Sarah Palin Church Fire: Palin's Home Church Burned In Arson Incident

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — 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. No one was injured in the fire, which was set Friday night while a handful of people, including two children, were inside, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele.

He said the blaze was being investigated as an arson but didn't know of any recent threats to the church. Authorities didn't know whether Palin's connection to the church was relevant to the fire, 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.

Comments

[kshrn]

And to the post that mentions that "God controls everything so we should be grateful" - WHAT? I am a Christian and I don't believe that God controls everything. He gives us free will. We are allowed to make are own choices. I don't know one Christian who thinks that God controls everything (not that He can't, but that he loves us and allows us freedom to decide for ourselves). He is everywhere, but not as a dictator. More like a loving parent - you seek him out for guidance, love and comfort.

[kshrn]

Let me put this out there first...I'm a Conservative and I support Palin.

If a fire was started at Trinity (where Obama is not even a member anymore) the media and all of the Leftists would be blaming the religious right so don't act all indignant about speculation that the Church was set on fire by someone who didn't like Palin.

Next, no taxpayer money is going to rebuild the church. The church had insurance, I'm sure. And even if they didn't the congregation will pay for it - that's the way it works. Every church I have attended raises their own money through tithes and offerrings. Now think about how much taxpayer money goes to Planned Parenthood?

Last, I thought all of the Lefty Liberals were so concerned with equality for all? That would include Christians. Aren't the Libs concerned about the welfare of the children that were in the church? the women? Very few blogs on this post seem to be concerned about that. No, they are typical Palin bashing nonsense. If it is proven that this was a case of arson I hope that the person is caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

[ThePharoahsApprentice]

If they believe that their God controls all things, then they should thank their God for burning it to the ground. Don't turn your back on God now.

In fact, since they believe that their God is all places at all times then God was there when spark became flame.

All I'm saying is, if your God was controlling the war in Iraq, then he was controlling the heat that burned down your church. If you thank him for one thing, then thank him for the other.

[KEH58]

I have read later reports that say all the exits, plus the exterior of the church had with flammable liquid thrown on them and torched.

This does not indicate an accident to me. So whoever did this probably intended for the people inside not to get out. It also seems to me that there is more concern amongst the commenters here about Palin, rather than the threat to the lives of women and children in that church.

Keep in mind also that Alaska--despite it being conservative--is one of the most secular (non-church-going) states in the nation, next to Washington and Oregon. It could well be that the arsonist had a beef with the church or religious people in general. However, since I have seen more than a few hate-filled posts all over the web against Palin, I wouldn't be surprised if there might be a bit of that element, too. Hatred can be a very motivating factor in arson.

I'm no conservative and I voted for Obama, but my observation is that the left can be as hate-filled and intolerant as the right when it comes to people who think or act differently from themselves.

[GuyPere]

Keh58

I just got done looking at photos of the church. I didn't see any signs there was a fires at any door except the front door.
As I wrote earlier, when its 20 below zero it's not uncommon for people in Alaska to smoke inside the winter entrance of a building.
Also
In small town Alaska everyone knows each other , unfamiliar cars or people do not go unnoticed..
if an arson occurred they will be caught.


.

[karinova]

Funny, she's so willing to assume the credit/fault for drawing negative attention to Wasilla, resulting in this (a motive for which, so far, there is no evidence), but she STILL denies that she was responsible for drawing any negative attention to the McCain campaign, or losing it votes.

[aloha43]

Yea, kind of funny, huh?

[Clarknt67]

How helpful for the AP to single out the gays as suspect. Didn't mention that hosting the Jews for Jesus preacher didn't win the church any fans in the Jewish community. Didn't mention that the local fire department hasn't yet ruled out the fire was an accident. Didn't mention the rash of Church fires in the south that turned out to be set by their own congregations.

Thanks AP.

[HappyLoner]

Not to mention the fact that the Wasilla Bible Church is her adopted church as of her foray into politics beyond Wasilla. Her true love is still the Wasilla Assembly of God, the Pentecostal church. The Pastor Muthee church. The Joel's Army church.

How about this: a few of the Masters Commission grads from the WAG set the fire to make Palin a martyr of sorts (..."those nasty, godless liberals will never stop pickin' on me, doggone it! You send me to Washington and I'll show 'em what for!").

Someone please direct me to a credible source that can show me how many gays within the past year have committed arson in the U.S. I'll bet I can show you more where "disgruntled" right-wing theocratists have committed violent acts against gay or liberal targets.

I'm not gay but I can see, understand and agree with your point entirely.

"AP, you're doin' a heckuva job!"

[KaLaPa111]

Glad no one was hurt.

[Darthwave]

How much you want to bet that the Tax payers end up paying for this.

[JulieSA]

Why would you think that? Isn't that illegal?

[aloha43]

Isn't illegal what Sarah Palin is all about? If there is a way, she'll figure it out.

[zippy2112]

The fire was set at the entrance of the church and moved inward as a small group of women were working on crafts,
Obviously the fire was started by people who were not invited to make crafts. Prabably those same sex people.

[HappyLoner]

It was Milton. They took his Swingline.

[Syddiggers]

Surely Palin can cover the million dollar damage bill t her church with some of the money from the Bridge to Nowhere that she misappropriated and never returned.

[JulieSA]

No. The money wasn't misappropriated; it's being used for more useful road projects.

It would be illegal to use that money for a church.

[Zillacabra]

Sure it is, like the cul de sac to nowhere.

[aloha43]

Useful for what?

A road to nowhere?
A multi-million dollar sports complex in the tiny town of Wasilla?
Remodeling her Mansions?

And....how big was that Wasilla church? Big enough to cost over a million to rebuild? Why would it cost that much?

[steamboat]

She help STOPPED the Bridge to Nowhere...­......BTW, how come folks like you never mention Byrd's Highways to Nowhere in West Virginia or the Big Hole in Massachusetts?

[Zillacabra]

She was for the bridge before she was against it, and she still kept the earmarked funds after the project was killed:

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/palin-hung-bridge-nowhere-funds/story.aspx?guid=%7B9CDD6F99-893C-49D5-A3D4-AB014D8793B0%7D

[prabbit]

She was before it before she was against it, right?

Oh, glad you brought up the Big Dig...which was actually going well until Bechtel got involved. Known for constructing the Hoover Dam, Bechtel was then in the hands of people like Caspar Weinberger and George Shultz and costs skyrocketed.

[Syddiggers]

Of course she wasn't at the church at the time. The Governor of Alaska has barely been in the state for the past 4 months.

[BuzzingAlong]

Instead of building multi-million dollar cheuches why don't the so-called christians spend that money doing some good in the world? People are starving all over this world and we have a serious homeless crisis in this country. Add to that the vetrans who find themselves homeless and suffering from problems for which they have difficulty receiving help.

Church services can be held in any type of building.

What kind of christian passes by someone in need while on their way to their multi-million dollar church which serves no one but themselves.

[tm68]

Well, to them it IS good money spent. It's God's House. What better way to spend the money than to build a house God will come to to bless whoever is in it. *blech* Maybe they should include efficiency apartments and that way they can house the homeless and those in need- kill 2 birds with one stone? Think they'd go for it?

[JulieSA]

I don't why this has to be explained, but the church has 1000 members, and they need space for offices, classrooms, records, meeting etc. just like any other org. This isn't rocket science.

The church does do a lot of charitable work, and some of the gifts for the poor were destroyed in the fire.

Also, if you look at pictures of the church, it's a very cheap looking metal-sided building. It's not extravagant by anyone's standards.

On the other hand, I certainly don't begrudge any congregation who wants to build a beautiful church that's an architectural asset to their city, so long as the members are humble and charitable. The rights to worship and to assemble are protected under the first amendment.

[MsAttitude]

If you are so concerned about starving people what are you doing sitting on your backside at your computer complaining about so-called Christians? Why aren't YOU out feeding and housing the homeless? It's easy to point your finger, isn't it?

[Mellenbal]

It's 1.5 million because the clothes from her campaign were stored there.

[greataunty2]

obviously, Obama and Blago got together with Bill Ayers and planned this fire, along with who will assume big O's senate seat.....oh, yea....and converting the whole world into terrorist loving muslims also... Come on people, be real you betcha!

palin in 2012

[Poyda]

"Authorities didn't know whether Palin's connection to the church was relevant to the fire, Steele said. 'It's hard to say at this point. Everything is just speculation," he said. "We have no information on intent or motive.' "

Only Palin would jump to the conclusion that it was all about her, and that she is "so-rry" if it was the result of the ev-il liber-al el-ite media. Does she now speak on behalf of the media, or was that just an attempt by her to use a fire at her church as a basis for stoking ha-te, suspici-on and -divi-sion?

Can you imagine Obama - saying that he was "sor-ry" if a fire at his church was the result of some-one saying that he 'palled around with terro-rists' or that 'Wri-ght h-ates America'? Of course, not. Anyone with half a br-ain would know that such talk would only stoke more an-ger, susp-icion, and hat-red. Oh that's right, Palin doesn't satisfy that minimum operating requirement does she.

I, therefore, 'apologize', on Palin's behalf if her stu-pidity causes offense.

[JulieSA]

She didn't jump to the conclusion; she said IF.

[aloha43]

"If" was all she had to say to try to make people believe that it had to do with her. She thinks the world revolves around her, so yes, she did jump to the conclusion. Totally.