Fire Ravages Christian Holiday Homes

(AP)  A massive fire damaged or destroyed dozens of wood-frame buildings, mostly unoccupied summer homes, at a 146-year-old Christian center in New Hampshire on Easter.

The fire erupted at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, when Christians were celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But the season hadn't begun yet at the Alton Bay Christian Conference Center on Lake Winnipesaukee, and state Fire Marshal William Degnan said no injuries to residents had been reported.

"Fortunately, it was at this time of year," he said. "During the summer, it's full."

It was cold and windy Sunday, and Degnan said strong gusts of up to 35 mph off the lake, the state's biggest, helped spread the flames through the many cottage-style homes at the center, about 30 miles northeast of Concord.

Witnesses said they watched as buildings burned to the ground in minutes.

"As I was looking across the bay, I could see 600 feet of flame lengthwise," John Lobdell told WMUR-TV in Manchester. "The whole entire camp ground looked like it was up in flames."

The center's approximately 140 cottages are close together in a network of narrow roads. Authorities said much of the area burned in the fire, which was brought under control around 8:30 p.m., had yet to be searched thoroughly as of late Sunday night.

One firefighter was hurt when a propane tank exploded; he was hospitalized in stable condition. Others were treated for smoke inhalation or exhaustion.

The center's Web site says its purpose is to change lives in part by "encouraging commitment to Jesus." It says it tries to accomplish this through evangelism, encouragement of believers and equipping Christians to be effective leaders.

The center, founded in 1863, is on the southeastern corner of the lake. Besides cottages, it features a 70-room motel and a park for recreational vehicles.

The chairman of the center's safety organization, Russell Sample, was with Degnan as crews from numerous surrounding towns worked on the fire, whose cause hadn't been determined.

"A tremendous amount of history has been destroyed," Sample said.

[tomanyt]

Maybe they should have "prayed" a little harder and longer.

[lost_america]

There have certainly been many atrocities done in the name of and contrary to the ideals of governments and organizations.

Some who have claimed membership in the church would be included.

We in the church ourselves know that some who claim to be part of us seem bent on wounding us even more than the world does.

However we have failed, we are fortunate in that we serve the one who did not fail.

The message of the gospel is one of love and acceptance.

God loves us so much that he came to us and while we were His enemy He opened up the path back to God. This is what Easter is about.

I don?t marvel at the evil men do in the name of dead religion. I marvel at how through Christ those once dead in religion are changed.

I am one of those.

If you wish to find bad examples of so called Christians, they are a dime a dozen. Yet, God even has grace for them.

That same grace is available to you.

I have lost my job, My wife has lost hers, At present we stand to loose 30 years worth of work. Yet, our faith is real and in it we stand. This, not in our own strength but in the strength of He who came back for us.

Happy Easter!

God Bless!

[johndevinejr]

Finally, its ironic to me that those on both sides speak freedom the loudest while they seek to constrain the acts of others.
Posted by McHineguy at 7:55 AM : Apr 13, 2009




You have very narrow and rosy view of Christianity.

No one doubts that a man named Jesus Christ once lived. Many do not believe he was God.

Christians pretend that they are nice benevolent people. That is reserved for those who share their beliefs.
However if you do not believe in Christianity they are nasty dishonest hypocrites who will do almost anything
to force their religion on you.
Christians spend an inordinate amount of time and effort to impose their religion on those around them and have
done this for centuries, that's where the deaths come in.

Spanish Inquisition
Heresy Trials
Buring Witches at the Stake
Pillory for the Homosexuals
Christians used the Bible to Advocate for Slavery
Christians opposed interracial marriage based on religious belief



Of course these things happened a long time ago, so they don't count.

[johndevinejr]

Wow, Gods' really smite'n 'em, or is that smote'n

[rrozsa]

This is the fault of Satan and his minions the liberals who hate God and all that is good.
Posted by mrs_neves at 5:46 AM : Apr 13, 2009

=========================

While I can't stand trolls as a general rule, at least for ONCE you didn't pick a story where people were killed. All in good fun in this case, I suppose.

[McHineguy]

...
The Christian nation nonsense came along when rabid conservatives like yourself tried rewriting our history to suit their own sick agenda. So why don't you get your facts straight before you keep spouting off?
Posted by grumpas

We need to remember this!
Thanks grumpas!
Posted by sandy19731 at 6:42 AM : Apr 13, 2009

You need to get ALL your facts straight before you attack others. Since personal attacks are so easy for you "liberals" who preach freedom and pracitce oppression through taxation.

1. 87% of Americans believe in Christ. They may not practice Christianity but they believe he walked the earth.
2. The Christian Morals of charity, love for each other, and turn the other cheek are the most respected morals on earth. Given a community of 300 million people I think these traits are right near the top of requirements for successful cohabitation. But I personally would add a few like industry and tolerance.
3. Not all Christians practice their morals but most strive to. But, then, no person I know seems to perfectly represent any particular doctrine all the time.
4. Few Christians try to impose their morals on others except for those morals that effect third parties and have the potential to effect all society (like murder, theft and respect).
5. Our founding fathers placed religion outside government because they saw that government is easily corrupted by zealots. They sought instead a very limited government with very limited powers with all other interests, like charity, provided outside government.

A large part of the argument between Christians and others is the argument over abortion. Christians often see abortion as murder. You cannot prove it is not. So, this argument cannnot be resolved. But it seems unfair to me that our government forces us all to pay for others to obtain abortions. In effect, being forced to pay others to perform acts that we ourselved find abhorant. THAT is not freedom of choice.

Finally, its ironic to me that those on both sides speak freedom the loudest while they seek to constrain the acts of others.

[sandy19731]

Our forefathers came to this country to escape people like you who would impose their religious belief's upon everyone in the country. Most of them believed in a Supreme Being not Jesus Christ or the Bible. The Christian nation nonsense came along when rabid conservatives like yourself tried rewriting our history to suit their own sick agenda. So why don't you get your facts straight before you keep spouting off?
Posted by grumpas

We need to remember this!
Thanks grumpas!

[spaceintime]

Man made.

[grumpas]

Maybe it was not God that was angry at all but a left-wing nut was. Liberals have a lot more to worry about when it comes to angering God than global warming, how about millions of abortions a year sanctioned by their ultra liberal President they voted in who bows low to Muslim leaders, the liberal President who goes to the Middle East and tells them "I too am a Muslim." He must be a liar then because during his campaign, he was a Christian. This is also the same guy who took it upon himself to announce that American is no longer a Christian nation.
Posted by CMancos

Every time you right wing lunatics open your mouths you show your ignorance. All you know are the words liberal and abortion. I guess Rush hasn't gotten around to expanding your vocabulary to other words yet. The whole world is collapsing around your ears and all you can do is keep ranting on and on about not being a Christian nation. Like that's somehow magically going to solve all the problems this country has. Grow up and join the real world! If you had any knowledge at all of our history you should already know the US never has been a Christian nation. Our forefathers came to this country to escape people like you who would impose their religious belief's upon everyone in the country. Most of them believed in a Supreme Being not Jesus Christ or the Bible. The Christian nation nonsense came along when rabid conservatives like yourself tried rewriting our history to suit their own sick agenda. So why don't you get your facts straight before you keep spouting off?

[barbaram99]

Firstly,Angerly God .nope.
The area is lovely. Yep alot of history is lost.
I am a Mainer and sad when history is lost in New England.
America is and never was a Christian nation. The founding fathers did not want a state church. They felt state and church to be sep. That they did right. Yet we each have the right and yes it is a right to worship as we see fit.
The president has the right to worship as he see fit but he can't force everyone to believe as he does. That is where sep of church and state. comes in. He can pray and ask us to to pray with him and for him.but he can't say us Americans are going believe one way as it won't work. Christians have to realise that. The president does. The founding fathers knew this. The puritians were alot like today's christians as they want to force others to Christ come hell or high water. It won't work.
I hope they are able to rebuild after the fire..