Alarming data on attacks against Latter-day Saints

[@RickTheGeek]

While I have terminated my investigation of the LDS church, and have severed any connections with organized religion in general, I must say that I *condemn* the desecration of the facilities or buildings of ANY religious order. Vandalizing church buildings is NOT cool.

[@The_Hero74_]

100% Agreed. I’m an LDS myself but I will always condemn the desecration of any building with religious intent. Just because we don’t share their belief doesn’t mean their church should be vandalized in any manner

[@juancamargo9322]

when i was a missionary, people set fire on the chapel while me and my companion were inside on p-day, it was horrible but we were able to control the fire.

[@mikelawlor1533]

where ?

[@robertarnold6192]

I'm sorry you had to endure that. Glad you're safe!

[@juancamargo9322]

@@mikelawlor1533 in brazil, Recife

[@thepaulsmalls]

Several of our buildings have been vandalized over the years. Feces smeared on the windows to a break in where they found some cereal and milk from a seminary breakfast that was left in the building. They smeared in on the walls and carved graffiti in to the pulpit. This was just cleaned up and taken care of by members and we moved on. We're in California.

[@The-black-one-j3n]

It's sad how much energy these people use to try and bring us down 😢 but the Lord is on our side we not worry.

[@TheMusicscotty]

Not much happening in Cali surprises me.

[@thepaulsmalls]

@@TheMusicscotty Is it surprising that I live in one of the highest concentrations of members in the US outside of Utah? Also, not to sound defensive but the majority of these crimes took place IN Utah..

[@valeriesteele1497]

So sorry.😢

[@butthatsnottrue.]

Speak up about antiwhiteism before it's too late

[@meganwhitaker484]

I’ve thought about this a lot ever since a Christian school in TN had an active shooter. As a mom, I hope we will soon increase security measures in our churches, since I’m sometimes on the opposite side of the building from my children, or other times our whole family is in different parts of the church. Having more security would bring me more peace of mind during Sunday meetings for sure!

[@stardustgirl2904]

Putting content on the internet is risky like this! It gives people ideas! 😮

[@stardustgirl2904]

Do you have police in your ward!

[@MichaelSaline]

Just bring your “security” in your purse!! And Have your man take “his” under his suit coat!! All of the wards in my building have ample “security”!!😉😉😉 i do not believe we have any liberals in our buildings either, blessings!!!

[@davyjones6421]

One of our meeting houses on the Native American Reservation was burned down. Still praying it gets rebuilt.

[@brittanyh003]

A couple months ago, my building was vandalized - someone stripped the copper wire from our air conditioners. (In the middle of summer, in Arizona - that was rough.) We've also had the building broken into before and all the A/V equipment stolen, a few years ago.

[@RyanMercer]

😢

[@kr15242]

20 years ago we had an incident where someone tried to kidnap a kid out of the church building. For several years after that our ward had men assigned to monitor the halls all throughout church and kids were not allowed to leave classrooms without a chaperone.

[@SaintsUnscripted]

Woah that is horrific

[@SharonMitchell-r3j]

I know of a woman who reported the lack of security involving access to then Relief Society Homemaking nursery during this meeting. The nursery room was close to one of several unlocked exits and bathrooms. Children of all ages were allowed to leave the nursery room to use the bathrooms unattended. I don't know what the results of her reporting this were on her ward's policies. However, in my current ward in a different state, children have to be escort to use the bathrooms and more than one person serves in the nursery.

[@susiessundaynursery3711]

This happened to a family member of our congregation. Luckily we have a bathroom in our nursery. We have had several instances of theft in the nursery so the door to the hallway is always locked. Sadly because of all the terrorism in the world I’ve tried to plan out how to protect my nursery children if there was an attack while we are in meetings.

[@RichardChappell1]

I suggest that in the US, the best we will have members do is watch the doors during meetings. Having members carrying weapons or pulling any real security would have massive insurance implications. As to the double (airlock) doors, a lot of buildings removed those and only have a single set of glass doors.

[@caleblarsen5490]

I haven't noticed the airlock type doors get replaced with single sets. Where are you?

[@RichardChappell1]

@@caleblarsen5490 Phoenix, AZ

[@leannjarvisl8902]

It has been some years ago now when I lived in Southern California that our new church building was vandalized. We shared the building with a ward of non-English speaking members. On a particular Sunday, my attention was called to a classroom where I found a used condom. Other things of concern had been going on as well. Ultimately boundaries were redrawn and the building was closed for deep cleaning and rededicated. The feeling in that building was very dark until the rededication.

[@Croaven]

My parents live in a town of 900 people of mostly members and they have had the windows on their building shot out 3 times in the last 2 years. It's crazy.

[@mikelawlor1533]

where

[@WeeGrahamsaccount]

I am an organist and once played for St Cedds Anglican church in London. It had a fantastic organ and unfortunately some people thought it a good idea to try and burn the church down luckily their attack just destroyed the organ but vandalism against religious buildings is a constant threat. The destruction of stained glass, toppling of grave stones, dobbing obscene words on church doors. Muslims, Jews, Hindu and other religions all face mindless assault. Often it's just a spontaneous act of vandalism but there are people with an agenda to destroy religion and their places of worship.

[@jacobbrewer8640]

To prevent vandalism, I would install some visible security cameras as well as put into place warning signs that the cameras exist. That would likely reduce other crimes that are not terroristic attacks.

[@robertthompson3447]

Here in central California, some of our buildings have decoy cameras. This is in addition to the fenced in parking lots. I think the security measures are more to keep the building from being used as a shelter or campground.

[@TheJanesaw]

When we lived in Utah (Herriman) we had assignments to make sure the building was locked up every night around 10 pm. We had people purposely leaving the building unlocked (doors and windows) so they could sneak in later…the vandalism was on the inside

[@SaintsUnscripted]

No way - that’s so bad

[@briandillard3809]

Our stake has started doing “security” 1st and 2nd hour. That’s one of my callings. We have been checking the building at night for years.

[@SaintsUnscripted]

Good idea!

[@cecynay7369]

Yeah, I was looking through Tools this week and realized that two brothers in our ward are called to "security".

[@Bl3ndrz]

A building in my city was actually left with grafitti everywhere, ripped pictures and paintings of Christ, shattered windows, holes in walls, tears in pews, and tons of missing items. They recovered and repaired pretty quickly, but that meant no church in their normal building for many people in a neighboring stake. Absolutely sickening :/

[@andrewmiller7142]

It's upsetting.

[@rachelrasmussen1101]

I think you are looking for the word "pew"

[@Bl3ndrz]

@@rachelrasmussen1101 I think so, thanks!

[@uggmonster8795]

I question whether this is an upwards trend of lds building attacks relative to the amount of churches in existance and church buildings in general that are being vandalized. We would likely need for more information to determine whether lds church buildings are at higher risk of attacks than other church buildings or past lds church buildings.

[@SaintsUnscripted]

Yep, absolutely! With so many variables, it’s hard to make concrete claims

[@ronnistauffer1179]

Last year, when I was on my mission in Alberta a convicted arsonist burnt a church building in the small town of Cherry Grove, AB completely to the ground. This was is a very member dense town, but it was heartbreaking for everyone in the area. It's so sad to see these things happen

[@brianhatfield9782]

Security concerns are important, and at this level most can be taken care of with passive deterrents (landscaping choices, motion sensitive lights, strategic rose bushes etc, and anti-graffiti paint). Pollards that can be raised or lowered can be built in easily during construction, and more active/visible means should be kept in the background.

[@SharonMitchell-r3j]

Several decades ago , perhaps in the 1980s, on a Sunday, while a couple of family wards were meeting (mine included) in a Church building, a bomb threat was received. No action was taken to inform the members who were gathered and no basic actions, like clearing the building, were taken. When I learned of this later I was amazed that decision apparently was based on several men who looked for the bomb and not finding one they decided the call was a hoax. Fortunately, there was no bomb. Does the church have a policy on how such threats should be dealt with today?

[@scottvance74]

I think that the assertion at 10:50 that people attack the church because they disagree with the church isn't always true. My impression (and experience when I have seen the details) is that many of these attacks are just punks who want to do some random harm for the thrill of it. Teenagers are often involved. The assertion that many of the attacks are caused by former members may be true, but I would hesitate to make this accusation without solid data given that making this claim will drive hostility & prejudice against these individuals. Lastly, (sadly) religious violence appears to be up across the board, particularly towards muslims and jews. This is a disturbing trend.

[@Lucyyyjaneee]

I’m In north east Wisconsin and my ward building was attacked a few years ago. We all came to church to find multiple windows and the front doors smashed to pieces with what my dad believes to be a bat and bricks. The glass was blown into the chapel and it took almost 3 weeks I think to fix. People were devastated. I just can’t imagine attacking any place of worship

[@mikelight2008]

Security measures can be so helpful and they're so inexpensive. I hope the church will become more open to increasing protection for members and buildings. It's such a waste of tithe payer funds to not do more to protect our members and buildings (beyond locking doors and windows).

[@bfastje]

The Institute of Religion in the Philippines has an armed guard. I served my mission there.

[@SaintsUnscripted]

🙌

[@ehecken]

It's so unfortunate that people can't find anything productive to offer society. We get caught up in all the usual chaos of life and forget that believing in Christ can be a dangerous thing. Christians are indeed persecuted still today. 😢😢😢

[@rudystone2324]

When I lived in England from 1988 to 1991, the local chapel had been broken into several times. The church finally installed an alarm system with coded lock.

[@soun845]

A few years back, my church in Calgary Alberta was graffitied with the text “Church of Lies” on the side of the building. It’s crazy what some people will do lol

[@brycewilliams3439]

I meet a guy once who set off firecrackers in the gym during a dance as a youth because he thought it would be funny and now knows it was stupid. So sometimes I think it could just be people not thinking..... Some people though yes are not happy.

[@joshua_tobler]

If you've ever interacted with Progmo/Exmo/Antimo types online, the virulence and hatred burns pretty hot. I'm surprised there's not more of this than there is.

[@mrp4242]

yet

[@HalfInsaneJane]

As a newly out exmo yeah there’s a lot of hate but most exmos I know really try not to take it out on members or property. They tend to be more mad at the leadership but unfortunately I wouldn’t be surprised if things like this pick up there’s always those who can’t find better ways to express themselves. Just want ya know we aren’t all like that.

[@timothyfowers]

I'm glad you are grouping all exmos into one personality type, good job!

[@l.chrisjones7775]

​​@@HalfInsaneJane I think a majority of those who leave, leave quietly or just go inactive. Others will not break the law but be vocal on social media, instead of vandalize.

[@delight.ps374]

Vandalism is wrong. I have left the church and hearing these instances of vandalism is awful. My heart feels sorrow for the violence that has been done against these places of worship.

[@robertdzeigler]

Lived close to a church building as a kid. After the stake center was seriously burned by an arsonist, I remember walk to the church every night with my dad for. years to make sure lights were off, all internal doors were closed (closed doors slow the spread of fire), all windows were securely shut, and all external doors were securely locked. Not exactly security, but certainly an increased state of vigilance.

[@aaronchamberlain4698]

I’ve had my fun share of vandalism experiences. Went to visit the San Diego temple one with Mom and sister and a woman was actively spray painting the wall. They arrested her and pulled out a pressure washer from the storage closet and it was gone immediately. Then multiple times, people would do donuts in the grass lawn outside the stake center. After fixing it twice, person decided to do it again on the weekend of our wedding ha. My lovely friends all got outside and stamped down the soil to try to make it flat and took some of the larger sod pieces and tried to complete missing patches so no one would be stepping on mud.

[@SaintsUnscripted]

Wow! You’ve seen a lot of damage!! And many of these may not have been reported in newspapers so aren’t even reflected in these analytics. Crazy!

[@lynettemills7216]

During one of the votes on gay marriage in California the Samoans went to the temple grounds to protect against vandalism of the LA temple. It was pretty cool. Nobody messed with them and no damage was done to the temple.

[@jlongmasbartholomew]

Thank you for sharing!

[@connorsaari8364]

When I was a teen, a local bishop was murdered using a gun by a less/incactive member during wednesday night activities. The suspect was having a mental break and escalated a conversation they were having in the foyeur

[@SaintsUnscripted]

Woah! That’s so horrible.

[@connorsaari8364]

@SaintsUnscripted it was a sad situation for all involved. But definitely shook the stakes in the area.

[@suzieq5383]

Your comment at 5:50 about negative feelings toward church members is very telling. Perhaps that’s something us members need to work on so that we create communities where we are perceived as positive rather than negative.

[@silent229]

the only experience i have with "attacks" on a church building i went to is i noticed that eggs were thrown at the building. i was a teenager at the time and i thought that was weird to see. i don't know if that qualifies and an "attack" or "vandalism".

[@guardianzforzion]

Our Auckland temple new zealand was graffittied inside and has delayed the opening and dedication of it

[@judyshepherd5477]

😢

[@SaintsUnscripted]

😭😭😭

[@leannjarvisl8902]

Aw that’s terrible and so😢 sad.

[@hrobinson9701]

I'm in Calgary, Canada. We just had to add gates to the two driveways into the church parking lot. Apparently there has been some unsavory activity taking place after hours - drug deals, cars racing around, people making out. I don't know if it was neighbors who complained or if members had become aware of these issues. We don't have a fence around the whole property; the fencing that is in place is to divide church property from the commercial space behind and the private home beside the church so hopefully the gates are all that is needed to force the ne'er-do-wells to go someplace else. I'm not aware of any illegal activity taking place in the church building itself though.

[@D-Flin]

There are definitely more buildings outside of Utah than in Utah. Most buildings in Utah have multiple wards and are full. Most buildings in the Midwest only have 1 ward (sometimes 2) and can vary drastically in attendance. People that leave the faith outside of Utah can more easily disappear. Not so easy in Utah

[@AuntieJessie5js]

In the October 2013 Conference Elder Hales mentioned this in his talk, "In recent decades the Church has largely been spared the terrible misunderstandings and persecutions experienced by the early Saints. It will not always be so. The world is moving away from the Lord faster and farther than ever before. The adversary has been loosed upon the earth." From your graph at 12:24 vandalism increased shortly thereafter and has continued in frequency. Conference talks are not thrown together the morning of like some of us do our sacrament meeting talks. They are not assigned topics and each person must write and rewrite until it fits in the time frame and only the essentials are left in. He wasn't flippantly saying what he said then. We have been warned and are continually warned of what will come and what we can do to be ready.

[@drakelordiscool]

A year ago, our building had our A/C unit intentionally destroyed. Don't know how it was reported, but the next couple weeks are church were rough! The stake conference after, one of my favorite sisters in the stake was giving the prayer and asked for our enemies to be confounded - could have prayed harder for anything in a stake conference

[@kreglove]

Did Elder Renlund setting off a firecracker in his building make the data? 😅

[@eleids]

Over the last 25 years, the American Jewish community has gone from keeping our communal buildings locked to walls and fences to armed guards in tactical gear.

[@connorpurdy6103]

I live in Colorado Springs, a city with a lot of evangelical christians. While most are good people, there are unfortunately some who take offense to our disbelief in the trinity to the point that they harass latter day saints and at worst vandalize the churches. One of our chapel's exterior doors is boarded up because someone threw a rock at it and broke the glass

[@kristensperanza9666]

As a comment to the security we had vandalism previously but not when people were in the building. We had people shoot our steeple on several occasions, and we had the signs stolen so people couldn’t find the church (the stealing of the signs was repeated regularly and clearly deliberate).But not threats to the actual members and not any attacks when the building was in use. The shooting the steeple was probably about 40+ years ago. The stealing of the signs was 20+ years ago. There was a lot of misinformation about the church and I believe the hostility has actually decreased outside of Utah (I live in Maine) but has increased in Utah with the increase of people leaving the church. Increasing partnerships with other religious groups and building bridges of friendship will continue to counteract the misinformation that feeds fear and hostility.

[@andrewmiller7142]

That's really the best thing to do as Christians, dude. Love God and love your neighbor.

[@outlawedmedia4336]

I had a stake president tell me that his church was damaged from vandals and he said it was an answer to a prayer because the building needed repairs and he wasn't getting help from Salt Lake. He even suspected it may have been an "insider job" to get the repairs done faster.

[@jasoncasey8921]

My church growing up was broken into and had satanic symbols painted on the walls and all the televisions were stolen as well

[@SaintsUnscripted]

So sad 😢

[@Lita-067]

If we have to have guns detectors in our buildings it would not be a reflection of the world we live in, but of the country we live in. Like you said the attacks around the world are minimal.

[@theFizzyOne-01]

As bad as this phenomenon is, I'm glad it's not *that* bad. If one thing's for certain, it would take some serious societal breakdown for there to be widespread persecution, and it won't just be us being persecuted. With that said, we should still be aware of our own place in the world and not be unintentionally guilty of persecuting others, and also not allow the idea of being bullied to seize us up. If we're going to make it through the bad times, we'll need friends, and as many as possible, and not just miracles.

[@andrewmiller7142]

Agreed, man.

[@butthatsnottrue.]

Your being invaded on the southern border. Your being replaced by non Christian non European people's. They don't need to hurt you because you are on your way out wether you like I or not. Unfortunately the church leaders have not spoken up about antiwhiteism and probably never will.

[@brentonc.k.7743]

My church in the Philippines was broken into. They had thick metal bars on every window and someone grinded off a section of bar, slipped in and stole a speaker system.

[@SharissaBrown]

Our stake has had a lot of vandalism at our buildings so we actually do have people go every night to check the building. There’s a specific key fob for it too so the stake presidency can track when it’s been checked. The male ward council members and building reps are the ones who do it. Whenever it’s our month to clean the building, it’s also our month to do security sweeps at night. This is in Herriman.

[@violetpup4272]

We are not in Utah and we just had a meeting about building security and new procedures about doors being locked to limit access during services.

[@BrandonCole_edohi]

Although I did not create it, I've actually largely expanded the Wikipedia article "List of attacks against Latter-day Saint Churches." When I started working on it in September 2021, there were only 30 entries listed. It is now up to about 170 entries (three entries added today).

[@TheYgds]

We have limited time. Persecution is poised to get worse. All that needs to happen is for political will to be leveraged against the Church. I suspect it will stem from the current tithing lawsuits that are being advanced. It appears that the way the laws are constructed that much is left up to the judge in terms of how the fraud criteria is applied in these cases, and so there is no guarantee that judges will be friendly to the Church if enough such cases are advanced. The fact that a lawyer would even take up such a case is ominous, as usually such litigation would be seen as a fool's errand, especially since they aren't backing down. If political will backs them, those who would see the Church destroyed have ample public support and punditry to make it happen. I am thankful that thus far, the political will to do anything against the Church has heretofore been weak over the last 80 years.

[@SilverOilman]

The church really needs to take physical security more seriously. I know about the statement in the Handbook but I still carry at church. We’ve had a few “loonies” come in and be disruptive but nothing violent in our ward yet.

[@timothyfowers]

I dont like thek attacking buildings. Howver the church is not free from persecuting others

[@gabedavis3294]

I work for a pro-church organization, and I asked our director about increased security recently as we started to grow in public attention, because I felt concerned about something like an active shooter situation. I don't think we've actually had any concerns up to this point beyond anger and threats online, but it seemed like a warranted step to take.

[@SaintsUnscripted]

For sure seems warranted!

[@bill99208]

The cold hard truth is that persecution of Christian people has never stopped. It isn’t always against people, but it’s usually against the symbols of Christianity and yes, this includes the buildings we worship in and attend functions in. Why this happens is beyond my trying to guess, but one day it will end and we’ll all come out better because we’ll overcome the evil that causes it.

[@l.chrisjones7775]

In the past decade how do we compare to the sacred spaces of other faiths being attacked?

[@dinocollins720]

NYC Temple/church building has a security guard. It's weird to go to church or the temple and have to show ID/recommend haha

[@NineNoRouge]

I'll be honest, I am very skeptical of this video, crime has been decreasing in the USA for 20 years now and your sample of size of attacks on the LDS churches, from one year, in Utah, where most churches are from the LDS church are are thus more likely to be vandalized anyway, to be a very poor statistical analysis and sample size. Furthermore, feeding the idea that we are more persecuted than others sits wrong with me, especially some of the comments that are on your video which often follow the format of “I heard insert minority group did something bad to us, we should do something about it.” It is especially concerning how many of the comments are assuming that LBTQ people are behind the attacks based on… nothing.

[@l.chrisjones7775]

I wonder how many of those vandalisms are just gang members just tagging somethin or teenagers being stupid and could be just tagging things in the neighborhood. Compared to a direct attack specifically against the church?

[@Perich29]

How could you attack the conference Center?

[@luisriquelme3044]

To get more info about terrorist attacks on church buildings, I recommend "War with the remnant" has a worldwide record from 1970 till 2022

[@andrewmiller7142]

Clearly, those attacking LDS members or thier worship buildings don't love their neighbors as themselves. Sad.

[@HalfInsaneJane]

I think most people who do this kind of thing don’t actually love themselves and that can be a factor.

[@andrewmiller7142]

@@HalfInsaneJane Or anyone for that matter.

[@paulb8240]

It would have been interesting to see statistics on concentration of LDS facilities. And to know the data source.

[@ericdanielski4802]

Interesting video.

[@matthewfarmer9500]

Those hooligans. Get off my lawn

[@FuneraryDirge]

Reading these comments is actually heartbreaking. Attacks on any religion for any reason are abhorrent. My only run-in with vandalism was before i joined the LDS church, at my former church someone decided to sneak into the church office and steal funds to help elderly members of the congregation who struggle with isolation and medical bills.

[@brendangilman2058]

This will be controversial, I believe it is a foolish policy to not allow members to conceal carry in the church buildings.

[@lindseymohlman5922]

Right? Haha some people who I know may or may not still conceal carry…. because their ward has had several little kids SAed in the bathroom…

[@cecynay7369]

I agree. It's the same as the country.. disallow guns and then the only people who will have guns are those breaking the rules anyway. Which you don't want.

[@debbierusso5943]

Were there people in the building when fires were started and guns were shot etc.?? Please answer!! Thank you!!

[@Greg_Schubert]

Do the Stats include TP attacks or egging? 🤔

[@janice2992]

We are told to expect persecution. Here in UK Muslims and Jews got money to step up their security. Christian denominations were not seen as threatened. Possibly because white people are still the majority but Christianity is 46.2% UK have gradually become more secular supposedly to accommodate non Christians. Christianity is not in school's but LGBTQ is taught in schools. We are not happy with the way things are going and expect it to get worse. ✌️🖖

[@stardustgirl2904]

Sadly we seem to have a front row seat to the latter day's! It's incredibly scary for me, because the world's people are becoming Godless! I wish you all the best the UK is my families Mother Country! 🌎 Sir Robert Heath is my 10th great Grandfather. 🇺🇸🗽❤️🇬🇧

[@butthatsnottrue.]

Antiwhiteism is everywhere and our leaders still won't address it.

[@TheJanesaw]

In my last ward we had unsolicited security and I felt safer knowing some of the men were hypothetically armed sitting in hypothetically strategic positions.

[@dwRS1]

I'm thankful for the 2nd amendment and so are a lot of members.

[@bopeep86]

Yeah, exactly.

[@richardbernal2823]

Someone left the stake center I go to unlocked and eventually the family history center/room was destroyed.

[@brandonporter2348]

Perhaps these security measures won't be needed if the church is preparing for Christ to come soon.

[@dog_vanlife]

Hate crimes?

[@butthatsnottrue.]

That's only for non whites.

[@andrewmiller7142]

More like hoodlums or fundamentalist Christians.

[@l.chrisjones7775]

Could someone a different countries statistics be related to how the culture respects or disrespects buildings and and vandalism

[@irietheace1199]

No unhallowed hand.

[@robertarnold6192]

11:40 Plenty if you're in the military

[@guardianzforzion]

Your intro sounds like "hello welcome to Satan Scripted" 😅. Annunciation is a craft nowadays

[@SaintsUnscripted]

Yikes! 😬

[@fredcdc]

With the escalation of violence against the Church, Saints need to wake up and be proactive with protecting the Lord's property. When the miscreants are apprehended, members never hear the results of penalty. Perhaps a new calling will come of this. Security Saints. Just a thought

[@considerthetruth]

The church has a "force on force" training center in SLC

[@JACathcart5181]

Proof? That sounds fishy to say the least.

[@K2xrs154]

Persecution complex psychosis

[@MorganRhysGibbons]

No attacks on people's sacred structures are acceptable. But people who attack the Latter-Day Saints feel persecuted *by* us, and are not persecutors in their eyes. We need to realize that some of our customs, culture and traditions have caused real harm to those around us, and change. Christ would reach out and reconcile, not "circle the wagons and arm the muskets". It doesn't behoove or become us to claim to be persecuted.

[@jamenrivera7546]

How does burning/vandalizing church buildings of any faith help address issues by those who have them? It’s an intimidation tactic and we have every right to defend our religious liberties and identities, through legal and peaceful means. Whatever somebodies disagreement with us is, if their solution is violence then any claim they have becomes nullified until they are willing to approach us peacefully.

[@mrp4242]

@@jamenrivera7546Captain Moroni would approve this message.

[@johnkay8388]

In WA, we get graffiti, scratched symbols into the glass of the doors, tires slashed, broken windows, broken windows to cars left over night, stolen metals off our church. I also believe that a lesbian couple (non-members) found their way into the building and did something immoral in one of the rooms during YM activity.

[@susiessundaynursery3711]

That is terrible! I’m so sorry.

[@RichardHolmes-ll8ii]

These attacks are actually directed at the Lord.

[@madogg152]

Vandalism proves the church true. Beelzebub doesn't Bother Bashing his Buddies. Utah total population is only 3.5 Million. What % are LDS, I don't know. LDS world wide is over 17 million.

[@sylfa11]

guns are not violent only people are

[@jkemp6791]

Speaking to Exmo/Antimo types about these types of attacks is useless. “Oh, I definitely denounce the people that defaced the churches… but did you know that the Church did such and such?!” They can’t even call vandalizing a church wrong because they hate the religion do much.

[@harryhenderson2479]

I’m an ex Mormon and I completely denounce the vandalization of church buildings. I have significant disagreements with Mormon ideology/theology and church leaders, but I can categorically say that vandalizing your buildings is wrong and those that do it should be brought to justice.

[@jkemp6791]

@@harryhenderson2479 - That’s a refreshing response. I’ve now heard from exactly one exmo/anti that condemns the attack without a disclaimer. Literally everyone else I’ve spoken to have attempted to excuse or even cheer on the attacks. It’s pretty disgusting.

[@Greg_Schubert]

Maybe the tire slashing were by people with a beef against the Tire Company rather than the Church.

[@MichaelSaline]

Bring your own “security” in your purses, or under your suit coats. The wards in our building have plenty of “security”!!!😉😉😉 we are also blessed to not have to endure much in the way of liberalism, or left-leaning ideology!!!!!

[@JACathcart5181]

Just know that the church has outlawed concealed carry in churches and will prosecute as a federal crime. You would then lose your CC rights altogether.

[@hrobinson9701]

I take it you missed the part about more than 50% of church members now being outside of the USA. If you don't understand what that has to do with your comment then I doubt any further info will make a difference.

[@debbierusso5943]

Not all people in other countries are allowed to even own a gun much less carry it concealed. We are blessed to have the second amendment, in my humble opinion.

[@MichaelSaline]

I’m so glad that you are super intelligent. Yes things could happen in other countries and they need to take care of themselves the best that they can. But it’s only in these United States at the current time that really stupid people are allowed to do stupid things, like defund the police allow for this kind of stupidity. So my comment wasn’t about people outside of the United States.

[@KyleETolle]

We have to defend our houses of worship with our lives! Graffiti on the Lord's house is unacceptable!

[@99blackbirds]

They just excommunicated NEMO the Mormon 😢. He was the only real Mormon who told the truth!! We need to be smarter Mormons and be willing to speak the truth even when our leaders are wrong!!

[@cecynay7369]

From what I know of him, he was saying things very explicitly against the doctrine of the church.

[@paulgoodwin2224]

Are you real ? Nemo was anti church for years. He does not speak the truth. Join any organisation say a trade union, a political party or even a religion and then from within that organisation continually pull it down without one positive word ever. See how long it is before you get thrown out. The church has been more than generous with Dominic.

[@butthatsnottrue.]

​@@cecynay7369he is allowed to disagree.

[@aaronchamberlain4698]

@@butthatsnottrue. I disagree. I don’t have much issue with his discussion of current leadership. But he very explicitly participated in Mormon Stories discussions where he seemed to be saying ‘The Book of Mormon isn’t historical, Joseph Smith was a Fraud, the temple is all made up’ kind of things. If that’s your opinion, fine, but you aren’t a member of the Church. The church is not a social club. It is explicitly a group of people that hold the same beliefs, and he didn’t hold them anymore.

[@butthatsnottrue.]

@@aaronchamberlain4698 I'm a member and when I find my opportunity I will excommunicate you for not agreeing with me. I have many friends who don't agree with you in the church and we are at work to root out false believers such as yourself. Many people to excommunicate, not Nemo. His radicalism is likely born from your radicalism.

[@JBaads]

The high use of antidepressants among the Saints or Ex- mos, could be a problem.

[@russellmars-bg2pf]

Fakeeee

[@rileygatt7683]

Christianity Jesus is not the same jesus as the mormon jesus..

[@nathaneichenmiller5706]

bro this a video about church vandalism 😭

[@butthatsnottrue.]

Christianity Jesus is not the same Jesus as Jesus

[@johndavidanderson4382]

"Mormon" Jesus is Jesus of Nazareth the Son of God and as Jehovah He created the earth. He is the only one with power to save from sin and death. If you worship a different Jesus then you should repent and turn to the true Jesus who is mighty to save.

[@rickyodom1201]

@@johndavidanderson4382 you right the lds Jesus does not take money for teaching the word of god its free

[@isaacerickson6312]

LGBT protesters.