Prayers for TVUUC requested

[Zebedeo]

Man with shotgun attacks worshippers in church

One dead, five critically wounded at this morning's services.

Please keep this congregation in your prayers.

[knitter4democracy]

1. Man, that's awful.

Both victims have died. *sigh* I'll light a candle tomorrow.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. And he shot them for being liberal

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080728/ap_on_re_us/church_shooting :cry:

[New Dawn]

16. Isn't this a hate crime then?

I.e. targeting homosexuals, people of another religion, etc.

[Evoman]

3. Why is it always men who do these things"

I think we need to ban men.

I won't pray for them, but I offer my sympathies for those who suffered from this terrible crime. Disgusting.

[Occam Bandage]

4. Because women lack the strength to do what is necessary.

Warning: Thread emits showers of sparks and shoots flaming balls with report. Use only under adult supervision. For outdoor use only. Do not hold thread in hand. Place thread on hard, flat surface. Light fuse and get away.

[Zebedeo]

6. It doesn't take much strength to pull a trigger on a shotgun.

I'm sure pretty much all women are physically capable of it. Women on the whole do seem to have less of a tendency toward violent behavior than men, but I don't think that their physical strength level has much to do with it.

[Book Lover]

7. Do you even know any women?

What an asinine thing to write.

[Occam Bandage]

9. Amusingly, the nonsensical knock at women is considered offensive,

while the declaration that mass murder is "necessary" goes unnoticed.

[Occam Bandage]

5. What a horrible, horrible person. Seems he hated Christianity and liberalism. Must have had

a fucking awful life at home to twist him into such a monster.

[Az]

12. UU churches are not exactly Christian

I (an atheist) am a UU. Pagans can be UUs. Nearly anyone can be a UU. If you are going to target a liberal church a UU church is the one to go after. No dogma. No creed. Just acceptance and community. In other words a bunch of liberal trouble makers.

[Occam Bandage]

14. I'm aware. Earlier articles claimed that he was strongly anti-Christian as well.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/jul/27/neighbors-accused-shooter-everyones-friend-hated-c/

Given that the reporting has shifted quickly to his anti-liberal views, should I assume that earlier reporting was misleading? It seems possible.

[kwassa]

8. My late uncle was a member of this church ...

though he died a couple of years ago.

This is a very confused and angry individual that did this crime.

[JerseygirlCT]

10. Learned that an online friend attends that church - but

wasnt' there on Sunday, thank goodness.

What a horrible, horrible violation!

[dsc]

11. Terrible situation

I wonder what the gay members of that church will do. I am not sure I could continue going to a church if I feared my presence was a danger to the other congregants. In any case, it is a total shame.

[Zebedeo]

13. I don't think they are endangering

the other congregants. This shooter was looking to murder liberals, so he would have probably gone there regardless of anyone's sexual orientation.

But as you point out, some of the congregants might think that their presence is endangering others, and that might cause them to stop attending, out of a concern for the safety of their friends and fellow congregants. That would be a shame, as it would add lasting damage to the church, on top of the damage caused directly by the murders themselves.

[dsc]

15. the local gay press is suggesting this was more gay specific

and the timing (one week after the erection of a sign saying they welcomed gays) is hard to ignore. It would be a real shame for both that church and the gay parishiners but I am unsure what I would do in their position.