Father Frank Schwarz laments attacks “not against just Catholic churches, synagogues, mosques — these things have become much more commonplace. I don’t know how to respond to that. Just general anti-religious sentiment.”
Maybe. But the woman in the surveillance video is dressed the way observant Muslim women dress. And Muslims believe that representations of the human figure are idolatrous, and that Christians are idolatrous and under the curse of Allah for believing Jesus is the Son of God (cf. Qur’an 9:30). If this woman turns out to have been motivated to destroy these statues by Islamic animus toward Christianity, will Father Schwarz speak about this honestly? There is about as much chance of that as there is of my being chosen as Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar.
“Police search for person who vandalized Catholic church in Queens,” by Justine Re, NY1, July 18, 2021 (thanks to John):
QUEENS — The search is on for the person who police say vandalized two statues outside a Queens church Saturday morning after the suspect responsible was caught on surveillance video.
The incident happened outside Our Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic Church on Kessel Street in Forest Hills.
Police say a woman grabbed two statues, one the Blessed Mother and one of St. Therese the Little Flower, and proceeded to repeatedly smash them and drag them along the ground.
The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating.
The church’s pastor, Father Frank Schwarz, said both statues have stood in front of the church since it was built in the 1930s.
“It is heartbreaking, but sadly it is becoming more and more common these days,” Father Schwarz said. “I pray that this recent rash of attacks against Catholic churches and all houses of worship will end, and religious tolerance may become more a part of our society.”
Police released the surveillance video of the woman they are looking for. She is described as wearing all black and in her mid-20s. Police say she used a hammer to break them and they were then dragged to 70th Ave.
Father Schwarz hopes the police find the person behind this so it doesn’t happen to other churches.
“It seems to be targeted. These things have become much more commonplace, not against just Catholic churches, synagogues, mosques — these things have become much more commonplace. I don’t know how to respond to that. Just general anti-religious sentiment,” Schwarz said….
“Pray for this person,” Reverend Schwarz said. “Clearly there was a rage, she deliberately went and destroyed these things. It wasn’t enough to just topple them over, she stomped on them and spit on it.”…
Jim says
The good father is following Francis’ line of trivializing Islamic anti-Christian attitudes. Of course she did it because she is Muslim. How often do Jews or Hindus commit such desecration?
Lion heart says
Just recently a Coptic church in Surrey -BC in Canada was burnt down
gravenimage says
Terrible, Lion heart.
Malcolm (South Afric) says
There have been a number of Churche’s destroyed, Europe, Africa and other parts of the world.
I love my Church, the Faith, my God, however patience is lost with feckless priest,bishops and pope.
Malcolm (South Afric) says
Could you imagine what would happen if a single Catholic reacted. The media would go wild and condemn every Catholic, Muslims in the West would say that are afraid retaliation from Christians. They would accuse us of all falsities.
gravenimage says
Grlimly true, Malcolm.
Raja says
Idols are abominations for devout Muslims and every other devout. But only islam inspires vigilantism combines with acts of violence.
The pastor/father has not targeted the religion of the vandal, nor has he uttered a word about that.the vandal. This is Chrisitanity today: Do your utmost to be Politically Correct and then lie all the time.
He could have uttered a word or two about Islam, but squandered an opportunity to rile against islam.(about how islam is inherently violent.) These are also hoping to “go to heaven some day”. What a paradox !
gravenimage says
Raja wrote:
Idols are abominations for devout Muslims and every other devout.
…………..
Raja, Catholics–and Orthodox and Lutherans and Anglicans and other Christians who use images–do *not* worship these images. You are mistaken.
Alec Rawls says
Thanks for posting this Robert. I was very annoyed when it was perfectly clear in the video that the woman was wearing a traditional Islamic-style hair covering and yet this went unmentioned by both priest and reporter as they pretended there was no evidence for motivation.
Would a Yarmulke go unmentioned atop the head of a person seen attacking a Mosque?
mgoldberg says
Indeed…imagine if a jewish guy with peyos (sidelocks of hair), and a dark suit had run up to chop up those statues?!? CAIR would be consulted and others and a public denouncement of the ‘Islamophobia’ would be called for and re-education of the jews, synagogue where the guy attended. And here…. no mention of the fact that this is one of many such defilements of others holy sites by muslims.
Keith O says
There was a lot of rage involved in that attack and that didn’t boil up overnight.
If and when she is caught, anyone want to take bets that she is a convert to islam and not born into it?
tim gallagher says
That is just yet another example of that enriching diversity that Robert Spencer often mentions. As Robert often asks, “Are we diverse enough yet?” Islam is a disgusting, totally intolerant load of crap and it does not belong in any modern, civilised country. Islam has nothing good or positive to bring to any country. These vermin, this woman being a typical example, need to be kept in their own backward countries, where they can live out their hopeless, primitive lives and not get the chance to do harm to more civilised, non-Muslim people. Muslims can keep their hatred and their bad attitudes to themselves in their own shitty countries.
gary fouse says
And if we even bring incidents like these up, we are the called racists. It’s akin to Nazi Germany and calling Jews intolerant Germanophobes if they complain about Kristallnacht.
gravenimage says
Too true.
tim gallagher says
Very well said, gary. That’s a good comparison. That is exactly what it is like. To me, it is amazing how Muslims get away with the crap they get away with. Terrorist attacks, rape gangs, many more minor incidents like the one in this report, and yet, as you say, people who get stuck into Islam and criticise it are called racists and Islamophobes. It is hard to understand how this happens.
James Lincoln says
tim,
In my humble opinion:
It’s the violent form of Jihad, along with Leftist political correctness, etc., that creates a climate of fear – and allows this to happen…
tim gallagher says
James, I agree. The violent form of jihad is just basic Islam, isn’t it. As for the left wingers who run this bizarre protection racket for islam, when left wingers usually are against religions, and when the leftists should hate all the crap that makes up islam (its misogyny, its pedophilia, its homophobia, etc) I keep thinking that even the left wingers should have woken up to islam’s vile nature by now. However, I do realise that the left hate our western way of life and want to destroy it. I have said a few times that I do hang around with quite a lot of left leaning people, my siblings and friends, (I actually know only one friend who sees the world exactly the way I do) and I do see a sign of hope because I can see some of them changing their attitude when it comes to Islam. I feel everybody who is not Muslim should have woken up by now. You are right about the climate of fear of being called a racist or islamophobe. Oh, the horror of being called such terrible creatures.!!
James Lincoln says
tim gallagher says,
“…I actually know only one friend who sees the world exactly the way I do…”
tim,
You and your friend are seeing the world accurately. Sometimes we all need to be reminded of that…
tim gallagher says
Thanks, James. I am a pretty stubborn person so I don’t doubt that my view of things is fairly accurate. I like the left wing people I know, and they are good people, but I’m amazed at some of the crap they believe and the way they view things. I think that they get their views from the left wing media, which I haven’t bothered with for many years, and so they are very influenced by the crap they hear there even though they are pretty intelligent people. Anyway, at 71 years of age, I’m not likely to start seeing things in a completely different way.
Infidel says
Well, if they can’t build a mosque at Ground Zero, I guess this is the next best thing. Although I’m a bit surprised they didn’t try it during all these years of Comrade Warren Wilhelm’s mayorship of Gothamabad
wpm says
Comrade Warren Wilhelm is still at the helm till Jan 2022,the election for mayor is November 2021.
Infidel says
Yeah, but he’s finally acting like he’s under no pressure: I was surprised that he didn’t decide to follow LA’s mayor on the renewed mask mandates, for instance
Wellington says
“Woman in hijab destroys….’
Makes for a fine summary in microcosm of a creed which is inimical to, let’s see here—gratitude, a true Golden Rule for all, respect for different opinions, equality under the law, most certainly liberty in general, never mind control-freak garbage where pictorial art, music and alcohol are concerned, etc., etc., etc.
A long list indeed. Thanks Muslims for nothing. You have ruined over 50 nations, shut down freedom, and now you’re “coming” for the West. I say to every, let me emphasize EVERY, willing adult Muslim you make me sick. You are the spiritual equivalents of secular Nazis. Yeah, you’re this awful.
James Lincoln says
An accurate assessment, Wellington.
gravenimage says
NYC: Woman in hijab destroys two statues outside Catholic church, smashing them with a hammer and spitting on them
Father Frank Schwarz laments attacks “not against just Catholic churches, synagogues, mosques — these things have become much more commonplace. I don’t know how to respond to that. Just general anti-religious sentiment.”
…………………
How many Hijab-wearing Muslimahs are “anti-religious” acrosss the board? Being anti-Christian while being piously Muslim is far more likely.
JanD says
Perhaps the Catholics ought to form some voluntary neighborhood watch groups, like the Shomrim. It’s time to stop being ready-made victims or sell-outs like that “pope”. The early Christians were not all pushovers. Perhaps they still retained some of the spine of their pre-Christian forebears that stiffened their resolve for the Crusades. Most cultures have no respect for weakness and treat them accordingly. You make your bed, you lay in it – my grandmother often said.
gravenimage says
Yes–that this is necessary in the civilized world is grotesque, though. This is only happening because Muslims have been allowed to flood in here.
James Lincoln says
JanD,
Many Christian churches now are now hiring armed security guards during their services…
Debbie says
She is ripe for conversion. That much hatred is at least a passion our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can work with. It’s the lukewarm which He will spit out of His Mouth.
gravenimage says
Debbie–with all respect–you really believe that Muslims only desecrate churches because they are so “passionate” about Jesus? In that case, you must think that those who go all out and mass murder Christians are even more passionate!
And the idea that God actually prefers bloody murderers to the “luke warm” is, I believe, rather a misreading of Revelation 3:15-16.