And the headlines continue ...

(PLEASE visit a more recent posting to understand the perspective of the people of Minnedosa United Church when it comes to our fire: January 21st 2007 entry -God Doesn't Hate Goths. Please be assured and clear - we do NOT share the views of the website that has linked to this item, or others on our site - they do not speak for us, we will speak for ourselves. - thanks. - Rev. Shawn (Jan 21 2007))

The Winnipeg Sun has an article today on the fire:

Jail for arsonists
Church blaze inspired by black metal, hatred

By DEAN PRITCHARD, COURT REPORTER

MINNEDOSA -- A fire that razed the 105-year-old Minnedosa United Church last winter was a hate crime sparked by a hatred of Christianity and a love of black metal music, a court heard yesterday.

Kelsey Ray Taylor, Deanna Lynn Mathews and Mark Wishart shared an "ideology of desecration" that destroyed a community landmark and rocked the faith of local church members, Crown attorney Jim Ross said at the trio's sentencing hearing.

"They share an ideology that people of faith are the enemy," Ross said. "They targeted a church for destruction because it's a symbol."

All three pleaded guilty to arson earlier this year.

Judge Krystyna Tarwid called the arson a hate crime and sentenced Taylor, its driving force, to three years in prison. Mathews was sentenced to two years in prison, while Wishart received a sentence of two years less a day in jail. All three sentences were in addition to time already served in custody. Taylor and Mathews have been in custody since their arrest a short time after the Feb. 12 blaze. Wishart was released on bail after spending eight days in jail.

The judge also ordered the three to pay $1.2 million in restitution.

The Minnedosa fire had clear links to a worldwide arson movement inspired by a Norwegian black metal musician, Ross told court.

The church was set ablaze on the birthday of Varg Vikernes, a black metal musician now serving time in prison in Norway for murdering a bandmate and burning several churches.
Vikernes has inspired dozens of copycat church burnings around the world, a list that now includes the Minnedosa United Church, Ross said.

The night of the fire, Taylor, 21, and Mathews, 19, a California native and Taylor's girlfriend of two weeks, visited Wishart, 20, in Minnedosa. After drinking awhile in a cemetery, Wishart suggested they burn down the church, Ross said. Taylor, reluctant to lose face, agreed, and the trio drove to Wishart's grandmother's home where they picked up a can of gasoline.
Taylor and Mathews climbed to the roof of the church where Mathews doused it with gasoline and Taylor ignited it with a lighter.

Police arrested Taylor and Mathews a short time later driving out of Minnedosa. In the car, police found a homemade CD entitled Introduction to Blasphemy. The CD included several songs by Vikernes and his bands.

"It's no coincidence that Mr. Taylor is a black metal fan," Ross said.

In a police statement written in the voice of his "demon" named Razorback, Taylor, who is aboriginal, said the arson was payback for thousands of years of Christian wrongs, including residential schools.

"If this is the only way I can seek justice for what you Christian mother------s have done to me and my people and the world, then I'm going to throw the truth in your faces," he wrote.
No words of remorse

Given a chance to speak before sentencing, Taylor had no words of remorse for several church members seated in the court gallery.

Mathews offered a tearful apology, calling her participation in the arson "the worst decision of my life."

"It hurt so many people. I'm so sorry. Believe what you want from the news, but I am a good person," she said.

The fire destroyed a century's worth of history and the community lost an important spiritual centre and meeting place, Tarwid said.

"The church building used to symbolize sanctuary ... but a church building is vulnerable to acts of wanton destruction," Tarwid said. "There's not a scrap of paper left. All that remains are memories."

Church board member Lorraine McKay said she was upset Taylor felt no apparent regret for his actions.

"It makes me very upset a young adult could do that and have no feelings for what he has done to the community," McKay said outside court.

The church was insured for $1.2 million but will cost more than $2 million to replace, McKay said. The church board has raised $54,000 to rebuild at the same site and hopes to open next year.

"It's hard to think about the future but the community has really rallied together," she said. "I think having this behind us now, that part of the book will be closed and we can look forward to better things."

Taylor will be back in Brandon court in August. He is charged with arson for an April 2004 fire that levelled the Brandon Hills United Church and with vandalism to more than 100 tombstones in the Brandon Hills and Roseland cemeteries.

He has also been charged with cemetery vandalism in Lethbridge, Alta.

On the web: http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Metal