Pastor, Wife Charged With Setting Fire to Their Own Church

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBSXE7GA8E.html

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (AP) - A pastor and his wife have been charged with arson in a fire that gutted their church last week, authorities said Tuesday.

The Monday arrests of The Rev. Harold Hunter and Patricia Hunter came just one day after the pastor gave a sermon in which he said he prayed for the "sick, sadistic" person who burned down the church. No one was hurt in the blaze.

Police would not discuss a possible motive, but said they had suspected that Thursday's fire and three earlier acts of vandalism at the 64-year-old Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church were an inside job.

"We found some gas that was located on the pastor's shoes and we also found clothing in the residence that had gasoline on it," said Summerville Police Capt. Craig Legates.

[autorank]

1. NNN0LHI...you are a gem!

:rofl:

[KittyWampus]

2. Normally, This Type Of Subject Would Get Lots Of Snide Remarks

about Christians and their "values".

It'll be interesting to see if all the usual suspects will post same this time around...

[ret5hd]

3. i take it you don't think said remarks are...ummm..."apt"?

[Bigmack]

4. Not snide....

... but understanding. Not approval... just understanding why it happened.

The uber-Christians have themselves convinced that they are being persecuted. Rush and Robertson and their local Xian Mullah keep banging away at them. When they don't see examples in their own lives of that persecution, they feel left out.

They get their 15 minutes, and all the strokes of suffering for Jeeeezus.

Sad... really sad.

Our country is killing itself.

[UpInArms]

5. a variation of Munchausen syndrome by proxy?

Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a bizarre variant in which usually a child is used as a surrogate patient. The parent falsifies history and may injure the child with drugs or add blood or bacterial contaminants to urine specimens to simulate disease. The parent seeks medical care for the child and always appears to be deeply concerned and protective. The child is often seriously ill, requires frequent hospitalization, and may die.

[MountainLaurel]

6. Interesting idea

But frankly, I'm going with insurance scam.

[cyberpj]

11. You've got it right. Use insurance money to build a bigger, better one

Seen it way too many times.

[AlCzervik]

12. yup, thats proably it, they see the "Mega-churches" on the idiot box

and think-"Hey honey, why not us"

[struggle4progress]

21. Of course, this is an African-American church in one of the most racist

states in the nation, a state in which voters, in a statewide election just four or five years ago, decided they wanted to keep a prohibition against interracial marriage in the state constitution.

Insurance fraud is certainly possible. But South Carolina, you should remember, is still deep in the heart of Dixie ...

[junkiebrewster]

24. sorry, this is not true....

Sorry, you've got us confused with some other backwater.


South Carolina Removes Ban on Interracial Marriage

(AllPolitics, November 3) -- It took 103 years, but South Carolina has finally voted to remove a ban on interracial marriage from its state constitution.

More at:
http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/11/03/election/ballots/interracial.marriage/

edit to add headline and first paragraph...

[struggle4progress]

26. Congratulations. And please accept my apologies for slandering you.

[dxdem]

7. Yeah.

It's tough being on top.

[Megahurtz]

8. There is a difference between a true Christian

and a selfish whacko-fundamentalist :crazy: posing as a Christian just to use the title for their own selfish gain, if that's what you mean.

[moobu2]

10. Most Christians are like that aren't they? yes n/t

[Jacobin]

9. The first case I ever had as an attorney was representing

a pastor who burned down his own furniture store to collect the insurance money.

Hope that wasn't too snide.

[KittyWampus]

13. No, I'm Referring To The Comments On How The Pastor Was Displaying

"Christian Values" with the intent of irony.

And my meaning should have been pretty apparent since threads like this USUALLY get larded heavily with such lame attempts to express sarcasm.

[progressivebydesign]

15. But if a Pastor can't hang with Christian values...

..then what are we to make of those that are members of his flock? Christianity, like some other religions, is basically a license to do what you want, as long as you don't get caught. If you do, you plead that your 'inner-demons' or Satan had control of you, you repent, are forgiven, and free to plunder again. Nice gig. I prefer to be a good person all the time, and not have to beg for forgiveness. It's healthier.

[Voltaire99]

28. I, for one, question his theology

Where'd Pastor Hotfoot get his inspiration from--a burning bush?

Yuk yuk yuk. ;-)

As for what you describe as values, he seems no more or less representative than any number of other hypocrites using the gospel for their own advantage. He simply went a step too far.

What's telling, though, is his attempt to silence his flock--urging on them no cooperation with the police--an extortionist strategy that is not terribly far from the cultural separatism now urged upon fundamentalist Christians by their lunatic leaders.

While America falls under the spell of deeper mysticism, you can expect more self-destructive lunacy of this sort ahead.

[UCLA Dem]

14. What a sicko.

[daleo]

16. Should we not spunge him?

I mean, setting fires is warm work.

[truthisfreedom]

17. i have gas on my shoes right now. i was just filling my scooter and it

overflowed and got on my shoes and my pants, as well as my gloves and my coat.

innocent until proven guilty. but if they're guilty, you gotta wonder exactly what the hell was going on at that church.

[BlueManDude]

18. More Red State freaks acting freaky.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Barrett808]

19. Rev. Lovejoy: "I never thought I'd have to do this again"

At the church, Reverend Lovejoy has apparently decided it's all over, and is pouring petrol around the church.

Ohh... I never thought I'd have to do this again.
-- Reverend Lovejoy, pouring petrol around the church, "The Joy of Sect"

http://www.snpp.com/episodes/5F23

[Straight Shooter]

20. Thanks for attempting to drive up the cost of everyone else's insurance.

That's what it comes down to, Pastor Hunter, if you had gotten away with it. You really look after your flock, don't you?

[onager]

22. As the nightclub owners always say...

"Well, I couldn't start a flood..."

[EFerrari]

29. These stories make me want a

WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH THESE PEOPLE group

:silly: