Palin's Wasilla Church Damaged By Arson

Several People Were Inside But No One Was Injured; Importance Of Palin Connection Unclear

(AP)  Gov. Sarah Palin's home church was badly damaged by arson, leading the governor to apologize if the fire was connected to "undeserved negative attention" from her failed campaign as the Republican vice presidential nominee.

Damage to the Wasilla Bible Church was estimated at $1 million, authorities said Saturday. The fire was set Friday night while a handful of people, including two children, were inside, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. No one was injured.

He said the blaze was being investigated as arson but didn't know of any recent threats to the church. Authorities didn't know whether Palin's connection to the church was related to the apparent arson or not, Steele said.

"It's hard to say at this point. Everything is just speculation," he said. "We have no information on intent or motive."

Steele would not comment on the means used to set the fire.

Pastor Larry Kroon declined to say whether the church had received any recent threats.

"There are so many variables," he said. "I don't want to comment in that direction."

Palin, who was not at the church at the time of the fire, stopped by Saturday. Her spokesman, Bill McAllister, said in a statement that Palin told an assistant pastor she was sorry if the fire was connected to the "undeserved negative attention" the church has received since she became the vice presidential candidate Aug. 29.

"Whatever the motives of the arsonist, the governor has faith in the scriptural passage that what was intended for evil will in some way be used for good," McAllister said.

The 1,000-member evangelical church was the subject of intense scrutiny after Palin was named John McCain's running mate. Early in Palin's campaign, the church was criticized for promoting in a Sunday bulletin a Focus on the Family "Love Won Out Conference" in Anchorage. The conference promised to "help men and women dissatisfied with living homosexually understand that same-sex attractions can be overcome."

The fire was set at the entrance of the church and moved inward as a small group of women were working on crafts, Steele said. The group was alerted to the blaze by a fire alarm.

Outside temperatures were minus 20 as firefighters battled the blaze.

Steele said a multi-agency task force was being assembled to investigate the fire.

Wasilla, the governor's hometown, is 40 miles north of Anchorage.

[sevenveils]

God must be punishing the Church for their skewed beliefs and false teachings of the bible.

Obviously an act from god.

[mytoosense]

Sarah who???

[tabbott3]

"Ummm. Do you think it could be a NEW very oppressive FASCISM that she and her followers represent in this nation? When you stand up in front of ONE crowd and say they are the REAL American''''s for no other reason than they agree with the "Party" and the Religious Reich, that''''s called FASCISM. American''''s, REAL American''''s do NOT like Fascist or Fascism."

Posted by irmcvet971 at 08:07 AM

Of course - because Fascists AREN''T the ones who crush all opposing viewpoints by doing things like burning churches. Nope - definitely not fascist to do THAT.

[armydog2]

If this was arson, it just is not right to do this to a house of Worship. I don''t care whose church it is.

[notmudrose1]

this is palin''s political plan to burn down her chruch and blame it on the enemies of the state so she can become the fuhrer, I mean leader. hey it worked when hitler burned the rheichstag down.

p.s. was cheney in wasila?

[notmudrose1]

i guess palin was listening to some jim morrison & the doors music; come on baby light my fire! try to light the night on fire!

[notmudrose1]

looks like the witch got burned by her own broomstick.

[notmudrose1]

it was dark and palin was lighting a candle so she could see russia from the church window.

[notmudrose1]

looks like palin was cooking that thanksgiving turkey too long and it burned.

[irmcvet971]

Why would anyone want to burn down her church? What would someone hope to gain by doing this, other than publicity?! Anyone?

Posted by Solarrays247 at 11:17 PM : Dec 14, 2008

Ummm. Do you think it could be a NEW very oppressive FASCISM that she and her followers represent in this nation? When you stand up in front of ONE crowd and say they are the REAL American''s for no other reason than they agree with the "Party" and the Religious Reich, that''s called FASCISM. American''s, REAL American''s do NOT like Fascist or Fascism.

[cheetah-man7]

After Obama won, Levi headed south and landed in San Francisco where he now finds a new partner named Straus - they live happily now in a townhouse on Russian Hill and shop at Nordstrom''s for all their Christmas stuff. Levi is even learning how to cook gourmet meals and make petit-point pillows as decorative accessories! Isn''t that precious?!

[irmcvet971]

Perhaps the Wasilla Witch Doctor can lay his hands on the church, speak in tongues and the building will be healed....

Posted by earache4 at 07:24 AM : Dec 15, 2008

True! But don''t these Religious Nazi''s teach their sheep that IF they follow them things like this won''t happen? "God will protect you if you follow me"? She and they are the biggest frauds on this PLANET!!

[endurorob]

And what if this was the same God that created you?..........

Posted by earache4

You assume I believe in mythology.

[endurorob]

Does that mean you believe the Jericho buybull story is true?

Posted by earache4

Do I believe it to be literally true? No. Do I believe that someone, possibly named Jaoshua, told his army that "God" told him to destroy Jericho and kill every living thing? That is a possibility. Throughout history military commanders have used this tactic to set the example of what happens if you defy them. The point I was making is that any god that would require this of it''s followers can not be just.

[endurorob]

but a just God.....

Posted by earache4

Just? Tells Joshua to attack Jericho and when the walls fall to kill every living thing, man, woman, child and beast. Yeah that sounds just to me. Those eveil children and beasts really didn''t derserve to live.

[endurorob]

It is very simple.
God incinerated this ''''church'''' as he is very disgusted with the way these so called ''''religious right'''' ''''Fundamentalist Christians'''' conduct themselves.

Posted by quartersaw

What a cruel and uncaring god you worship.

[quartersaw]

It is very simple.
God incinerated this ''church'' as he is very disgusted with the way these so called ''religious right'' ''Fundamentalist Christians'' conduct themselves.

[cheetah-man7]

Here are a few more passages we need to read. God sanctions genocide.

# The entire population of the earth except for eight survivors (Genesis 7:23)
# Every inhabitant of Sodom and Gomorrah except for one family (Genesis 19:24)
# Every first born of Egypt (Exodus 12:29)
# All the hosts of the Pharaoh, including the captains of 600 chariots (Exodus 14:27,28)
# Amalek and his people (Exodus 17:11,16)
# 3,000 Israelites (Exodus 32:27)
# 250 Levite princes who had challenged the leadership of Moses (Numbers 16:1-40)
# 14,700 Jews in a plague who had rebelled against Moses following the killing of the princes (Numbers 16:41-49)
# All the subjects of Og (Numbers 21:34, 35)
# 24,000 Israelites who lived with Moabite women (Numbers 25:4, 9)
# All the males, kings, and non-virgin females of the Midianites (Numbers 31:7, 8)
# The Ammonites (Deuteronomy 2:19-21)




Posted by Fahren451


Note that these are ALL prior to Jesus dying for our sins. The value of life has dramatically changed since Jesus was crucified.

[cheetah-man7]

It''''s not a very churchy looking building. Maybe someone thinks it''''s an eyesore.


Posted by Ace_Face1


Repeat after me: "This is Alaska. This is Palin country." All things will be then revealed!

[cheetah-man7]

No, the arson was not a homosexual conspiracy to end the ridiculous rantings of this church. I think it was Putin - as he is only a stone''s throw away. Maybe he is a closet homosexual and does not like hearing that he ''can'' be changed. You know how those Russians are! One trip to Barney''s or Bloomingdales and the homosexuals will unite and conquer the world. LOL