Nathan Stang, then serving as organist at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Bean Blossom, Indiana, admitted in 2017 to vandalizing the church where he worked with anti-gay and pro-Nazi graffiti.
When confronted by police, Stang stated that the vandalism was an effort to mobilize activists in the wake of Trump’s election as U.S. president. In a written statement, Stang said:
To be clear, my actions were not motivated by hate for the church or its congregation,” Stang wrote, according to the Indy Star. “I suppose I wanted to give local people a reason to fight for good even if it was a false flag. I of course realize now that this was not the way to go about inspiring activism.
Stang was sentenced to a suspended prison sentence, probation, and community service.
St. David’s terminated his employment, but offered him counseling, pastoral care, and other opportunities to reconcile with the parish.
Stang’s LinkedIn profile inaccurately shows that he has been employed at Gates Presbyterian Church in New York since October 2012, while omitting his position with St. David’s Episcopal.
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