Attacks on churches have increased nearly 800 percent in less than six years, showing that “hostility toward the church in the United States is not only increasing, but accelerating,” the Family Research Council (FRC) says. says the report. found.
Between 2018 and 2023, the FRC identified 915 acts of hostility against the Church in the United States by analyzing open source documents, reports, and news outlets. According to the report, last year alone (January to November 2023), there were 436 incidents of hostile acts against the Church.
“This was more than double the number of incidents in the entire 12 months of 2022, which was 195. It was also the second year in a row that the number of incidents was more than double that of the previous year,” the report said. “At least 96 incidents occurred in 2021, 55 in 2020, 83 in 2019 and 50 in 2018. The frequency appears to be increasing over time.”
The report notes that this increase “may be due in part to increased public reporting of crimes against the church and more data available than previously.”
It’s all connected. The concerted use of “Christian nationalism” by the left and growing hostility toward houses of worship. This is an intimidation game designed to silence Christians and suppress our votes. Please don’t buy it.
Keep praying, keep standing, keep voting… pic.twitter.com/Apj9mMVUwP
— Tony Perkins (@tperkins) February 22, 2024
By category, 315 attacks in 2023 were vandalism, 75 were arson or attempted arson, 10 were gun-related, 20 were bomb threats, and 37 were in the “other” category. According to the report, 17 incidents fell into multiple categories.
Between 2018 and 2023, there were at least 709 incidents of vandalism, 135 arson attacks or attempts, 22 gun-related incidents, 32 bomb threats, and 61 other incidents (assault, intimidation, worship). interruption, etc.) occurred. According to the report, multiple types of hostilities (such as vandalism and arson) occurred in 39 cases.
Incidents occurred in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, but states with larger populations tended to report more incidents.
🚨 New report!
Hostility toward the church is growing in the United States.
– In 2023 (January-November), there was a significant increase in hostilities against the Church. We identified 436 incidents.
-This was more than double the number of incidents for the entire 12 months of 2022. pic.twitter.com/klWe6X45vj
— Family Research Council (@FRCdc) February 20, 2024
According to the FRC, the motive in most incidents is unknown, but many attacks had political overtones and some were clearly satanic. According to the FRC, at least 59 of the churches included in the report were victims of repeated incidents over a verifiable period of time.
“Some acts of vandalism against churches appear to have been motivated by anger towards the targeted church. Other acts appear to be politically motivated. It appears to have been committed by people in distress,” the report said. “Some instances of vandalism also included theft. Many acts of vandalism against churches were the subject of criminal investigations. A few were investigated as hate crimes. Police did not identify the vandals. There were often things I couldn’t do.”
The report’s longest section is a 97-page list of attacks on churches, supported by 50 pages of endnotes.
High-profile incidents include several incidents of transgender violence against churches. The most shocking incident was the March 27th shooting at Nashville Covenant School. Audrey Hale, who is transgender, reportedly shot and killed six people, including three young students. Hale, who went by the male name “Aiden,” left behind a manifesto, but law enforcement refused to release most of it, although several pages were leaked.
HOPE AND HEALING: About 500 people attended A Day of Prayer (a partnership between Let Us Worship and TPUSA Faith), a Christian revival tour in Nashville earlier this month in the wake of the Covenant Christian school shooting. worshipers gathered to sing and pray. pic.twitter.com/M42hGP9Tau
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) April 10, 2023
The report describes another attack on January 3, 2023, by a man named Cameron Storer, who identified himself as a woman.Storer is accused An incident in which the Portland Korean Church, a vacant 117-year-old building, was set on fire. Storer told investigators he heard voices telling him to “burn down the church.”
On March 3, 2023, St. Joseph Catholic Church in Louisville, Kentucky. destroyed The message “TRANS PWR” is drawn on it. The incident occurred after the state Legislature overrode the Democratic governor’s veto of a bill protecting minors from sexual mutilation surgery.
Louisville Catholic church gets hit with ‘TRANS PWR’ graffiti in response to OK House gender bill https://t.co/Ma5XWC8dHV
— Courier Journal (@courierjournal) March 3, 2023
After the Supreme Court overturned, many cases were linked to pro-abortion hostility. Roe vs. Wade “At least 12 incidents included satanic images or symbols,” the report said, citing several examples.
The FRC said it had “begun a public analysis” Data available to better understand the problem and determine if there has been a statistically significant increase over time. In hostilities against the church in the United States. ” The FRC released its February report following similar reports on incidents that occurred between January 2018 and September 2022.
The FRC said the report was not comprehensive and said:Hostile acts against the church are less likely to be reported to authorities and/or featured in the news and other online sources from which we collected data. ”
“Therefore, the number of hostilities is undoubtedly much higher than the number reflected in this report. This report compiles publicly reported data and aims to identify trends. is.”
Report author Ariel del Turco said the motive for many attacks is unclear, but noted that “crime is on the rise.” The protests against the church come at a time when American culture appears to be increasingly hostile to Christianity. ” she wrote.
Criminal acts such as vandalism and vandalism of churches can be a sign of a breakdown in social respect and respect for places of worship and religion. In this case, churches and Christian Americans seem increasingly comfortable attacking church buildings, pointing to larger social issues. Marginalizing core Christian beliefs, including those that touch on hot-button political issues related to human dignity and sexuality. Attacks on houses of worship may also indicate displeasure with religion in general.
“The free exercise of religion has always been an integral part of American society and is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution as a fundamental right,” she added. “Attempts to prevent religious practices through intimidation or violence should be strongly condemned by anyone who values the First Amendment.”
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her at @thekat_Hamilton.
