as more land has been cleared for expanding plantations for the lucrative palm oil trade.  The burnt land also becomes drier, which makes it more likely to catch fire the next time there are slash-and-burn clearings.  The haze usually measures hundreds of kilometres across. It has spread to Malaysia, Singapore, the south of Thailand and the Philippines, causing a significant deterioration in air quality.  In Malaysia, hundreds of schools have been forced to close after the haze reached "very unhealthy levels" of 208 on the Air Pollutants Index (API) in several districts.  On 14 September, Pollutants Standards Index (PSI) levels in Singapore went beyond the 100 mark for the first time in three years, though it's yet to reach the hazardous levels of 2015.  In 2015, the PSI level in Singapore was at 341 - schools were forced to close and several fast-food chains suspended their delivery services.  On both indices, a reading above 100 is classified as unhealthy and anything above 300 is hazardous.  But it's in Indonesia where the impact is most felt.  In Palangkaraya, the capital of central Kalimantan, the Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 2000 on Sunday, according to Greenpeace Indonesia.  Anything between 301-500 is considered hazardous.  For many, its a reminder of 2015, the country's last major haze crisis.  The 2015 crisis cost the country $16bn (£12bn) and caused more than 500,000 people to suffer from respiratory ailments - a state of emergency was declared.  "It's just like 2015," llham, a Palangkaraya resident told BBC Indonesia. "[It caused] my wife's face to turn red... [from skin irritation]. When she was taken to the emergency room, it turned out to be because of the smoke."  "I haven't opened the windows and doors for two weeks," said Lilis Alice, another resident. "In the morning, it's dark. If I'm inside the house I have to turn on the lights. It's so dark."  Besides irritating the respiratory tract and the eyes, pollutants in the haze can cause serious long-term damage to health.  The indices used to measure air quality in the region usually measure particulate matter (PM10), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone.  PM2.5 is considered the most dangerous as it can enter deeper into the lungs. It has been associated with causing respiratory illnesses and lung damage.  The forest fires have destroyed much of the natural habitat of Indonesia's orangutans and released large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.  Kalimantan is home to many of the region's orangutans. The Bornean orangutan, which is native to the island of Borneo, is critically endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.  Indonesia has been dumping millions of litres of water in affected areas and has sent in the army to help fire fighters.  The country has for years promised to step up enforcement. Under President Joko Widodo, it has named 10 corporations as suspects this year, and said it is investigating more than 100 individuals.  In September 2015, Mr Widodo told the BBC his country needed at least three years to tackle the haze as it was "not a problem you can solve quickly".  Almost four years later, the forests in Indonesia continue to burn.  Indonesia has long struggled to police the vast rural expanse in Sumatra and Kalimantan.  The slash-and-burn technique employed by many in the region is arguably the easiest way for farmers to clear their land and helps them get rid of any disease that may have affected their crops.  But it's not just small-scale farmers at work here. The concern is many of these fires are started by big corporations that want to plant oil palm plantations.  Indonesia is the world's biggest producer of palm oil and the demand for the commodity has been rising. This means there is need for extra land for palm oil plantations.  But Indonesia and environment rights activists also say the country is not entirely to blame, as some of the big corporations accused of illegal burning have Malaysian and Singaporean investors.  Slash-and-burn is illegal in Indonesia but has been allowed to continue for years, with some saying corruption and weak governance have contributed to the situation.  Greenpeace International has said some companies in Indonesia appeared "to operate outside the law for years with little sanction".  In the meantime Indonesian authorities struggle to put out the fires, many of which have flared up on flammable and dry peat-rich areas.  A peat fire is difficult to put out as it can burn underground for months, and requires a lot of water to extinguish. Fires can spread underground and spring up in other places later.


bbc--2019-09-27--Alarming extinction threat to Europes trees

'Alarming' extinction threat to Europe's trees

The conker tree has been put on the official extinction list.  Ravaged by moths and disease, the horse chestnut is now classified as vulnerable to extinction.  The tree is among more than 400 native European tree species assessed for their risk of extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).  About half face disappearing from the natural landscape.  Craig Hilton-Taylor, head of the IUCN Red List unit, described the findings as "alarming".  "Trees are essential for life on Earth, and European trees in all their diversity are a source of food and shelter for countless animal species such as birds and squirrels, and play a key economic role," he said.  The conservation status of most animals in Europe has already been assessed for the inventory of endangered species known as the Red List.  Experts are now turning their attention to plants, with an assessment of all 454 tree species native to the continent.  Species highlighted include the horse chestnut, which is declining across Europe, and most of almost 200 trees in the family that includes the rowan and mountain ash.  The report identified a wide range of threats, including pests and diseases, competition from invasive plants, deforestation, unsustainable logging, changes in land use and forest fires.  Dr Steven Bachman, conservation scientist at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, who was not part of the report, said trees played a critical role in sustaining and enhancing our lives.  "This report fills an important knowledge gap on the threat status of European trees, but the results reveal a disturbingly high level of extinction risk that requires urgent and effective conservation action at all levels."  A second report found almost half of all Europe's shrub species are threatened with extinction, due to the loss and destruction of Europe's wild areas, as well as agriculture, invasive species and climate change.  Luc Bas, director of IUCN's European regional office, said human activities were causing tree population declines across Europe.  "This report has shown how dire the situation is for many overlooked, undervalued species that form the backbone of Europe's ecosystems and contribute to a healthy planet."  Recommendations included further research into the impact of climate change.  Mike Seddon, chief executive of Forestry England said the "climate crisis" was a real threat to woodlands, including the nation's forest they manage, increasing the risk from pests and diseases.  "Our efforts to have resilient forests include planting a greater variety of trees, including native species, only grown in the UK," he said.


bbc--2019-10-11--Amazon fires: What's the latest in Brazil?

Dark clouds of smoke smothered cities in Brazil as parts of the Amazon burned at a rate not seen in years, and the world responded with outrage.  For a few weeks in August, the world's eyes were fixed on Brazil and its government's response. But what is the latest with the fires now, almost two months on? And why might the problem be worse than it first appeared?  There are still Amazon fires - though not as many  When the burning of the Amazon was at its peak in August, there were thousands of individual fires, almost three times as many that month - 30,901 - compared with the same period last year.  What caused this? Forest fires do happen in the Amazon during the dry season between July and October. They can be caused by naturally occurring events, like lightning strikes, but this year most are thought to have been started by farmers and loggers clearing land for crops or grazing.  This matters because the Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world and a vital carbon store that slows down the pace of global warming. • Read BBC Brasil's stories on the Amazon in Portuguese • Amazon: The lungs of the planet • How bad were the Amazon fires?  The world reacted with fury to the fires - there were protests in dozens of cities, threats of financial penalties, and broad condemnation of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's environmental policies.  In late August, Mr Bolsonaro deployed the army to the Amazon and ordered a 60-day ban on setting fires to clear land there. The measures had an effect - the number of fires in the Amazon dropped by a third between August and September. The pace has slowed even more this month, and is likely to do so even more now that annual rains have started.  There are signs, though, that the situation is worse than it appears. This is because the burning of the rainforest isn't the biggest problem - deforestation is.  Traditionally, Amazon rainforest is felled, left to dry and then set on fire. By the time the moratorium came in, vast deforestation had already taken place. The only thing the ban prevented was more burning.  "They reduced the level of burning, but not the level of deforestation," says Ane Alencar, the science director of the non-profit Amazon Environmental Research Institute (Ipam). "By the end of August, most of the deforestation in the current year had already happened."  Statistics gathered by Inpe, Brazil's satellite agency, suggest that at least 7,747 sq km of Brazilian Amazon rainforest have already been cleared so far this year.  Ane Alencar believes the true figure is likely to be at least 30% higher, making it the worst year since 2008 for Amazon deforestation in Brazil. A lot of the wood has yet to be burned, she believes, because of the moratorium and the fact annual rains are now starting.  "There are a lot of areas that were deforested but were not burned, but they might be burned next year instead," Ms Alencar says.  The problem has moved from the Amazon  While fires have eased in the Brazilian Amazon, it's been a different story in another fragile region to the south - the Cerrado savannah. The WWF calls it "one of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet" but there were more fires there than in the Amazon last month.  The Cerrado is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world - about 40% of the animal and plant species there can't be found anywhere else on the planet, and it is populated by jaguars, anteaters and macaws. But, according to the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (Ipam) about half the forests, wetlands, woods and grasslands there have already been lost - much of it to make way for soy bean farming.  Although the Brazilian Amazon is under threat, the vast majority of it remains intact. The Cerrado is about half the size of the Brazilian Amazon, and land is being lost at a much more rapid rate.  The savannah's role as a carbon store, and thus in managing the world's climate, is crucial. Ipam estimates that the number of trees lost there in 2016 and 2017 was the equivalent of 440 million more tons of CO2 going into the atmosphere - put simply, that's more than the total CO2 emissions of the UK in one year.  The Cerrado was not subject to the same ban on fires enforced on the Brazilian Amazon in late August. And so, between August and September, the number of fires in the savannah increased by 78% to 22,989.  "When society was looking at the Amazon, they were thinking [in the Cerrado], it's OK, we can do whatever we want here," Ane Alencar says.  There have been almost 1,800 fires in the Cerrado so far in October, but the worst is likely to have passed. By the end of the month, the heavy annual rains will hit the region.  Campaigners say more could be done  Brazil's environment minister told the BBC the government was doing an "excellent" job in protecting the Amazon, but campaigners say it could be doing more than just stopping fires in one region for 60 days.  "The fires in the Amazon might have slowed after Brazil's firefighting response, but this short-term response is not enough," says Christian Poirier, programme director of US-based non-profit group Amazon Watch.  "We need a real commitment from Bolsonaro's government to protect Brazil's forests and their indigenous and traditional communities, who are the true guardians of the Amazon.  "Bolsonaro has promised 'zero tolerance' for explosive deforestation and subsequent widespread arson; however, his policies and rhetoric have actually encouraged such crimes."  There are plenty of fires outside of Brazil  Although Brazil's fires have grabbed most of the headlines, it's far from the only South American nation to have suffered fires - or to face controversy over how they started.  Paraguay lost many hectares of protected forest from the Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetlands, endangering its biodiversity. WWF Paraguay say it's a human-made problem, as farmers burn grasslands to improve the quality of cattle pastures, triggering forest fires.  Data from Brazil's satellite agency shows more than 18,200 fires in Paraguay in 2019, up 16% from this time last year.  In Bolivia, fires - some set deliberately - have destroyed more than four million hectares since May, but heavy rain may now be easing the situation. On Tuesday officials said wildfires in the east had been quelled, and footage showed firefighters in badly-hit Chiquitanía jumping for joy.  Bolivia's fires had triggered mass protests against President Evo Morales, who recently passed a decree allowing farmers to clear four times more land for agriculture - a process completed by burning.


disrn--2019-12-16--London church under investigation for reports that young members were pressured to sell blood to rai

London church under investigation for reports that young members were pressured to sell blood to raise funds

SPAC Nation, a London church known for its pastors' lavish spending, is under investigation after reports that it encouraged young parishioners to sell their blood in order to raise funds to give to the church.  The leadership of SPAC Nation also reportedly told congregants to take out loans in order to finance church operations. The Charity Commission, which regulates charitable endeavors in England and Wales, was undertaking the investigation of the church.  Lead pastors in the church were reportedly instructing parishioners to raise £100,000 per week, roughly $130,000. Worship leaders of the denomination have been known to drive around in Rolls-Royce and Lamborghini cars.


disrn--2019-12-17--Mormon Church has misled members on $100 billion stockpile, whistleblower claims

A whistleblower complaint filed at the IRS by a Mormon Church member who was a senior portfolio manager at the church's investment division until September alleges that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has amassed $100 billion in investment accounts from members' tithes which were supposed to be used for charitable purposes.  The 74-page document filed by David A. Nielsen accuses church leaders of misleading members by stockpiling funds in investment vehicles instead of using them for charitable purposes, and using tax-exempt donations to keep two businesses afloat.  The Mormon Church's investment division is a company named Ensign Peak Advisors. Since it is registered as a "supporting organization and integrated auxiliary" of the church, it operates as a religious nonprofit largely exempt from U.S. taxes — provided that it operates exclusively for "religious, educational, or other charitable purposes." The whistleblower complaint alleges that Ensign Peak has given away $0 toward such purposes in its 22-year existence.  Nielson also alleges that Ensign Peak used $2 billion over the past decade to bail out a church-run insurance company and a shopping mall in Salt Lake City that was a joint venture between the church and a private real estate company.  Internal accounting documents show that Ensign Peak's portfolio has grown from $12 billion in 1997 to about $100 billion today.  According to the Washington Post:  The Mormon Church regularly collects about $7 billion per year in tithes, according to the document — roughly $6 billion of which is used to cover operating costs, with the remaining $1 billion plowed into investment vehicles.  The church also owns real estate worth many billions of dollars.  In the complaint, Nielsen castigates the church for owning exorbitant wealth yet demanding tithe money from members who are struggling financially, saying, "Would you pay tithing instead of water, electricity, or feeding your family if you knew that it would sit around by the billions until the Second Coming of Christ?"  ? Nielsen's whistleblower complaint provides the most comprehensive look into the secretive finances of the Mormon church — and reveals a fortune that far exceeds prior estimates.


eveningstandard--2019-02-08--Detectives hunt gang who broke into London church and stole 400-year-old chalice

Detectives are hunting a gang who broke into a historic church and stole items including an chalice used in services for more than 400 years.  The thieves smashed through three locked doors at All Saints Church in Chingford to get to a safe, which they then dragged out of a window and down a road.  The chalice, estimated to be worth £20,000, has a watermark dating back to 1595 and has been used in the parish since then.  Reverand Andy Trenier said: “I can’t fathom how someone can do that to a church.  “It’s been used every week in Chingford for 400 years.  “It’s more than sentimental, it’s a piece of the parish that has been stolen. It’s totally irreplaceable. It’s quite plain with worn silver and a rose stem pattern.”  Another stolen chalice has since been recovered following the burglary between November 21 and 22 last year.  But police are seeking to trace the person who sold the other religious pieces, which included the chalice, a chattel and a ciborium.  PC Nicole Garcia, said: “These items are of great importance to the church and its congregation. I would urge anyone who has been offered them for sale to contact us. They are quite distinctive and would have stood out.  “The idea that someone would break into a place of worship is cause for concern and I would encourage anyone with information to come forward.”  Anyone with information is asked to contact officers at the North-East Command Unit via 101 quoting reference 2174/22Nov18.  Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


eveningstandard--2019-12-13--Evangelical church in London probed over claims pastors pressured young congregants to sell blood to

Evangelical church in London probed over claims pastors pressured young congregants to sell blood to raise funds

A probe has been launched into a church in London over claims that pastors had been pressuring young members of the congregation to sell their blood to raise money.  An investigation has been opened by the Charity Commission into SPAC Nation to probe financial and safeguarding concerns.  The commission has ordered it to bank all cash while the investigation into the allegations takes place.  The church has been described by the commission as a charity set up to "advance Christianity" that works with young people.  The news comes after HuffPost UK reported allegations that some members of the church had been taking teenagers to donate blood for medical trials in a practice known as “bleeding for seed”.  The church, which denies the claims, has previously been praised by politicians for its work to tackle knife crime and gang violence.  The commission said a case had been opened on SPAC Nation in April last year, and in November this year information received from the trustees “raised further concerns about the charity’s financial controls, policy and procedures”.  In a statement, it added: “Of immediate concern to the commission is that substantial amounts of charity money are held in cash.  “As a protective measure, the commission has issued an order under Section 84 of the Charities Act, requiring the charity to bank its money.  “The commission is also concerned about the apparent lack of clarity between the personal, business and charity roles of leaders within the charity.”  The commission said it opened the inquiry to “examine matters furthers” after allegations emerged that individuals had been encouraged to give money to the charity by “taking on personal debt”.  A Charity Commission spokesman said: “The issues that have been raised related to SPAC Nation in recent weeks are highly concerning, even more so as the allegations are entirely at odds with the expectations about the way that charities will operate.  “The opening of this inquiry is an important step that will allow us to examine these concerns further and establish the facts.  “We will seek to provide assurance to the public and the community that these matters will be considered fully and, where necessary, resolved.”  A report with the commission’s findings is expected to be published once the investigation is concluded.  In a statement from its board of trustees, SPAC Nation said the inquiry was “needful to lay to rest some unverified allegations,” adding: “Inquiry is what we have always asked for.  “If anything is found wrong we will adjust it, and if not we will keep going strong.  “If any pastor or leader is caught pressuring people to donate, such leader will be expelled without delay, not to talk of pressuring to donate blood for money.  “We encourage people to donate blood and all they can for the community but we also say not for money ever, that just won’t happen here.”  New: Daily podcast from the Evening Standard  Subscribe to The Leader on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Acast or your chosen podcast provider. New episodes every weekday from 4pm.


france24--2019-01-27--Deadly bombings target church in southern Philippines

AFP, Armed Forces of the Philippines | A handout photo released by the Philippines military shows debris inside the church where the two bombs exploded.  Twin bombings during a church service in the southern Philippines killed at least 20 people and wounded 81, security officials said, days after a referendum on autonomy for the mainly Muslim region returned an overwhelming "yes" vote.  The attack was one of the deadliest in recent years in a region long plagued by instability. It came amid hope and excitement about the ratification of a devolution plan that aims to bring development, jobs and peace to one of Asia's poorest and most volatile places.  The first explosion went off inside the cathedral on Jolo island, in Sulu province, and was followed by a second blast outside, which was detonated as security forces raced to the scene, officials said.  The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the bombings, its news agency Amaq said on Sunday.  "The enemies of the state have boldly challenged the capability of the government to secure the safety of the citizenry in that region," said Salvador Panelo, spokesman of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.  "The armed forces of the Philippines will rise to the challenge and crush these godless criminals."  Pictures distributed by the military of the inside of the Jolo church showed several rows of wooden pews destroyed, with debris strewn across a blackened floor.  The attack followed Friday's announcement that the region, a mainly Muslim part of the predominantly Catholic Philippines, had ratified the creation of an autonomous area called Bangsamoro, with 85 percent of voters behind it.  Although Sulu was among only a few areas that rejected autonomy, it will still be part of the new entity when it is fully formed in 2022.  Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana called the attack a "dastardly act" and urged the local population to cooperate and "deny terrorism any victory".  "We will not allow them to spoil the preference of the people for peace," he added.  Civilians bore the brunt of the attack, which also killed five soldiers. Police lowered the death toll from 27 to 20, after discovering duplications in initial records.  The referendum came amid concerns about the presence of extremists in the Philippines and the possibility that foreign radicals will join those of Indonesia and Malaysia in gravitating to Mindanao to capitalize on porous borders, jungles and mountains, and an abundance of arms.  The Philippine military in mid-2017 encountered its biggest and longest battle since World War Two when an alliance of extremists loyal to Islamic State, among them foreigners and children, overran Marawi City and tried to establish a caliphate.


france24--2019-08-28--Police hunt for culprits behind Provencal church bell robberies

Police hunt for culprits behind Provençal church bell robberies

©SombreSanglier - Wikimedia commons | Church bells were stolen from a Catholic Church in Brue-Auriac (pictured), Provence, in August 2019.  French police are hunting for robbers who have stolen bronze bells from the steeples of listed Provencal churches in the dead of night over the past month.  Residents of Ginasservis and Brue-Auriac as well as the village of Esparron-de-Pallieres (population 350) have been left dumbfounded by the mysterious disappearance of their churches' chimes.  The first to be targeted was Ginasservis, a town of 1,800 souls 80 kilometres northeast of Marseille, where two bronze bells weighing between 50 and 80 kilogrammes each, one dating from 1737 and the other from 1867, were stolen from two different churches on July 21.  The robbers had to cross a graveyard to reach one of the chapels, Le Parisien newspaper reported Wednesday.  In the process of taking down the bells they damaged the roof of the church.  On August 10, they struck again, this time 25 kilometres away in Brue-Auriac, where they made off with a bell from a 12th-century Romanesque church weighing 85 kilos.  "The chapel is outside the centre of the village, which is probably why it was targeted," the town's mayor, Andre Rousselet, told AFP.  "The bell has already probably been melted down," he said, since the engravings on the bell, including the seal of the bell foundry, would make it difficult to sell on.  Last week it was the turn of the nearby hamlet of Esparron-de-Pallieres, where another listed 12th-century Romanesque church, on a hillside among ancient oak trees, was left bereft of its treasured 50-kilogramme bell.  The only trace of the robbers' presence was the roof tiles found scattered on the ground.  The public prosecutor leading the investigation into the three incidents told AFP it was still unclear if the robberies were linked.  "We take this very seriously. Either the bells are being sold on or they are being melted down for the bronze," prosecutor Pierre Arpaia said.  Le Parisien cited a source familiar with the traffic of stolen goods as confirming there was a thriving black market for old church bells, which can fetch up to 20,000 euros ($22,200) a piece among collectors of old artworks or religious artefacts.  Catholic authorities in the Var diocese, where the churches are located, have told worshippers to be on their guard.  "What more can we do?", one priest told Le Parisien, adding that all parishioners could do was "pray".


freedombunker--2019-08-12--Man Visiting Lakewood Church Marks Himself Safe From Hearing The Gospel

HOUSTON, TX—On a business trip to Houston this past weekend, local agnostic man Brett Cole visited Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church, curious about how the Christian message might be able to make him happier and more successful.  The post Man Visiting Lakewood Church Marks Himself Safe From Hearing The Gospel appeared first on The Babylon Bee.


lifesitenews--2019-12-04--UK bishop allows pagan Hindu festival to be celebrated on Catholic church grounds

WIMBLEDON, UK, December 4, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – A London Catholic parish allowed a Hindu group to hold a “Diwali” pagan festival in its parish hall next to the church. The local archbishop defended the decision after a parishioner complained, but has also decided to review policy after LifeSiteNews reached out for comment.  On October 12, Sacred Heart Church in Wimbledon hosted the “Diwali Mela” festival which was put on by a group that aims to “promote and encourage” Indian culture. Diwali, called a “festival of lights,” is the most important Hindu religious festival of the year. Key rituals generally include lighting candles and often include worshipping Hindu pagan deities including Lakshmi (goddess of prosperity) and Lord Ganesha (god of intelligence). The Hindu religion holds itself to be the universal religion for the whole world.  Promotional material for the festival in the Catholic parish hall included colorful pictures of Hindu deities and children dressed up as Hindu deities to act out Hindu myths.  A member of the Catholic parish contacted the archbishop of Southwark, John Wilson, one month prior to the event to express concern about the event. In an email obtained by LifeSiteNews, the parishioner wrote: “Ecumenism, dialogue and hospitality notwithstanding, I can’t see how hosting a pagan festival on Church property is not contrary to the First Commandment.” The first of the Ten Commandments given by God to Moses in the Old Testament states: “I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” The author of Psalms points out that “all the gods of the pagans are demons” (Psalm 95.5).  “If we ourselves have not faith in Christ and manifest our indifference to paganism by hosting this festival, then we should expect Mass attendance to decline in our country,” the parishioner added.  Archbishop Wilson, responding to the parishioner a week and a half later, indicated that he was satisfied that the event was “cultural” and not “religious” and pointed the parishioner to Church documents about “interreligious dialogue.”  In an email obtained by LifeSiteNews, the archbishop stated: “I have contacted the Parish Priest, Canon John Clark, who offered the following response after seeking clarification from the Hall Secretary: ‘The Mela is a purely cultural event open to all who would like to come along. This is the third Mela and all have been held here without any problems. We have approached the organising committee of the Mela and they have confirmed that it is a cultural not a religious event. They have made a summary of the programme for the day and none of it has a religious element. I enclose a copy of their response for your benefit. As far as I know their Mela is not operated by a commercial company. We have a number of contacts with the Hindu community as they often hold their wedding receptions and birthday parties here.’”  The archbishop continued: “Canon Clark also forwarded to me the response of the person organising the event: ‘Thank you for the call, I am attaching the poster for the event. It’s open to all and is organised for all. Mainly kids’ activities, food stalls and merchandise stalls. Kids’ activities include but not restricted to face painting, henna, and such. Food stalls for a feast of Indian food and non-alcoholic drinks. Merchandise stalls like decorative things for around the house or clothes. There’s no religious programme or activity intended. Actually an afternoon with family to enjoy with kids having fun and eating good food!’”  Archbishop Wilson concluded his letter, stating: “We must always be faithful to Christ and the teaching of His Holy Catholic Church.”  He added: “Alongside this, we must also pursue genuine friendship and dialogue with people of other religious traditions, in the service of the common good, as enunciated in the teaching of the Church and by St John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.”  LifeSiteNews reached out to Archbishop Wilson asking if allowing a pagan religious festival on Church property undermines the Church’s claim that she alone offers the true religion and provides the only path to the Kingdom of God by means of her carrying on the work of Jesus.  The Church is committed to proclaiming the fullness of the Catholic Faith in Christ as the Saviour of the world. If I didn’t believe this I would not belong to the Church, nor spend my life trying to be a witness to Christ so that others might also know, love and serve Him. This is not mutually exclusive with seeking to sustain good and friendly relationships with people of different cultures and religions. This sense is expressed in the annual messages for Divali [sic] by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Bishops Conference of India. Indeed, it is often with people of other religious traditions that we find common voice in defending the values of human life and the family. In this particular situation, there appears to be a disagreement between the organisers of the event, who have hired the hall for the past three years without incident, and the person who raised a complaint this year. There also seems to be a difference concerning the understanding of what is cultural and what is solely and explicitly religious. When I sought clarification from the organisers of this event, I was told: “It’s open to all and is organised for all. Mainly kids’ activities, food stalls and merchandise stalls. Kids’ activities include but not restricted to face painting, henna, and such. Food stalls for a fast of Indian food and non-alcoholic drinks Merchandise stalls like decorative things for around the house or clothes. There’s no religious programme or activity intended. Actually an afternoon with family to enjoy with kids having fun and eating good food!” It was explained that it is called a Diwali Mela, a festival in the sense of a ‘fair,’ rather than an explicit religious celebration. The church hall is available for social and community use and there was not, and should not, be any compromise of any Church property consecrated for divine worship.  LifeSiteNews then asked how the Archbishop would respond to Catholics in the parish and in his diocese who are scandalized by the decision to allow this pagan festival to take place on Church property. He replied:  I have received one formal complaint from a parishioner about the hire of the church hall at Sacred Heart Parish in Wimbledon for a Divali [sic] fair and I am obviously sorry if anyone feels scandalised by this. In this context, the Catholic Church has a profound witness to give in our diverse society. First, to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and the beauty of the Catholic Faith. Second, secure in our identity and mission, to the importance of interfaith friendship, without compromising any truths of that Faith. I want all the parishes in our Diocese to be evangelising communities. I think we do this by positively proposing the truth we hold dear in a way that is respectful and engaging. As Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI reminded us, the Church grows by ‘attraction,’ ‘just as Christ draws all to himself by the power of his love.’ We are currently reviewing the documentation used for the hire of non-consecrated Church property.  The “Diwali Mela” festival, which ran on October 12 as scheduled, is hosted by a group called the “Social Spark Hub.” The group states on its website that it was founded in 2015 to “promote and encourage the Indian Culture” with the primary goal to “help children learn about different customs, religious and cultural beliefs.” This year, the group became part of the “Kailash Narain Mehrotra Foundation,” a registered UK charity. The Foundation states that its charitable object is to “advance religious harmony” specifically by “spreading Sanatan culture and Sanatan religious scriptures” and “encouraging observance and celebration of Hindu festivals.” “Sanatan” is another word for the Hindu belief system. Both "Social Spark Hub" and the “Kailash Narain Mehrotra Foundation” list the same contact phone number on the UK’s Charity Commission website.  Advisor to Archbishop: Hindu deities are ‘just manifestations of the divine’  The parishioner went on to respond to the archbishop’s original email, providing evidence from social media posts by “Social Spark Hub” that the group does, in fact, include a religious dimension to the “Diwali” event, including putting on a play at a previous festival in the same location called a “Ramleela", this particular one depicting the Hindu god Ram's life. The parishioner noted that “Ramleelas” are considered by Hindus to be a religious event in the same way that Christians would consider a Nativity or Passion play to be a religious event.  The parishioner wrote to the archbishop: “We should love the sinner but hate the sin. Hindus violate the First Commandment with their pagan worship, but they are not culpable, because they do not know Christ. We do know Christ, so we are without excuse. We should of course treat all Hindus with the utmost Christian Charity, but this does not mean allowing them to use the Sacred Heart Parish Hall to celebrate Diwali. It cannot be compared with holding a birthday party in the hall.”  The following day, the parishioner unexpectedly received an email from Deacon Jon Dal Din, who appears to have a special role within the archdiocese as advisor on interreligious dialogue. Deacon Dal Din was listed in 2015 as “Director of Westminster’s Interfaith agency.” The email, intended for Archbishop Wilson, appears to have been accidentally sent to the parishioner. The Deacon appears to be responding to the Archbishop’s request for guidance on how to deal with the parishioner’s concerns.  In an email obtained by LifeSiteNews, the deacon told the archbishop: “I think you have far more important things to do than waste time responding to these letters.”  “My understanding of a [Diwali] Mela is that it is an Indian cultural event and celebration, although there may be a religious element involved, in the same way that many people celebrate Chinese New Year and people of all faiths and cultures celebrate Christmas,” the deacon wrote.  “It is interesting how [the parishioner] has highlighted selected texts from the Hindu group and not others. I doubt [the parishioner] read the texts you attached. [The parishioner] quotes Pope Benedict. I fear [the parishioner] has a narrow view of mission, evangelisation, proclamation and dialogue. All must be done in a spirit of Love. Jesus’ new Commandment,” he added.  Deacon Dal Din in his email went on to quote at length a talk Pope Francis gave during his September 2019 visit to Africa where he answered questions about evangelisation and proselytism. During his talk, the Pope said he felt “bitterness” when he was introduced to Catholics who had converted from other religions.  Deacon Dal Din said, “[The parishioner] continues to call Hindus pagans. Well perhaps they are, from [the parishioner’s] perspective, because they are not Christians. [The parishioner] would probably feel the same if Sacred Heart were to offer Iftar to the Muslim community during Ramadan. [The parishioner] does not realise that Hindus believe in one God. Their deities are just manifestations of the divine, as indeed, all humans and creation itself are manifestations of the divine.”  “Allowing Hindus to celebrate Diwali Mela in the Church Hall is part of Dialogue of Life, being a good neighbour. Jesus did not mix only with the virtuous, but with sinners and outcasts. Like Pope Francis he reached out to the poor and those on the peripheries,” he stated later in the email to the archbishop.  Archbishop Wilson’s decision to allow the Hindu festival to run on Church property comes at a time when many Church leaders, including Pope Francis, have signaled that the Catholic Church may not contain the fullness of God’s revelation and may not be the only sure path established by God to reach the Kingdom of Heaven.  In February of this year, the Pope claimed in a joint statement with a Grand Imam that a “pluralism and diversity” of religions is “willed by God.” Despite backlash from concerned Catholics around the world, which included criticism from priests, bishops, and cardinals, the Pope has not recanted this statement. The Pope also alarmed Catholics around the world when he participated in events surrounding the recently concluded Amazon Synod in Rome that included the worship of the pagan idol "Pachamama."


lifesitenews--2019-12-13--Catholics surround Peru church with prayer as feminist mob threatens desecration

LIMA, Peru, December 10, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) — A human wall rose up to defend a Catholic church in Peru, offering only prayers and hymns to resist radical feminists who were protesting against violence against women and in favor of abortion.  On Saturday, which Catholics recognized as the eve of the feast of the Immaculate Conception, approximately 150 faithful prayed the rosary for several hours outside the Virgen Milagrosa parish church in the Miraflores suburb of the Peruvian capital. There they faced off some 300 radical feminists who assembled at Kennedy Park in front of the church, denouncing what the feminists call the “patriarchal violence to which we women and diverse people have been historically exposed.”  The feminists shouted their slogans and epithets from mid-afternoon until just after darkness fell. Circling the park and making several stops, the protesters headed toward the church in the company of police. In front of the church, the feminist protesters began chanting and dancing in unison. Some shouted, “I will abort my Lord!” Police stood in a line between the feminists and Catholics.  At the church, faithful Catholics waited for the demonstrators. Praying the rosary, the Catholics, men and women, sang hymns and also shouted, “I’m not a rapist,” “Long live men!,” and “Long live Christ the King!” The third was the rallying cry of Mexican Catholics of nearly one hundred years ago who fought against an anti-Catholic government, as well as Cubans of the 1960s who resisted the Marxist regime of Fidel Castro.  The hundreds of feminists, mostly young women, chanted in unison. “A rapist in your way,” is a chant and street performance that has become a worldwide leftist feminist hallmark, which includes the phrase, “You are the rapist” and repudiations of “patriarchy,” the state, and police. Some of the women at the front of the group were topless and wore masks, much like similar feminists in Russia, Europe, and North America.  Some wore green kerchiefs around their necks, the symbol used by abortion proponents throughout Latin America. The Peruvian feminists were protesting, ostensibly, against femicide — murder and violence committed by men against women — but also for abortion rights.  The feminists shouted at the Catholics defending the place of worship, “Christ doesn’t love you!” For their part, Catholics responded, “This is Peru, not Chile or Argentina!”  Protesters claim that police used pepper spray to disperse the crowd, and media outlet La República claims that police lobbed tear gas. The protesters eventually left the area without further incident.  The performance protest in Lima has echoed in cities in Latin America, the U.S., France, India, Spain, and Turkey. “A rapist in your way” has been translated into English, French, and Hindi and was originated by a group of young female radicals in Chile on the basis of the writings of feminist anthropologist Rita Segato, an Argentine who has made the study of violence against women her life’s work. The performance involves chanting, gesturing, and dancing in unison by the participants. It first appeared in Santiago, the capital of Chile, on November 25, the International Day of Elimination of Violence against Women. A similar protest was held in Miami on Sunday.  In nearby Chile, the Catholic Church has lost much of its prestige in the wake of resignations of bishops accused of countenancing child rapists. In recent weeks, anarchists and leftists have unleashed arson and vandalism against a church in Chile during anti-government protests. There, looters took pews, a crucifix, and statues of saints while setting fire to a historic church in Santiago, the capital.  In September, leftist pro-abortion protesters set fires in front of a cathedral in Mexico City, having also destroyed bus stops and sprayed graffitti on the building that houses Mexico’s Chamber of Commerce.


liveaction--2019-05-25--Pennsylvania Catholic church vandalized with Prochoice graffiti

Pennsylvania Catholic church vandalized with ‘#Prochoice’ graffiti

Parishioners of Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic Church in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, awoke to an unpleasant shock to discover their church had been vandalized early last Sunday.  Just before 9am, a parishioner discovered a message spray painted across the glass doors of Notre Dame de Lourdes parish. The parishioner immediately notified the pastor, Father Joseph Devlin, who immediately alerted the police.  The graffiti read, “You do not have the right to decide how others live #Prochoice.” The side of the church was also spray painted with the “Prochoice” hashtag.  The message upset parishioners, who were beginning to show up to Sunday Mass. “It was very shocking to come up to the church and see that,” parishioner Jessica Prince told CBS3 Philadelphia. “I’d have to say the first half of mass was me crying the whole time because I was so upset somebody would do that to the church.”  Parishioners removed the graffiti by the afternoon.  Surveillance video captured the image of the suspect: a white male dressed in dark clothing, spray painting the message around 3:30 that morning.  This is not the first act of vandalism or violence towards pro-lifers in 2019. Abortion has remained at the forefront of national news since Justice Kavanagh was confirmed to the Supreme Court and there has been some hope of overturning Roe v. Wade. Last month, a state representative bullied and harassed pro-lifers praying outside of an abortion facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and attempted to get the identities of the 13- and 15-year-old minors. Right to Life Michigan was also vandalized last week.  These acts occurred following Alabama Governor Kay Ivey’s signing of one of the most pro-life laws in the country, making abortion a felony for any physician committing the procedure in the state. The law, which has been celebrated by those who fight for the rights of preborn humans, has triggered severe criticism and outrage from pro-abortion activists.  “Like” Live Action News on Facebook for more pro-life news and commentary!


liveaction--2019-11-09--Seventh-Day Adventist Church takes pro-life stance: ‘Abortion out of harmony with God’s plan’

(Human Defense Initiative) In a statement released by its executive committee, the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church took a strong pro-life stance during its Annual Council in Maryland.  The four-page document states “human beings are created in the image of God” and “abortion is out of harmony with God’s plan.” No previous statement on the sanctity of preborn life had been written before this, according to the Adventist News Network. The last time guidelines on abortion had been established by the church was in 1992. Adventist World Church President, Ted N.C. Wilson said the 1992 guidelines gave a “far more limited approach in terms of a comprehensive view of the Biblical approach to this precious subject.”  The statement released by the SDA Church takes the position that every child should be “loved, valued and nurtured even before birth.” Quoting from the biblical books of Genesis, John, Psalms, and Jeremiah, the statement outlines “life is a gift from God,” sacred and important. It goes on to give biblical proof that God considers the “unborn child as a human life.”  The stance also stresses the importance of offering grace and not judgment.  “This is a statement,” added Wilson. “It is not part of the Church manual and not intended to be a statement by which church board members will judge others.”  It reads “while not condoning abortion, the Church and its members are called to follow the example of Jesus, being full of grace and truth,” even encouraging church members to open their homes to those in need, including single parents, parent-less children, and adopted or foster care children.  The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination comprised of over 25 million members worldwide, operating in over 200 countries.  You can view the full statement HERE.  Editor’s Note: This article was written by Lisa Duvall, was published at Human Defense Initiative, and is reprinted here with permission.  “Like” Live Action News on Facebook for more pro-life news and commentary!


nationalreview--2019-04-22--International Network of Islamic Extremists Believed Responsible for Sri Lanka Church Bombings

‘International Network’ of Islamic Extremists Believed Responsible for Sri Lanka Church Bombings

Sri Lankan authorities believe a local Islamist militant group, assisted by an “international network” of sympathizers, carried out the string of church and hotel bombings that left 290 people dead and at least 500 injured on Sunday morning.  While they have not yet announced the responsible party, the authorities believe members of a local group known as National Thowheed Jamath carried out a total of eight bombings across the country on Sunday.  All of the suicide bombers were Sri Lankan citizens, but they were assisted by foreign sympathizers, officials announced Monday.  “We do not believe these attacks were carried out by a group of people who were confined to this country,” cabinet spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said. “There was an international network without which these attacks could not have succeeded.”  Suicide bombers detonated improvised explosive devices filled with small metal projectiles inside of three Catholic churches during Easter services. They also detonated bombs in three hotels in the nation’s capital, Colombo. Two additional explosions occurred during police raids on addresses in the capital.  Twenty-four people have been arrested in connection with the attacks and 87 detonator devices have been recovered from a local bus stop.  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that several Americans were killed in the bombings.  “Attacks on innocent people gathering in a place of worship or enjoying a holiday meal are affronts to the universal values and freedoms that we hold dear, and demonstrate yet again the brutal nature of radical terrorists whose sole aim is to threaten peace and security,” Pompeo said.  “We can confirm that several U.S. citizens were among those killed,” he added. “The U.S. Embassy is working tirelessly to provide all possible assistance to the American citizens affected by the attacks and their families.”  Government officials said Sunday that they were recently warned by a foreign government that the National Thowheed Jamath posed an imminent threat but failed to take the appropriate precautions. The country is now in a state-of-emergency and social media platforms have been temporarily blocked.  The bombings represent a return to the sectarian violence that ravaged the small island nation until 2009 when the government reached a peace deal with the the Tamil Tigers, a Tamil-speaking militant group known for pioneering the use of suicide bombings in the 1990’s.


newsbusters--2019-03-19--Vimeo Bans Church For Pushing Traditional Christian Values

A video hosting website banned Fairview Baptist Church’s account for streaming a conference that discussed traditional Christian teaching on homosexuality.  Vimeo informed the Fairview Baptist Church of Edmond, Oklahoma, that its account violated Vimeo’s Terms of Service Reformation Charlotte reported. “We apologize for any inconvenience and wish you luck in finding a video hosting platform more suitable to your needs,” wrote Marty of Vimeo’s “Trust and Safety department.”  American Family Radio host Janet Mefferd explained that not only was the livestream of the event censored, but the entire channel was shut down as well, including numerous unrelated videos.  Mefferd broke the story on Twitter. She blasted the video platform for its “blatant admission of Vimeo viewpoint discrimination.” She also hammered it for not only removing the content it disagreed with, but removing completely unrelated videos purely out of spite. Mefferd tweeted, “They removed Christian testimonies of people who left LGBT lives. They removed other talks on Scripture.”  “This is what @Vimeo sent to Fairview Baptist Church @FairviewEdmond, noting why the church’s account - w/all its SERMONS - was deleted. No content allowed that promotes ‘sexual orientation change efforts.’ Even though @GodsVoiceConf was about the BIBLE! Bad enough. But ..  This is a blatant admission of @Vimeo viewpoint discrimination, not just objections to specific content. They removed SERMONS that had nothing to do w/SOCE. They removed Christian testimonies from people who left LGBT lives. They removed other talks on Scripture.”  In an exclusive interview with MRC TechWatch, Mefferd explained more about the nature of the challenges Christians face in America.  Mefferd argued that, “There is no doubt that Christians in America are being censored,” particularly when it comes to discussing “an orthodox view on biblical sexuality.” She described Vimeo’s behavior here as hitting “a new and unconscionable low.” That was because the firm decided to purge “Fairview Baptist Church's account, with all its sermons, just for featuring videos from our God's Voice Conference.” She claimed that “This is not just removal of specific content that violates the company's standards. It's outright viewpoint discrimination and censorship.”  Mefferd disputed as smears about Sexual Orientation Change Efforts by the LGBT activists. “It is not necessary to ban therapy for the many, many people who have benefited from it, but the activists want it banned as a means of silencing all moral dissent against homosexuality. Who are LGBT activists to tell those who want therapy that they cannot have it?” She attested that no one is forcing them to go to therapy, and in a free country like America nobody has the right to prevent people from seeking it.  Mefferd suggested that Christians need a direct solution to this problem rather than letting it sort itself out. She asserted that “it's absolutely critical for conservative and Christian commentators who have been deplatformed to fight back, insisting that our lawmakers rectify this censorship through legislation and tough crackdowns.”  She made the distinction that “It's one thing to censor direct threats of violence or harm on these sites. It's quite another to be censored because you hold to a biblical worldview or conservative viewpoint that some monopoly-holding tech giant finds personally offensive.” She quoted the increasingly popular assertion that “We all know the ‘community standards’ are not applied equally.”     She drove the point home that this is part of a widespread and growing assault on Christian teaching, ranging from overt censorship to subversion.  “Everyone who cares about free speech needs to take note: We've now moved into dangerous new territory, where Vimeo censored a Christian conference, which promoted what the Bible says about sexuality, and years' worth of a church's sermons -- merely because we dared to dissent from the LGBT agenda! If they did it to Fairview, they can do it to your church. If they did it to the God's Voice Conference, they can do it to your conference. Vimeo must be reined in. Enough is enough.”  She finished by stating she and her compatriots are resolute in their defense of the faith.    “We will not be intimidated. We will continue to tell the truth about the gospel and the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And we will fight for our rights as Americans to be treated like every other American when it comes to our free speech.”


newspunch--2019-05-05--Arizonas Oldest Church Destroyed By Fire 3 Arrested For Arson

Arizona’s Oldest Church Destroyed By Fire – 3 Arrested For Arson

The historic Presbyterian church in Sacaton, Arizona — the oldest church in the state — has been burnt to the ground by arsonists.  Police have arrested three people in connection with the blaze but have not released their names or any details surrounding the crime.  The C.H. Cook Memorial Church is the oldest Presbyterian church in the state, and it went up in flames last Monday. Now, the community is trying to figure out what comes next.  Fox10 reports: The church was built in 1918, and it was located at Church Street and Pima. It was a historical pillar of the community, but now, three people are being charged with burning it down.  “Answering all the questions of why and how and what for, that’s the hard work,” said Rev. Munroe.  Officials with the Gila River Police Department say three people have been questioned and arrested for arson.  Their motives are not known, but Rev. Munroe says the historic C. H. Cook Memorial Presbyterian Church was a pillar in the community, having been built over one hundred years ago. The loss of the church is not only sad for worshipers but everyone in the small town.  “It wasn’t just Presbyterians gathered in the courtyard, watching the first responders put out the fire,” said Rev. Munroe. “It was members of the community. Members of the community would come by and say, ‘hey, I remember when I was 12 and I worshiped there. I remember doing Bible in the basement.'”  As of now, it’s still not safe to enter the burnt-out remains of the church to see if anything is salvageable. Rev. Munroe said they did have long-term goals to bring the church back to its former glory. Now, however, they’re not so sure what they’re next steps will be, as the community comes together.


newsweek--2019-01-14--Jackson Pastor Shot to Death While Opening His Church for Sunday Service

A Jackson pastor was shot dead by at least two unknown suspects while opening his church for Sunday service, NBC-affiliate WLBT reported.  Sixty-three-year-old Anthony Finch Longino, was shot at around 9:00 a.m. outside the doors of New Bethany Missionary Church on Hill Avenue in the Mississippi capital and was later confirmed deceased by the Hinds County Coroner, Sharon Grisham-Stewart.  Read more: Las Vegas shooter's home sold for $425,000 with proceeds set to go to victims  After the shooting, the suspects stole Longino's blue Dodge Ram pick-up truck, Jackson Police Department (JPD) said. The perpetrators initially arrived at the church in an older model green pickup with a damaged rear windshield, according to the police.  The suspects have not yet been found. Police believe the motive behind the killing was robbery. At around midday, the victim’s car was spotted behind a house on Eastview street and a black male was also seen running away from officers. However, the man managed to evade capture.  Then, JPD received a tip-off from an individual who said that a 14-year-old male living on Pecan Boulevard may have information about the shooting. Officers, backed up by a Hinds County SWAT team, searched the property after obtaining a warrant, but no leads were found, Magnolia State Live reported.  The juvenile was later found and taken to police headquarters for questioning, although he has not been arrested.  “So once the search warrant was at hand, we entered the house, we did not find a suspect,” JPD Chief James Davis, told WLBT. “However, the fourteen-year-old has been taken to police headquarters for questioning in reference to the shooting because he did state that he knew information of this shooting.”  Davis said he would do everything he could to stop violence in the community but asked for help from residents.  “This is a very very sad day where a pastor has opened this church up for service and lost his life,” he said. “It was senseless, but it’s in a community, and police cannot do it by ourselves, we need help from the community, to step up. If you know of any individuals in your community that have committed these crimes, don’t wait till an individual loses their life.”  JPD is urging anyone with information about the shooting to call Crime Stoppers on 601-355-TIPS (8477). Anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest will be eligible for a reward worth up to $2,500.  The incident was not the only fatal shooting on Sunday. An 18-year-old woman was also killed and five others injured after a gunman opened fire in a Phoenix hotel during an argument.


newsweek--2019-02-11--Alabama Church Removes Pew Honoring Confederate President Jefferson Davis Condemning Monuments That

Alabama Church Removes Pew Honoring Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Condemning Monuments That 'Represent Insensitivity, Hatred and Even Evil'

A church in Alabama has removed a pew honoring Confederate President Jefferson Davis, asserting that the mission of its parish is "diametrically opposed" to what Confederate symbols "have come to mean."  In a statement on the St. John's Episcopal Church's website, Pastor Robert C. Wisnewski Jr. posted a message explaining that church leaders had voted to remove the pew, after determining that what it stands for does not represent the church's values.  "Confederate monuments and symbols have increasingly been used by groups that promote white supremacy and are now, to many people of all races, seen to represent insensitivity, hatred, and even evil," he said. "The mission of our parish is diametrically opposed to what these symbols have come to mean."  The church, which is mostly white and based in Montgomery, where Davis lived before the Confederacy moved its capital to Richmond, Virginia in 1861, had maintained a pew with a bronze plaque honoring Davis for decades, the pastor said.  While church lore suggested that the pew was dedicated to Davis at the start of the Civil War, Wisnewski said, it actually had not been installed until decades later, when whites sought to maintain control in the South. The pastor also noted that John Trotwood Moore, "a controversial politician and outspoken proponent of segregation from Tennessee," had addressed the congregation at the dedication of the pew on Pentecost Sunday.  "Moore had gained national attention by filibustering in Congress against an anti-lynching bill," Wisnewski noted. "Lynchings had become so frequent in the 1920s that Congress sought a way to outlaw them. Moore stood for lynching."  After explaining the pew's history to church leaders, Wisnewski said the Vestry voted in favor of correcting what he branded a "political act" of the past.  "Davis was a political figure, not a church figure, nor even a member of the parish. Acting to remove the pew and plaque is the correction of a political act," the pastor said.  Wisnewski said that the decision to remove the pew "was not done to rewrite our history or to dishonor our forebears," but, he said: "We agreed that the current Vestry would not take any action to install a Jefferson Davis Pew were it not already in place. As such action would be troublesome, to continue to allow the pew to be in our worship space would be troublesome."  Both the pew and the plaque honoring Davis have been removed and placed in the parish's "archives," Wisnewski said.  He noted that while some "may view this as an unnecessary action," others may believe this decision should have been made long ago." For his part, the pastor said he was "very proud of this Vestry and their decision."  "Your leadership wants our congregation to grow numerically and spiritually and we want always to be welcoming to all who may come our way," he concluded.


newyorkpost--2019-02-21--All are welcome Florida church hosts dog-friendly service

‘All are welcome’: Florida church hosts dog-friendly service

PLANTATION, Fla. — All dogs may go to heaven, but not all dogs go to church.  Saint Benedict’s Episcopal Church in Plantation, Florida, has welcomed dogs to its Saturday service for the past 10 years. The Sun Sentinel reported Wednesday that the service targets dog owners who want to avoid leaving their companions at home while they worship.  The rector of the church, Father Albert Cutie, questions if one can “really pray and leave a loved one behind.” Cutie says many of the church’s patrons live alone, and a pet can often become their closest family member.  He says the attending dogs are quiet, except when they meet after Holy Communion. An animal blessing ceremony is also held each year at the church, whose motto is “all are welcome.”


newyorkpost--2019-07-31--Historic 125-year-old church mysteriously burns to the ground

A Roman Catholic church that stood in Texas for more than a century mysteriously burned to the ground this week — with insurance adjusters placing the damages at $3 to $4 million, according to a report.  The 125-year-old Church of Visitation in Westphalia caught fire on Monday morning, just as congregation members were planning a celebration for the anniversary of its completion, sources told KWTX.  Video and photos captured at the scene show the historic house of worship engulfed in flames — with some residents reportedly seeing smoke from as far as five miles away.  “(It’s) extremely difficult and painful to be here,” Joe Vasquez, bishop of the Austin Diocese, told KWTX on Monday as the church was burning.  “I’m very deeply affected by this and I know the people here are also heartbroken.”  Over 250 residents were said to part of the Visitation congregation. It’s unclear where they will be gathering in the wake of the fire.  The church said it will be accepting donations to help rebuild.  “This architectural beauty is now a loss,” Vasquez told KWTX, “and that’s what saddens all of us here.”  ATF agents and the local State Fire Marshal’s Office were investigating the blaze Tuesday to see if there was any criminality involved. It was not immediately clear how it started.


newyorkpost--2019-10-01--Florida church buys strip club to hold expanding congregation

A Florida church that has grown too large for its amenities at a local high school is buying a strip club to house their growing congregation, a report said.  The pastor of NewSound Church in West Palm Beach told a local CBS affiliate that he’s happy to buy the giggle joint Double Dee’s Ranch in the city because it holds up to 700 people.  The church has a congregation of about 1,000 people, he told the station.  “I don’t mind being in a building that was a strip club any more than I mind somebody walking in our doors that had at one time in their life been a stripper,” he said.  “We believe we can bring hope and healing to any location, that’s what we’re trying to do.”  Mauney told the station that his congregation has been renting out Wellington High School.  In order to do so, parishioners have been lugging trailers worth of lights and sound equipment into the school and then packing it back up every Sunday.


newyorkpost--2019-12-24--Louisiana church uses crop duster to sprinkle holy water onto town

A Roman Catholic church in Louisiana used an unusual method to spread blessings all over town on Sunday: a crop duster.  Members of St. Anne Church in Cow Island loaded 100 gallons of the blessed liquid onto the plane to be sprayed on the surrounding town and nearby farms, according to a Facebook post by the Diocese of Lafayette.  Cow Island is located about 160 miles east of New Orleans. The unincorporated community is in Vermilion Parish.  Parishioners also brought water from their homes to the airstrip to be blessed by Rev. Matthew Barzare.  The social media post had been shared more than 500 times as of Monday afternoon. Some commentators requested a visit by the blessed crop dusters to their towns.  The blessing was the idea of L’Eryn Detraz, a Cow Island native who serves as a missionary in Ohio, the diocese said.


npr--2019-02-23--United Methodist Church To Debate LGBTQ Clergy And Same-Sex Weddings

Daron Smith, left, and his husband, Chris Finley, right, worship at a Sunday morning service at Lafayette Park United Methodist Church in St. Louis, Mo. Smith, a lifelong United Methodist, said he feels hopeful ahead of a vote on LGBTQ ordination and same-sex weddings in the church. **Shahla Farzan/St. Louis Public Radio** ****hide caption****  ****toggle caption****  Shahla Farzan/St. Louis Public Radio  Daron Smith, left, and his husband, Chris Finley, right, worship at a Sunday morning service at Lafayette Park United Methodist Church in St. Louis, Mo. Smith, a lifelong United Methodist, said he feels hopeful ahead of a vote on LGBTQ ordination and same-sex weddings in the church.  Shahla Farzan/St. Louis Public Radio  United Methodist Church leaders are meeting in St. Louis beginning Saturday to decide whether to lift a ban on LGBTQ clergy and same-sex weddings.  The topic has become increasingly contentious in recent years, as more United Methodist clergy have come out as gay. United Methodists are among the last mainline Protestant denominations to address the issue, and some worry it could cause a major rift in the church.  "It's a little nerve wracking for a group of people you don't really know to make a decision about you," said Daron Smith, who's gay and a lifelong United Methodist in St. Louis.  This weekend, more than 860 delegates from across the world will convene for a four-day conference, where they'll debate and likely vote on one of three proposals.  One would allow same-sex weddings and the ordination of LGBTQ clergy — while also giving church conferences outside the U.S. the power to prohibit these practices.  We've tried to do our best due diligence [and] offer models that would allow us to remain together as a united church.  Kenneth Carter, President, United Methodist Council of Bishops  Another more conservative plan would maintain current church policy and cut ties with regional church conferences that don't comply.  A third proposal would reorganize the church into three "values-based" groups and let each group make its own rules.  "We've tried to do our best due diligence [and] offer models that would allow us to remain together as a united church," said United Methodist Council of Bishops President, Ken Carter.  The United Methodist Church has more than 12 million members spread across the world. In the U.S., membership dropped to 6.9 million in 2016, down from 7.2 million in 2014. But globally, the church is growing, especially in African nations.  The broad diversity of church membership has made discussion around human sexuality more challenging, said Carter.  "In some nations of the world, homosexuality is a taboo subject, or it's against the law," he said. "So it's a more complex conversation for us, to try to develop a church law that can be open to all people."  According to church estimates, 58 percent of delegates at the St. Louis conference are from the U.S., while 30 percent hail from African countries. The remaining delegates are primarily from Europe, Asia and the Philippines.  For S. Jewell S. McGhee, a student at Eden Theological Seminary, the U.S. should not be the "unquestioned leader" of the discussion.  "I feel like the message that American Christians have given too often is that the rest of the world doesn't matter as much," McGhee said. "That is a message that is against the message of Christ as I see it."  The United Methodists are part of a long line of Protestant denominations that have grappled with the issue of human sexuality in recent years, including Lutherans, Presbyterians and Episcopalians.  The difference, said historian of American religion Marie Griffith, is that United Methodists have held together a vast and disparate coalition longer.  "Some lean very progressive on the issue, some lean very conservative," said Griffith, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis. "It's very hard to know how you're going to hold people — especially people at the edges of that spectrum — together."  Regardless of the outcome, it may be months or years before any changes to church policy go into effect, particularly if they involve constitutional amendments.  But in St. Louis, Daron Smith and his husband Chris Finley aren't giving up hope.  "If the decision doesn't go our way this time, we'll keep fighting," he said. "The church belongs to everyone, not just a select few."


npr--2019-02-26--United Methodist Church Votes To Keep Bans On Same-Sex Weddings LGBTQ Clergy

United Methodist Church Votes To Keep Bans On Same-Sex Weddings, LGBTQ Clergy  Leaders of the United Methodist Church have rejected the One Church Plan, a measure that would have eased restrictions on gay clergy and same-sex marriages, with delegates voting against it at a special session of the church's General Conference.  On Tuesday afternoon, delegates from around the world voted 438 to 384 to pass what was called the Traditional Plan, which maintains the church's rules.  Earlier, delegates also had defeated The One Church Plan, which would have allowed individual churches to decide how they handle issues of same-sex weddings and the sexuality of their clergy.  The Traditional Plan prevailed, despite impassioned warnings from delegates like the Rev. Tom Berlin of Virginia — who compared it to a virus that would cause a dire sickness in America's Methodist community.  The standoff over hotly contested aspects of church doctrine played out in St. Louis, where delegates were meeting for this week's special session of the General Conference. There, clergy and lay members of the church weighed how to respond to a 2018 report from a special church commission on revising the Methodists' guiding Book of Discipline.  When it formed the commission, the Council of Bishops said it had heard many criticisms that the Book of Discipline "contains language which is contradictory, unnecessarily hurtful, and inadequate for the variety of local, regional and global contexts."  The report focused on sexuality and ways to strengthen the unity of a religious body that's home to a wide variety of views. And as the conference has shown, there is a wide diversity of deeply held opinions about those views. The bishops had recommended endorsing the One Church Plan.  The conference is also taking place at a time when, as St. Louis Public Radio's Shahla Farzan has reported, an increasing number of Methodist clergy have come out as gay. Amid the discord over the rival plans, supporters of change are left considering whether to remain in the church — and what the result says about their institution.  Jeffrey Warren, a young gay delegate from the Upper New York Conference, told fellow conference attendees on Monday that he evangelizes on his college campus — and that he has success in reaching people for an important reason.  "They said they have not heard this message before," Warren said. "They didn't know God could love them, because their churches said God didn't."  Trying to marshal support for the One Church initiative on Tuesday, the Rev. Tom Berlin of Virginia called it the "only shot at change" for people who want to lift blanket bans on same-sex couples who want to wed and on LGBTQ members of the church who want to be ordained.  "I doubt you're going to get a better offer today," Berlin said in his minority report speech, addressing delegates who might have withheld their vote because they felt the plan didn't go far enough.  "To those who would like to maintain the current Book of Discipline, you can still have it that way," Berlin said, adding that pastors would not be forced to perform same-sex weddings and churches wouldn't have to change their practices.  On the other hand, Berlin warned, there would be dire consequences if the Traditional Plan were to be embraced — particularly for Methodist churches in the U.S., where they represent the country's second-largest Protestant denomination.  "You will be putting a virus into the American church that will make it very sick, and it will be sick quickly," Berlin said, adding that however it's intended, the Traditional Plan will be perceived as an overt act against gay church members and others.  "Many of us have members who will leave," he said, adding that he had already gotten texts and other messages to that effect in the aftermath of Monday's initial vote.  "Many pastors are going to lead their church away from the connection. Some conferences will leave, I believe," Berlin said.  "Other people will stay and fight. And they will do weddings; they will break the Book of Discipline; there will be trials; it will be in the news," he said, adding that the focus will shift away from any good the church accomplishes.  "It's going to be about the people we don't serve," Berlin said, "and the disagreement that will continue."  Berlin, who is the lead pastor of Floris United Methodist Church in Herndon, Va., added that a "virus of conflict" would then cross from the U.S. into churches in other countries.  Berlin urged anyone who is against the minority report to abstain from voting or to reject the Traditional Plan so the church would maintain its current status quo.  "I'm asking you to wash your hands of this Traditional Plan today," Berlin said as his supporters applauded, "because it will bring that illness into our house."  That triggered a number of speeches for and against the idea.  In opposition, Cara Nicklas of Oklahoma faulted the way the impassioned debate has played out over the church's competing plans.  "By those advocating for the One Church Plan, I was either told explicitly that I am mean-spirited and unloving for holding to the church's doctrine on same-sex relationships, or the general tenor of the communications implied that I am unloving if I don't agree to change the church's Discipline. I don't love all, I am told."  "When that is the message — when gay persons become convinced I don't love them because I don't condone their behavior, it hurts my relationships with them," Nicklas said.  The way the plan has been discussed is harmful, she said.  "You surely don't want to be united with me, if I am as mean and unloving as I am accused," Nicklas said. "If the One Church Plan passes, I'm certain you will not stop trying to make me fit your idea of a loving person."  Nicklas called it "a false narrative" that the One Church Plan would end the crisis or allow free choice.  Also speaking against the plan was Nancy Denardo, a lay delegate of western Pennsylvania, who cited the Bible's mention of marriage as being between a man and woman in the Book of Matthew.  "The One Church Plan does not agree with the words of our savior," Denardo said, warning that it "deceives young persons into believing that same-gender marriage is OK with God — when clearly it is not."  "The word became flesh — not the flesh becomes the word," Denardo said. She added, "I'm truly sorry if the truth of the Gospel hurts anyone."  After those speeches, Rey Hernandez of the Philippines East delegation rose to speak in favor of the alternative plan, saying it embraces the diversity of today's church and would help spread the Gospel.  "The One Church Plan ... reflects reality, the reality that we're trying to reach," Hernandez said.  On Monday, the Rev. Byron Thomas of the North Georgia conference compared the dilemma to the church's earlier handling of race.  "In 1939, the UMC was trying to figure out what to do with black people," Thomas said, as quoted by the Iowa conference. "At that GC, the Central Jurisdiction was voted into being. The late Bishop Thomas wrote that the white folks stood up and clapped, and the black folks sat down and cried."  "I believe we are at another stand up and clap, sit down and cry moment," Thomas was quoted as saying Monday.


npr--2019-04-11--Evil Acts Son Of Sheriffs Deputy Is Chief Suspect In Louisiana Church Arson Cases

'Evil Acts': Son Of Sheriff's Deputy Is Chief Suspect In Louisiana Church Arson Cases  Police have arrested the son of a Louisiana sheriff's deputy as a suspect in connection with three historically black churches that were torched in recent days.  Officials identified the suspect as Holden Matthews, a 21-year-old white male from St. Landry Parish, a small community about an hour west of Baton Rouge.  "I don't know what this young man's motive was, I don't know what was in his heart," Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a news conference Thursday morning. "But I can say it cannot be justified or rationalized. These were evil acts."  Matthews was charged with state crimes on three counts of simple arson on a religious building, Louisiana State Fire Marshal H. "Butch" Browning told reporters. Each charge has a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.  St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said the suspect's father, Deputy Roy Matthews, "was shocked and hurt, as any father would be."  The deputy knew nothing about his son's activities, Guidroz said. "And when I had to call him in and we sat him down and told him what we wanted him here for, he broke down."  But Matthews did help authorities with his son's arrest late Wednesday, about 12 hours after Holden Matthews was determined to have been involved in the fires, the sheriff said.  Holden Matthews complied with officers' requests during the arrest, authorities said, adding that he has no previous history of violence or arrest.  The sheriff did not say whether Matthews confessed to the arson allegations or denied them.  Guidroz said hours of manpower, drones and old-fashioned detective work led them to Matthews. And both physical evidence from the crime scenes and "technological evidence" confirmed him as a suspect, Browning told reporters.  Authorities are still vetting several motives but an imminent threat to public safety prompted law enforcement to quickly secure warrants to bring Matthews into custody.  The suspect was linked to "black metal," Browning said, referring to the music genre that's previously been associated with church arson attacks in Norway and elsewhere.  A social media account that appeared to be Matthews' showed images of the young man playing the electric guitar and taking selfies. The profile said that he was the lead singer and songwriter for a band called Vodka Vultures.  The three black churches were burned down within a span of 10 days in St. Landry Parish. The first fire tore through St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre on March 26. The second burned at the Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas on April 2, and the third broke out at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas on April 4.  No one was reported injured in the fires, which broke out when the buildings were empty.  All three of the churches were built in rural areas more than 100 years ago, and have served generations of predominantly black families through weddings, funerals and religious services.  The time and proximity of the flames led people to wonder whether the fires were linked. Pastors prayed that the arson was not a racist act, part of a violent legacy for black churches in the South that were attacked since the civil rights movement.  New Orleans FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric Rommal said his team has been working with local law enforcement agencies to determine whether the incident was motivated by bias.  Community members vowed to rebuild the incinerated structures and to come together, saying their faith will not waver.  Florence Milburn, a member of the Greater Union Baptist Church, told NPR that she immediately went to her church after receiving news of the fire.  "My husband and I drove over there along with our other family members, and along with our church family, we were on site and we watched our church burn to the ground," she said.  When U.S. Attorney David Joseph announced Wednesday that a suspect had been identified and taken into state custody, he called the fires "despicable acts."  Authorities said the three fires were not connected to a fourth fire which occurred on March 31 at the Vivian United Pentecostal Church, a mainly white church near Shreveport.


npr--2019-08-27--LDS Church Forbids Lethal Weapons At Church In New Policy Change

LDS Church Forbids Lethal Weapons At Church In New Policy Change  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has prohibited nearly all parishioners from carrying lethal weapons on church property.  Prior to the shift in policy, having a weapon on church grounds was considered "inappropriate."  The change was revealed in an update to a handbook sent electronically to local church leaders over the weekend.  "Churches are dedicated for the worship of God and as havens from the cares and concerns of the world," the handbook reads. "With the exception of current law enforcement officers, the carrying of lethal weapons on Church property, concealed or otherwise, is prohibited."  There are have been several gun incidents on church property in recent years. In September, a 74-year-old man accidentally fired a gun in an LDS meetinghouse in Provo, Utah. No one was hurt or injured in the incident. An audio recording later released by MormonLeaks featured an unidentified church leader trying to dissuade others who were present from posting anything on social media.  In August 2010, a man fatally shot a Mormon bishop at a chapel in Visalia, Calif., and then was later shot dead by police. Two years earlier, a man shot and killed his pregnant estranged wife in a church parking lot in Lehi, Utah.  In an emailed statement, Daniel Woodruff, a spokesman for the church, told NPR the change "took effect the first week of August and will be formally communicated to local Church leaders as new meetinghouse safety guidelines in the near future."  The notice was sent to local leaders in Texas, according to Woodruff, and anticipates an imminent state law that will permit the carrying of open and concealed weapons in places of worship unless a person is notified that it is prohibited.