Philip Johnson-designed Chapel vandalized in Dallas
On Thursday, Jan. 5, a graffiti was found on the front side of the Cathedral of Hope Interfaith Peace Chapel. Dallas police were at the Cathedral investigating the graffiti, while the building was vandalized at about 11 p.m. on Wednesday night, according to the Rev. Neil Cazares-Thomas, CoH’s lead pastor. At first, it was believed to have been simply mindless vandalism. However, upon reflection of a recent radio interview conducted with The Reverend Dr. Neil G Cazares-Thomas on a local conservative broadcast, it is believed that this might be connected.
“The radio interviewer kept pushing the notion that LGBT people are linked somehow to pedophilia,” said Reverend Thomas, Senior Pastor. “There is a big difference between sexual orientation and pedophilia,” Cazares-Thomas responded. “The church does not support sexual exploitation of any kind, including child exploitation,” he said.
Via Dallas Voice website
According to Dallas Police, the spray-painted message included a Louisiana phone number and referred to a car as a “Brown Chivy Suburbin.” The name “Johntion Kimbrou” — possibly “Kimbrow” — was also painted on the church, along with a reference to “kitty porn.”
Cazares-Thomas said he is concerned about removing the paint from the porous surface and hopes to have the building clean by this weekend when a wedding is scheduled to be performed in the building. A temporary fix over the graffiti has been done today but a more permanent fix will cost tens of thousands of dollars for this world-renowned building.
