'Suspect in Mississippi synagogue fire laughed as he confessed to his dad, authorities say'

"The man suspected of setting fire to Mississippi’s largest synagogue allegedly confessed his crimes to law enforcement and referred to the building in northeast Jackson as the 'synagogue of Satan,'according to a federal court document filed Monday."

"Stephen Spencer Pittman, 19, of Madison – who usually goes by his middle name – is facing federal charges for using fire to maliciously damage or destroy a building involved in interstate commerce, according to a probable cause affidavit in the U.S. Southern District of Mississippi."

"The Beth Israel Congregation synagogue also houses the offices of the Institute for Southern Jewish Life, which provides school programs and traveling rabbinical services to Jewish congregations across the South."

"The predawn fire Saturday reduced the historic synagogue’s library and administrative offices to charred ruins and left smoke damage throughout the building, the same one the Ku Klux Klan bombed in 1967 for its rabbi’s support of civil rights."

"In a striking parallel, Pittman is alleged to have set fire to the same part of the octagonal building that burned in the 1967 attack – a wing facing a parking lot exit on Old Canton Road."

"Pittman appeared in federal court on Monday afternoon via video conference, accompanied by a public defender. He affirmed to the judge, Andrew Harris, that he was competent and sober. Pittman appeared to be leaning back in his chair, gazing away from the camera. When the judge asked him if he understood his rights to an attorney, Pittman responded, 'Yes sir, Jesus Christ is Lord.' "

https://mississippitoday.org/2026/01/12/mississippi-synagogue-fire-suspect-named/

A KKK-adjacent 19-year-old rightwing christian yahoo burning down a synagogue isn't part of the Trump narrative.

Oh wait. Never mind!!!

I wonder if his entire family are religious nutcases

They hate Muslims too. Equal opportunity racists.

Got away for a minute. First I’ve seen this. How sad for a dumb kid who seemed to have a future and a community just exercising their right to worship freely as guaranteed by our laws. Thank goodness no one was killed.
Glad there were federal charges. Hope there’s state charges too and MS has evolved enough to convict.

any more than he cares about anyone else

are Christians' older brothers & that more than half their Bible was written by Jews more than two thousand years ago.

Foundation.

Jesus asserts that his TRUE followers are the people and societies who care for the poor, the sick, the marginalized, immigrants, and the incarcerated. And he tells you who his FAKE followers are -- the ones who are openly religious but indifferent to the poor, sick, marginalized, immigrants and the incarcerated.

Jesus says that how Christians treat them is how they treat HIM.

Jesus says they will be judged based on their actions and treatment of the vulnerable -- not on their religious affiliations or beliefs. He's not just commanding individuals -- he's calling on societies to commit to compassion, mercy, and kindness on a policy level. That means that Christians living in a democracy have the option to vote for -- or against -- Jesus's very direct instructions.

Jesus doesn't care how pious you are, how often you go to church, or how much money you donate.
You get zero points with Jesus for being religiously observant.
He gives instructions on exactly what a Christian nation SHOULD DO, which is why conservative politicians and voters never talk about that.

Yes, Jesus was a liberal. Jesus is the woke Son of God the Father.
So these fundies who don't read scripture better heed: if their church isn't telling them to love their enemies but keeps telling them who their enemies are, they're not really in a church.

yes_hypocrisy
Union No

and a virtuous reason (excuse) to exercise 'just' meddling in their affairs (including military AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS). None of which they could gotten away with without someone so conveniently persecuted we had to defend them. The Jews in America are a poke in the eye to the nations white fundamental christian supremists and are treated accordingly.

For them, Israel is simply a means to an end. That end being rapture for them, "end times", and everyone they don't like, including Jews, roasting in hell forever. Modern Israel is simply prophetic fulfillment in their minds in order to usher in the end of the world. Kind of like saying the magic words and the world goes boom. Yes, they are that disgusting. Beyond that, they don't give a genuine shit about the nation of Israel or the Jewish people. Would be nice if Jewish folks of all stripes stopped thinking of them as allies. They're most certainly not.

In 2018 he blamed caravans of migrants
coming to America from South and Central
America were being funded by international money men.