Atheists desecrate country church

[peasporridge]

The perpetrators drew vulgar graffiti on the wall of the church an also wrote "God is a lie".
They also desecrated about 40 gravestones.

This is particularly distressing because a wedding is scheduled today (Easter Saturday)

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/sickening-blasphemous-cowardly-church-gravestones-140717226.html

https://www.blogpreston.co.uk/2025/04/police-investigating-after-st-james-church-and-over-40-graves-defaced-ahead-of-good-friday/

This clearly demonstrates that Christianity is under threat.from the secular lobby.

That was actually a serious question.

I’m very glad that the police are taking this line.

The combination of the intensity of the attack with the timing appears to indicate a level of malice beyond simple vandalism.

It’s astonishing how many posters here are choosing to believe in coincidence.
I’m just not that credulous.

Neither, it seems, are Lancashire Constabulary.

Likely because of the fact the upcoming legislation which will prohibit what she was doing is not in effect in England yet. She wouldn't have got away with it in Scotland.

Perhaps you can explain why prayers are only effective if they are carried out in close proximity to what the person doing the praying is praying about?

Why, for arguments sake, would the prayers of people who object to women having body autonomy be ineffective if they were made from inside a church, or perhaps just from inside that person's own home?

I'm also glad that the police are taking it seriously as well, and are treating it as a hate crime, rather than minimising it as "just kids".

Then seriously, I don't know.

Maybe someone lost their faith due to horrific circumstances

We’re getting off the subject here.
Maybe another thread would be a good call?

Do you agree that it is likely to have been kids that did it though?

I have no idea who did it. I'll leave the investigation to the police.

Are you suggesting it was a Christian who scrawled that slogan? Or could it, just possibly, have been an atheist (who believe God is a lie)?
You might need to be a little bit more open minded to the possibility that an atheist did this…

I agree, too many people run straight for conspiracy or malice when quite often it's mindless vandalism or stupidity.

Cock and balls graffiti and the dead emoji on gravestones? Not even the slightest inkling?

The only pertinent factor in "who likely did this" is whether they are over the age threshold for criminal responsibility or not.

Agreed that the notion this evidence of militant atheism (there is no such thing) in action is ridiculous, but whether this is 17 year olds or 87 year olds changes nothing about the act itself, the consequences, and which particular criminal offences may have transpired.

Why do you keep asking me who did it?
I do not know.

It’s a horrible and hateful attack, and it may not be a coincidence that it was around Easter time, though since that also coincides with school holidays, it’s possible it’s a coincidence.

But “This clearly demonstrates that Christianity is under threat.from the secular lobby.” does not at all follow. The emojis and penis graffiti are much more kids/vandals typical than “the secular lobby”. Kids are quite capable of writing “god is a lie” - they are thoroughly indoctrinated at school about god, and many will reject it. It’s not high philosophy.

Yes it’s a horrible crime, a horrible attack. But it’s a massive stretch to say that this is some bigger picture that Christianity is under threat more than any bus shelter, graffitied building, vandalised school or town centre. Or indeed under threat more than any of the other religions in the UK.

Do you habitually refer to 'the religious lobby'? If not, your bigotry is showing.

Really? I thought we were talking about whether or not Christians were under attack in the UK?

"Thoroughly indoctrinated at school about God" ? @Talipesmum ?.
I suppose if you send your kids to Ampleforth or the Presentation Convent.
Regular state education? No.

You don't know whether it is more likely to be kids drawing cock and balls graffiti and the dead emoji on gravestones during the school holidays than a careful, targeted attack by adult anti-Christian campaigners who specifically chose Good Friday for its religious significance?

Ok.

Stop goading me.
For the 3rd time: I do not know who did it

Yes they are. Primary schools in particular. Including state schools. Probably not as “thorough” at most state schools as it would be at specifically catholic schools or similar, but there’s still a requirement for collective worship of a broadly Christian character - which is far more than many non Christians would like there to be. My point is that kids come out of school having had plenty of time being asked to pray, sing hymns etc, and many will emerge disagreeing with what they’ve been told, and be somewhat resentful about it.

“Current law requires all state-funded schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to hold daily acts of ‘Collective Worship’. In England and Wales in schools with no formal religious character this worship must be ‘wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character’. In Northern Ireland the requirement is for ‘undenominational’ collective worship.”

Not normal grown up atheists though. Probably drunk teenagers.

I am an atheist and I love churches.

anti-Christian campaigners

Who would this be, precisely?

The Secular Society?

For a start, they are proponents of secularism and not anti-Christian, and nor are they known for espousing a campaign of practical, violent resistance and destruction of churches and graveyards.

The people who did this are ignorant vandals. Whether motivated by hate or not is yet to be established, but the notion that people who object to religion on philosophical grounds have now formed anti-Christian violent action mobs is ridiculous.

Obviously nobody knows who did it. But if you hear hooves outside your window in Sussex it’s more likely to be horses than zebras…

Me too. I did a 4 year degree in theology. I love churches, church music etc. Do I believe there is a supreme being called God ? Absolutely not.