“God’s doors are open to all,” reads a set of rainbow-colored doors outside United Church of Christ in Kansas City, Missouri.
Apparently, a church preaching God’s love and acceptance managed to strike a nerve with some of the less Christ-like followers.
Neighbors awoke Thursday morning to find the doors had been vandalized with “PERVS” written across five of the doors and “REPENTANCE” on the sixth (the latter of which is written hastily, as if the vandal didn’t realize they were going to run out of letters in “PERVS”).
Hate is alive in KC. This happened in my neighborhood overnight. pic.twitter.com/9tTxO590Br
— Beth B (@BethB3) July 7, 2022
Related: Arsonist almost sets himself on fire trying to burn down a Pride flag display
They also covered over the “to all” of the message, because their version of heaven is apparently an exclusive club with St. Peter bouncing folks at the gates.
The city’s mayor quickly took to Twitter to publicly condemn the defacing, tweeting: “This is disgusting and has no place in Kansas City.”
This is disgusting and has no place in Kansas City. https://t.co/HUDiGwFcZs
— Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) July 7, 2022
It wasn’t long before the surrounding community was out in force, ready to remedy this aggression against the queer community.
Related: This gay Missouri legislature candidate refuses to back down from homophobes
Local citizens, including the family behind local business Switzer Brothers Painting and all five of their children, came out in full to help cover up the offending words and restore the bright colors of the display.
This neighborhood family sprung into action to help the church. @ScottSwitzer4 and his family’s business, Switzer Brothers Painting, know a thing or two about painting…apparently, it runs in the family…becasue those kids were awesome!! pic.twitter.com/OR6DUoLxEO
— Catherine Kelly (@kellycjk) July 7, 2022
There are more of us than them. pic.twitter.com/ilvkz0CTXu
— Beth B (@BethB3) July 7, 2022
In just a few hours, the chromatic church piece was restored to its former glory:
I am absolutely blown away. I am at the site now and the community has stepped up to get the doors repainted. Hate is loud but make no mistake about it it does not represent the majority. #kc #pride pic.twitter.com/0N7PRbxhHO
— Justin Short (@Justin__Short) July 7, 2022
No matter how much homophobes try to cover up the queer community, it’s clear that their hate is in the minority.
Jim
Is there someone trying to thwart the free exercise of religion?
Here in America?
Say it isn’t so.
Den
Yup. That would be certain backwards Christians!
someone
I wonder which death cult the vandals belong to. So much love and forgiveness.
Is anyone really surprised by this?
1. Their cult threatens to burn us alive unless we repent for loving who we love.
2. They follow a barbaric, evil god, whilst knowing that it was responsible for the killing of millions of people.
3. One of their profits ordered soldiers to rape and murder children.
It’s not a matter of interpretation – just look at what the priests are doing to little boys.
I think it’s time we have a serious conversation about freedom of religion, and whether it should apply to death cults pretending to be a religion.
ingyaom
God has doors?
RickHeathen
He shuts these sometimes, but then he opens a window…or so I hear.
still_onthemark
God’s doorbell sounds like the Jetsons’ doorbell.
ChrisGMN
He evidently spends all days opening and closing doors and windows like some sort of crazed poltergeist.