There’s no telling who could have done this, but might it have had something to do with this passage?
“When your Lord was revealing to the angels, ‘I am with you; so confirm the believers. I shall cast terror into the hearts of the unbelievers; so strike the necks, and strike every finger of them!” (Qur’an 8:12)
You know: diversity!
“Unidentified people break off the head of Jesus in the church,” translated from “Unbekannte brechen in Kirche bei Statue Kopf von Jesus ab,” Deutsche Presse Agentur, November 29, 2023 (thanks to Medforth):
Unknown people have massively damaged a figure of the Virgin Mary in the Saarbrücken Basilica of St. John. One of Mary’s hands was severed and the head of the baby Jesus in her arms was broken off, the police in Saarbrücken said on Wednesday. The police are investigating property damage. It is assumed that the perpetrator or perpetrators committed the crime on Monday.
Saarbrücken – In addition, two large candles were destroyed and there was damage to the altar due to a cigarette being stubbed out. According to police, the broken head of the baby Jesus statue and the damaged hand were found near the Mary statue. The “Saarbrücker Zeitung” had previously reported on it.
The cantor of the basilica, Bernhard Leonardy, wrote in a Facebook post: “The figure of Mary was badly damaged, the head of the baby Jesus was cut off.” He was “completely shocked at how people come up with such thoughts,” he told the dpa news agency. “This is not normal vandalism, but also has a very special symbolic meaning.”
Many were horrified in comments on the post: “Unbelievable …”, “That leaves me speechless!” or “Who does something like that? I can’t understand that!” it says, for example.
According to Leonardy, these are original figures from the 18th century that stand in a side altar in the basilica. “We have tried to always be an open-door church in the basilica. With concerts and other things. Anyone can light a candle in this church.” The reaction shouldn’t be: “We’re closing everything down, we’re isolating ourselves.”
Ray Jarman says
The last statement from the article is, “We’re closing everything down, we’re isolating ourselves.” and I agree that it should not have been necessary to have sent it. If the government gave one thing for its citizens, the Muslims would be thrown out of the nation entirely. If any Muslim or non-Muslim of the particular sect entered a nation, say Pakistan, and burned their unholy book, that person or persons would be eliminated in a heartbeat.
It is abundantly clear that unlike every other group or person that enters another nation, especially, requesting sanctuary status, this plaque upon humanity should be removed entirely.
somehistory says
The Bible has a verse which says, “He that is touching you, is touching my eyeball.”
Now as for statues, nothing is sacred about them. Unlike how God feels about those humans who love Him.
Humans get upset by such things, but True Christians aren’t going to seek vengeance as would the mozlums who serve the ‘god’ called satan the devil.
Not A Muslim says
It’s still going to mortify the faint of heart though.
Goofy says
The perpetrators must have been rightwing extremists!
We have to rule out the Muslims because they highly respect prophet Isa, the son of Mary and Mary herself, the only woman mentioned by name in their “Holy Qur’an”!
Or what?
The acts of Muslims are not always supported by any kind of “religious” understanding but by the command to hate to make their unpredictable god of hatred satisfied.
gravenimage says
Somehistory, you are right that Christians are not going to seek revenge for Jihadists destroying statues.
But destroying someone else’s property *is* illegal, and this damage should have a legal penalty.
But beyiond this, while these figures may have no special meaning for you, they do for many Chistians. Moreover, they do for these Jihadists, as well, in a perverse manner. Their desectrating them–and *beheading* a baby Jesus and cutting off Mary’s hand–is not like their causing the same damage to a secular statue, awful as this would also be.
This is specifically a threat to Christians and to Christianity, and these Jihadists won’t much care if you are a Christian who doesn’t much care for religious statuary–or even finds it offensive–or not.
somehistory says
Of course, g, I know it’s “illegal.” And I didn’t say that I don’t find it offensive. I also know that many are upset over it. But if more realized that mozlums want to do more than destroy property, they might not be so upset about this, and focus on what they can do to protect and prolong their lives.
As I said, each one must decide for himself; for me, I am not crying, nor am I devastated by what they have done to images of people who lived long ago, and we have no earthly idea about their appearance except that Mary and the Baby Jesus were Jews.
Jesus Lives. Mary believed in a Resurrection. I focus on those things.
There are enough things to criticize people for, but I really don’t see that this is a*reason* to….I didn’t criticize anyone who is upset by it.
Rufolino says
As for statues, there is nothing sacred about them ?? The devotion of believers in the One True God for beautiful paintings and sculptures which depict the Saviour is touching to see. Some of us who don’t possess the faith of the saints are helped by such sacred images. There will be many who feel deeply wounded by this attack.. and personally
somehistory says
Evidently, you don’t understand my comment. God does not hold statues as sacred. He looks on those who worship Him as worth His mighty protection, as if when one is “touched” it is the same as “touching ” His eye. Touching the eyeball….a truly sensitive part….is painful. So it as painful to Him for one of His children to be hurt.
As for how the “devotion of believers” see these statues and images, and feel, that is up to each one.
It’s disgusting that mozlums cannot respect other people even a little, but take out their satanic beliefs in this way…much less serious than murdering the people…so as to cause pain.
But how many devoted to the One True God will seek revenge and kill a mozlum?
Those who know God and are known by Him, leave vengeance to Him.
As for me …”personally.”…I don’t need statues and images. But, as I wrote, each one must decide for themselves alone.
Namer says
I was stationed in Saarbrücken in the 80’s and early 90’s. Its a nice quiet small city near the French border. It is sad to see that it is experiencing these kinds of problems from the invaders that their federal gov’t has imposed on them. Of course the perps will be deemed mentally ill and no motive will be found.
Ray Jarman says
Namer,
I was in Frankfurt and later at NATO in Mons, Belgium and I agree that Deutschland is not the same as back then. The Germans removed the Badr Manheim terrorist group down with precision and as far as I know, none of them ever walked the streets afterwards. I want to cry when I read and see photos of destruction of life that these sub-humans have perpetrated with little consequence for their actions.
RDK 3 says
It is long past time for Europe (and the entire Western world, to recognize the error of allowing huge numbers of immigrants – particularly from muslim lands, to immigrate.
In general, they are unwilling to integrate into their society, are a drain on the social safety net and do not enhance the conditions of society but rather detract.
gravenimage says
Germany: 18th-century statues desecrated: Baby Jesus beheaded, Mary’s hand cut off
……………………………………
What is more Islamic than destroying art? Perhaps desecrating Christian works.
More “cultural enrichment” from pious Mohammedans…
And this goes hand-in-hand with attacking Infidels, including Christians.