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I had a very unsettling experience yesterday that I would like to share. This sad incident happened at my church and it is depressing.The church holds AA meetings in a side room every night of the week . It appears the night before , a young member wandered off into the church and fell asleep. He became enraged finding himself locked in the church and picked up a huge crucifix and went about knocking down all the brand-new stations of the cross. The organ also was attacked and we're not sure how much damage was inflicted.
The police arrived and arrested him but not until all the damage was complete.
I'm sure that stations will be replaced with a generous collection from the members, however it is still unsettling.
I am sorry that happened and understand why it would unsettle you. At the same time as I read this I thought, at least that man was in a safe place and perhaps closely watched and protected by HP while he had his breakdown. I know that isn't the point, but just the first thought that came to me. That maybe he was going to have a violent episode and locked inside a church was a safe place for it to happen. I'm sorry your church was damaged so badly and hope it can be restored soon. (((Betty)))
-- Edited by missmeliss on Saturday 31st of January 2015 09:44:18 AM
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If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see? (Lewis Caroll)
I understand how unsettling this could be....my thoughts and feelings about this are going in a few directions. I am glad you could share this here, Betty.
As I read your share, I felt tremendous compassion for the young man who might have felt such terror at being "locked up" that he went wild with behaviors that were insane and so destructive. I also feel compassion for church members who are dealing and will deal with the aftermath of his insanity that they in no way caused, could have controlled or stopped in any way but still have to deal with the mess he made.
What I also noted in your share is how you simply stated how unsettling the reality of this situation is for you and how sad and depressing the situation is for you. No drama. No enraged reaction yourself. Just a willingness to share how you are feeling with us about this major loss for the parish members of which you are one and maybe for the young man who will be locked up for a long time because of his over the top and insane reaction to being locked up in a church against his will?
Prayers for all parties to include this young man and his family who have been involved and will be involved with sad and unsettling experience.
I don't like to think of you being unsettled and I can see how this would feel very upsetting, it is a house that you all share in a very special way.
As I read your post I asked myself 'what would God say?'
I think that I would feel a bit spooked if I was locked in a Church overnight. I remember being lost in the bowels of the Albert Hall (a large concert hall in London) when everyone had gone home, and that spooked me even though the lights were on and it was only twenty minutes before I found a staff exit that was still manned. If I had been drinking it would have felt even worse. It really is a madness isn't it?
More (((((hugs)))))) and prayers that everyone feels safe again very soon.
I'm sorry a your church and it's symbols of belief were damaged. I can understand the sad and unsettling emotions around such an action. Maybe your church will afford parishoners the chance to work together as a congregation to physically restore the damage. It might help with healing. TT
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Surround yourself with people and elements that support your destiny, not just your history.
Oh Betty, I am not a church goer, but to willfully destroy public property like that is totally inexcusable......some people just have no respect for anything
I do hope the destroyed property can be restored or replaced....It saddens me to read something like this, however i also realize that I am powerless over another's actions and there is a lot of anger and frustration out in the world...its too bad only us who have been impacted by addiction and/or abuse come here to alanon et al to find ourselves and to heal our wounds because so many "out there in the world" could use the benefits and blessings being a part of our community
So terrible..So sad to be in that state to attack a church and what it means to its members....
I noticed in your post no anger, no desire to "get back at him" just that you were "unsettled" and that speaks volumes about your recovery, how you are responding...with sadness, being unsettled, of course....Your church means a lot to you and the other members and i do hope that as a community, all of you can come together in healing and restoration of this place that is special to all of you....
sending ALL of you peace and comfort energy and I am glad you shared about it here so we could offer you our love and deep respect and empathy.......HUGS
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Live and let live and do it with peace and goodwill to all!!!!
I'm sorry that happened Betty, it would be very disturbing. My church has had musical instruments stolen from it in broad daylight, many of us have been wary of leaving anything there ever since.
I hope the church doesn't decide to stop having AA meetings, and I hope that AA starts having meeting participant counts or takes some other measure from here on out.
ohhh ((((Betty)))) I didn't see that this person was a member?? of the AA meet??? Oh that is real sad!!! and as Kenny said, I sure hope they don't cancel the AA meets over this one incident....bad as it is, the other members would be impacted greatly if meets were cancelled.......so so sad!!!!!
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Live and let live and do it with peace and goodwill to all!!!!
"Alcoholism affects everything it comes into contact with"...We use to read that at each and every meeting I use to attend when I first got here and it helped to really reduce the shock of the consequences of the disease while helping me to understand the disease concept itself. "They are not bad people...they are sick people in need of help". It always can be or could have been worse. However it comes out the tool of acceptance and detachment are available for our help. No doubt this will result in or should result in change between both the church and the AA group. Its as it should be for our disease. The AA meeting leadership including the treasury should step up with solutions. So many other affiliations help us to gain and maintain our sobrieties. (((((hugs)))))
So sorry to hear this news Betty. Hopefully this will never happen again and that it does not affect future use of the church meeting rooms for Al-Anon. I always seem to come back to the saying, when bad things happen, that HP must have had an awful good reason to bring, what ever trouble to light and that there must be a greater lesson in it for all.
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"Forgiveness doesn't excuse bad behavior, but it
does prevent bad behavior from destroying your heart". ~ unknown
