Jehovah’s Witness blows himself up at a Kingdom Hall near Kansas City… I wonder what the backstory is for this one. Why do you think someone might choose to blow himself up at the Kingdom Hall? Hmmm…
Bates City Church Explosion Kills One
Saturday, 26 Jul 2008Investigators searched the scene of an explosion at a Jehovah’s Witness’ Kingdom Hall in Bates City, Mo. on July 26, 2008.
A bizarre explosion at a church east of Kansas City killed one man on Saturday afternoon.
ATF agents said the explosion at the Jehovah’s Witness’ Kingdom Hall on Foggy Bottom Drive was intentionally set, and that the person who died appears to have committed suicide.
Witnesses described large amounts of smoke pouring out of the building, which they said was just recently completed.
The source of the explosion remains a mystery, but investigators found evidence of accelerants in the debris.
The victim was the only person inside the building
Kingdom Hall in MO
Roberta Genini on 
5:55 pm on July 28th, 2008 1
I assume he was troubled and thought this way the best way out. Clouded his mind was, but for a brief second he must have thought this was best.
7:57 pm on July 28th, 2008 2
The question isn’t so much why someone would kill himself as why he would kill himself at the Kingdom Hall. I find that very significant.
11:53 pm on July 29th, 2008 3
OMG, when I first heard of this on another blog, I was literally sick to my stomach. I’ll be interested to see what kind of spin this news gets as time passes.
tracis last blog post..what would you say…
10:36 am on July 30th, 2008 4
The major media in the KC area has sat on this news story. The police are still refusing to release the name of the man who died. Are the JW’s paying someone off to keep this quiet?
1:50 pm on July 31st, 2008 5
They actually do not know if the person killed was a member of the congregation. They may know by now meaning that it has been at least a week. At that time, they did not know though. Not to be rude, but please don’t assume it before you know.
1:54 pm on July 31st, 2008 6
Ladywolf, why would they pay someone to keep it quiet. It’s already in the news. Now, they may have asked to not announce publicly the name of the person if he was a witness. I think that this story would be treated the same if it happened at a church, a temple, or any other place of worship. For the family’s sake, I think that is why they have not announced the name.
1:59 pm on August 5th, 2008 7
He was a witness
2:01 pm on August 5th, 2008 8
They have realeased his name, last namd Phillips.
11:37 pm on August 5th, 2008 9
It was not confirmed that the bomber was a dedicated baptised JW.
Just because one person has mental problem , dont’ cut and slash a whole organization.
Babtist commits crime,,,,,, so what.
Catholic commits crime,,, so what.
JW commits crime,,,,,,FRONT PAGE NEWS!
Ever wounder why that is?
Ever wonder what motivates the hatred?
8:06 am on August 6th, 2008 10
Actually, it seems to be news in the local paper and to people who follow JWs in the news. I think if a Catholic shot himself in the head and created an explosion in a church, the religion might be mentioned there too…
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/story/727229.html
“Authorities said Ralph E. Phillips, 53, of Buckner died of what they believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officials have concluded that accelerant had been poured throughout the hall and then ignited.”
From local sources: “He was still an activ serving elder and given a public talk within the last 6 months.”
“He took his own life with the aim of taking out the Kingdom Hall.”
“8 main trusses were taken out or heavily damaged and the wall was structural. The trusses have been replaced. The accelerant etc shows the brother meant to commit suicide and take the hall with him or at least do as much damage as possible. This was a deliberate calculated act designed to inflict as much damage as possible.”
There are some speculations that he had emotional problems lately, but no-one seems to know what drove him to suicide or to wanting to destroy or damage the Kingdom Hall at the same time.
There is some question about whether the dedication of the repaired building will precede his memorial…
6:10 pm on August 6th, 2008 11
How weird is it that this news blurb triggered some fairly intense stuff for me?
Suicide (no matter what religion you practice) is a long term solution to a short term issue and those left behind are the ones who suffer. I feel for this “brother’s” family just as I would for any family left behind when a loved one takes his/her life. It is heartbreaking.
tracis last blog post..what would you say…
3:22 pm on August 14th, 2008 12
Thats sad. Mental illness and suicide is a huge epidemic lately. As always it’s the Jehovah’s Witness part that gets the rumour mill going. I know of 2 or 3 Jehovahs Witnesses that have commited suicide due to Manic Depression. In one case I think it was medication that caused the problem.
I know of probably 6 non Jehovah’s Witnesses that have killed themselves. I know more JW’s then non JW’s. Obviously you can’t judge them based on something like this. I also live in a city thats known for mental illness and depression. Suicide gets swept under the rug here but lately the truth has been coming out in the news.
9:14 pm on August 16th, 2008 13
This man committed suicide. He did it in a Kingdom Hall. He also, apparently, poured some kind of fuel all over and set the place ablaze.
I think we can reasonably infer that he was sending a message… to whom, we do not know. We do not know the message he might have been conveying. The message was loud even if it was not clear to us. Someone probably knows more about his issues but has not said. The rest of us are left to wonder… and speculate. Nevertheless, his religion was somehow involved and therefore, people are commenting on his religion.
I don’t think that takes away from the tragedy.
9:17 pm on August 16th, 2008 14
From my own experience, the narratives I’ve read and heard from others, and my tracking of news items regarding JWs, I would have to speculate (if not claim) that the tragedy here is specifically tied - most likely in a cause/effect relation - to his involvement with Jehovah’s Witnesses.
His message was to them. And from the looks of things, it was not received.