Smashed Statue of Mary Becomes a Lesson in Tolerance

July 11, 2004

Source: The Courier-Journal

http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2004/07/11ky/B1-statue0711-4058.html

On July 11, 2004 The Courier-Journal reported, "Southeast Christian Church is pledging to emphasize the importance of religious tolerance in sessions with members, youth and staff, starting today, because of an incident in which teenagers from the church smashed an Indiana man's statue of the Virgin Mary. A 24-year-old church employee who supervised the teens is being disciplined and has written a letter of apology to the owner of the statue, said Cindee Coffee, spokeswoman for Southeast, Kentucky's largest church...After studying a Bible lesson on worshipping false idols, the teens went to the wooded property of a Catholic neighbor and smashed his statue of the Virgin Mary."