Missing head of Baby Jesus statue found in dumpster

PORTLAND, Ore. – The missing head of a Baby Jesus statue that was stolen from The Grotto earlier this week was found in a dumpster behind a Northeast Portland motel, police said.
Someone destroyed several 100-year-old old marble statues of the Baby Jesus, Joseph and angels on Friday.
Police said a person who was staying at the Travel Lodge, located at 3828 NE 82nd Avenue, called them on Saturday when they found the Baby Jesus head in a motel dumpster.
Officers returned the missing head to Father Jack Topper of The Grotto.
The Grotto is a 62-acre Catholic shrine in Northeast Portland. It is open to the public.
Police are still looking for the Joseph statue's head.
Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone with information about the crime that leads to an arrest.
You can leave a Crime Stoppers tip online at crimestoppersoforegon.com, text CRIMES (274637) and in the subject line put 823HELP, followed by your tip, or call 503-823-HELP (4357) and leave your tip information.
First I am not the religious right nor even religious but I am very respectful of all religions and beliefs from around the world,  even if that means someones belief is being an atheist. I  wonder why this was not classified as a hate crime by anti-bigotry groups. Then it made sense...because it is Christian.  If the statue was Muslim, Jewish, Hindu or any other but especially Muslim there would be an outcry over this and the person punished for a hate crime. To allow today the displays of disrespect of any religion would not be accepted except only in the case of Christianity, and what the media allows to happen to Christians on their networks. Look at many of the shows on televison that mock Christians and their beliefs. Very sad and ugly.Â
This was a hate crime.
Such a ridiculous and pointless thing to do, especially considering the age of the statue and the work that was put into making it. Pretty shameful.
Not angry at all, Disappointed for sure but the statue the tore down is nothing more then a statue. Its sad in the sense that it was really old and historic but I say forgive them and move on. Sounds like some very bitter people whoever it is who need love in him or her lives.
So, if someone broke into your garage and destroyed thousands of dollars worth of antiques you would just want to love them and forgive? I don't think so. Anyway, this is a crime committed against many people, not just one and these pos's need to be held accountable.
From the posts it seems that it is easier to think that this was a religiously-based hate crime. Â I suppose it makes it easier than to think it was some wasted idiots who have no care for other's property. Â Given the crimes out there these days - I find it easier to think it is just plain losers who don't like anyone to have anything nicer than they have. Â Hopefully they will be found - maybe we could enact an old-fashioned "stoning" at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Â
 @Somonecaresaboutsomething ~  Good post..!   If this was a "hate crime", I think it was "hate" only in the sense that whoever did it hates, as you said, anyone who has nicer things than they do...so they destroy the nice things in "retaliation".   Some people are just really rotten..!
A few comments ago, "@ Nobody" made an excellent point. Nowhere in the story is the mention of 'HATE CRIME' which would have been plastered all over the media had this same crime been done to any Muslim artifact of any kind. The total lack of concern by the media highlights the hypocrisy on their part towards the Christian religion. Perhaps we should be looking for some Agnostic-supremacist's. If you even suggest that you might burn a Koran, all heII breaks loose.Â
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@Fed up Fed LOL! Mouthbreather? Tiki torches? ROFL! I don't need the "assorted illiterate missives" from others. Your own posts speak for themselves and just prove my point! Yes, it is true that the words out of a man's mouth are a window into his heart and, where Christians are concerned, yours is rather dark, neighbor.
@Fed up Fed Thanks to Heartfield and Boyscout for revealing the true nature of Fed up Fed.
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Luke 6:45Â A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
@Fed up Fed Wow! I clicked on your profile and found that your truly ARE full of yourself. Let's look at some excerpts from your responses to others, shall we?
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DEFINE EXCERPTS: excerpt â from Latin excerptum, literally: (something) picked out, from excerpere to select, from carpere to pluck]Â
Still taking your advice! :) Looked it up on the internet.
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"You're the cheapest entertainment I've got"
"Because I'm educated?"
"So, that was pretty dumb. Seriously dumb."
"Now go play in traffic."
"I think I'll just keep lampooning your posts until I get bored"
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I ain't the smartest dude in the world...........but I ain't actin' like it neither.Â
Have a fantastic day!
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I'll have a great day today! Thanks for the banter........this is fun!Â
@Fed up Fed
Nope.....Gotta agree with "Last Boyscout" on this one. If this would have happened at a Mosque, it would have been labeled as a hate crime, with no idea of who or why..........simply because it was a Mosque. I'd also like to point out to you, that your second statement, after "Pro Tip:", was quite unnecessary to illustrate your counter point in this debate, and only portrays you as a pompous ass.
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DEFINE POMPOUS: pom·pous (pmps) adj. 1. Characterized by excessive self-esteem or exaggerated dignity; pretentious:
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I took your advice and looked it up on the internet!
I really couldn't care less about the Grotto or anything Biblical, but it doesn't mean I'd go smash statues and steal stuff. People don't appreciate anything or care. It's crap.
This is just wrong in every way. Karma.....you will get it back tenfold.
Just a thought. If this crime had been against certain racial minorities or sexual preference groups it would have been immediately called a "hate crime". Given that it was against a religious entity, nothing. It strikes me as a bit odd. Political correctness seems to be highly selective.
 @Nobody A "hate crime" is a crime of motivation. Do you know what the perpetrator's motivation was? How do you know it was anything other than stupid vandalism? Maybe it was an homage to Bart Simpson. Maybe it was someone who's mad at their stepfather. You don't know who did it, so how can you know why they did it? Was it meant to harm or intimidate Catholics because of their religion? I have no idea and neither do you.
If you've ever been to the Big Island of Hawaii and gone to the Volcano visitors center, they have this wall that lists all the folks who have sent "souvenirs" that they took from the volcano area....rocks, chunks of cool lava, etc etc. Bad luck followed those who took things from this sacred place. And they wrote letters, sending back their "souvenirs" because of all the misfortune, bad luck, accidents, illnesses, and other freaky stuff because they failed to respect the kapu of a holy place. Â Same with The Grotto. Whoever did this is going to have some very bad luck come upon them....it is happening already.Â
I'm glad they were able to get one part back; hopefully, some repair/restoration can be done... and perhaps some more missing parts of statues will be recovered... Â
So mean while, back at the grotto, the head was returned to Jack Topper.. You can't make this one up !
So if you are not into Jesus, Allah, Yahweh, or even the Great Pumpkin, how hard it is to walk on by?
 @al_02 ~ Not hard at all... but I think whoever did this to the Grotto statues was/were just looking for something  - ANYthing - to destroy...  They probably figured these statues would be good "targets", since they're in a place that is obviously well cared-for, so that probably makes them valuable to many people... and that just HAS to be more fun than just vandalizing a few cars..!
I sure hope they catch up with whoever did this... Â Â Â
If this would have been a copy of the Koran found in the dumpster, there'd be bombs going off all over the country.
@Rob C 503 I detect a little (a lot) of hatred in them thar words!
@CramRalphden .....just pointing out how that "peaceful" cult would respond !
@Fed up Fed .......there you go again responding with your snide posts laced with anger and bitterness. You're not worth wasting time on
To bad the evidence was tampered with they could have attempted to retrieve finger prints.
 @lee986321 How do you know it was tampered with and they couldn't get fingerprints?
The people of portland who hate Christians are happy about the destruction of these statues.
 @sortbait This has nothing to do with hating Christians or Catholics or any religious path...this is all about some cretin who does not understand beauty or sacred places. Anybody with some kind of heart and soul can feel the peace of The Grotto....and it has nothing to do with religion.Â
 @sortbait Another atheist who finds this to be abhorrent chiming in. These were hundred-years-old, beautiful works of art. A vast majority of art is based on religion and my feelings about the validity of the muse doesn't change my appreciation of the work. This is really saddening.
I'm not "happy with the destruction of these statues" but I also disagree with the Christian faith. I abhor hypocrisy and your post completely supports the fact that this is what Christianity is all about.
 @Freckled_Girl Your comment indicates you are one of those who hate Christians. Â
 @Freckled_GirlÂ
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Hating Christians and "disagreeing" with them are very different things. Where is the hypocrisy in what he said? I hate Naziism and would be happy if a statue of Hitler was torn down.
 @Silver Surfer  @Freckled_GirlÂ
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Like everyone else, Christians are all different and in various stages of growth. Simply having an opinion that is different than yours or that you don't like doesn't make it unchristian. "Behavioral Patterns" sounds like an all-inclusive prejudicial comment that one would expect to hear from a right-winger (sarcasm intended)
 @Freckled_Girl  @Scotty9 There are MANY BEHAVIORAL patters Christians exhibit that are Un-christian in themselves. Â
You would be happy if a part of history was destroyed or torn down? You would pick and choose what was destroyed, and what was left standing. Destruction of art works or pieces of history should not be torn down or destroyed just because you do not agree with it, or do not like it. Hitler was wrong, but still a part of history.
@Scotty9 @Freckled_Girl
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So are you saying that you do hate Christians, but that you just don't use that particular word to describe your feelings?
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What is unchristian-like, let alone untrue about stating that there are people in Portland that hate Christians and that they probably rejoiced when this happened? He is merely stating a fact.
 @Scotty9 I also stated in the original article that this is a terrible act but he used this as an opportunity to make a jabbing comment.
 @Scotty9 I don't normally use the word hate. His comment is very un-Christian like
@sortbait The people of Portland who hate Christians may very well be happy, but at least two atheists, me and badcat think this is a horrible vandalism. I've been to The Grotto and enjoyed it. I'm sure it was a bunch of ignorant children. and hope they will be punished.
 @Arguendo  @sortbait Here is a Darwinist who agrees with you.  It's a matter of mutual respect.  I may not agree with what others believe, but I do respect those beliefs none the less.  Such a shame that others see the world through a narrow view.
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The Grotto is one of the few serene areas left on the East Side. Â Watched this side of down go in decline for the last 20 years. Â Such a shame it finally arrived on The Grotto's doorstep.
 @Silver Surfer  @Arguendo  @sortbait I wish more people had the attitude that you do. I am Catholic/Christian and while I don't agree with you beliefs or non-beliefs, I would always respect them. I would agree to disagree with you. It's too bad more people don't feel this way.
I'm an atheist Portlander, and absolutley appalled by such a horrible and senseless act of extreme vandalism. It's just awful and destructive for no reason. I'm glad they were able to recover part of what was stolen.
I'm sure there will be fingerprints ... these POS's will get caught. God's watching~
This is a hate crime. Portlanders demand tolerance of everything under the sun, but are decidely intolerant themselves if you are a Christian. Hypocrites.
 @Derek2mk The Grotto isn't Christian. It's Catholic. Big difference.  But that has absolutely nothing to do with the numb skulls who vandalized The Grotto.Â
@KKStJohn .........Catholics aren't Christians?? You wanna re think that? What are they, Hindu's?
 @KKStJohn  @Derek2mk The Grotto is both Christian and Catholic, for the record.
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 @Scotty9  @Derek2mk Judging by the comments on this board, Portland's conservatives are the intolerant ones, OVERWHELMINGLY. The proof is on these pages.
 @erudite Contrary to what you write, apparently you DO care about having the last word.
Let me make one thing clear: I have absolutely no use for people who wish to come on this thread and claim, on the basis of what little they have read and therefore what little they know -- that I am one kind of person or another. If character defamation based on YOUR biased interpretation of what I may have written is your game, I will not participate. And it appears that that is your game.
Re your latest post: I can't even remember having written anything on amnesty. And what I have written on Obama and gun control is very little. Regarding "lifestyle improvements", I have no idea
what you are referencing (and I seriously doubt that you do, "erudite" . . . . )
And if I had any interest in discussing the matter with you, I would have to inquire WTF you mean when you say that Obama has "brought nationalism" into this government. Nationalism has meant many things throughout history.
"He has stated more than once . . . blah blah blah" . What is your source for this allegation??? But again, don't bother replying. I simply do not consider your opinion worth hearing.
" . . . unbending compulsion's to judge"??? This isn't just a grammatical correction, pal; giving the word "compulsion" an apostrophe renders the meaning of the phrase SENSELESS. Once again, you are not looking very ERUDITE, erudite
". . . bias regarding his dominant color"????????????????????? What "bias"??? It appears that "bias" is your very favorite word . . . .
"I married an 'ethnic'." WTF is an "ethnic"??? We are all ethnics in a very real sense.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do not desire an answer to any of these queries, since I have no desire to discuss anything with you (and I never did have, to begin with, unlike you). I would consider any such discussion a total waste of my time. Thus I am "unfollowing" you (i.e., I shall receive no more notifications of your idiotic replies) .
@felines99Â Â
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I have been reading your collective monthly comments, not because I found you interesting, (along with everything I could get my hands on and find time for regarding the POTUS) long before the new system Livefyre was implemented...... along with a few others I follow for one reason or another. I know and remember more about you than you would guess to make judgements when you have defined yourself already in months past. Amnesty, Obama, gun control, your lifestyle improvements...
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My opinion of Obama's beliefs in bringing nationalism into this government and growing it to a 70% + control of GDP is alarming to a Republic and our constitution. He has stated more than once that he studied constitutional law so he would know how to "change" it, not strengthen it.
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My opinion has been based on not only who he was, or is but who he surrounded himself with and promotes in his line of authority as well as his lack of qualifications, Marxist leanings, beliefs, and his bias regarding his dominate color.
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As for color, I married an "ethnic", so you just don't know what you don't know. Your arrogance in comments, corrections to assert your assumed elevation and unbending compulsion's to judge, correct the AP, KATU writers and commentators while not adding content is distracting to threads.
I am far more liberal than you in that manner.
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Although I read most posts and keep track of new ones on KATU, I don't have time to, desire to, or feel compelled to post or "like" as you. I look for and absorb content.  Who cares if a word is miss typed not hyphenated etc in these postings.......I certainly don't, and I don't care if I have the last word either.
 @erudite 1. It is YOUR BIAS which leads you to conclude that Obama "asserts his color when it benefits his agenda." If you had really read as much as you claim to have read re Obama, you would know that he made his choice to live as a black man long before he became president. He consciously made that choice when, after dating some white women, he chose to marry a black woman, to make a black woman his life-partner.
2. ". . . miss used" s/b "misused"; " . . . Political "Opinion and Assumptions" s/b "political opinion and assumptions."
3. You are the one making assumptions about me, in every post. In one post, you even admitted that you were "assuming" something about me. I, on the other hand, have made no assumptions about you. Rather, I have stuck to the issue at hand.
4. I don't care how much you've read. You still form your "decisions" with bias, because you were biased before you did the reading. You bring bias to the table -- all human being do. We're not blank slates when we pick up a book to read. If you don't get this, do some reading on epistemology.
6. Your biggest assumption about me is that I am not as erudite as yourself. You make this assumption without knowing one fact about my education or my intellectual ability (other than the ASSUMPTIONS which you erroneously conclude based on one or two sentences of mine -- a really scholarly approach, "erudite"). I'm not going to assume anything about you, unlike yourself -- but I would guess that I am considerably more erudite than you. BTW, when you go to do all of that reading today, don't let the door hit you on the way out . . . .
Absolutely wrong AGAIN in your assumptions and your interpretation of my statement, making my point even more strongly in that your bias is showing!
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I don't care if Obama was purple. I do care that he asserts his color when it benefits his agenda even though he is as much white as he is black. The only thing that should ever matter is who our President is and what he does rather than whether he is Catholic, Irish, Baptist, black......It is a non issue except when miss used. He is and will always be 1/2 of each, just as many of us are of mixed heritage, but he chooses to appropriately assert his black heritage for political gain.
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By the way I have read every book he has ghost written, as well as over a dozen authorized and not, "life' stories IN ADDITION to at least another half dozen books on Political "Opinion and Assumptions" not only from our USA, but from Great Britain, Germany, Russia and Kenya. I also subscribed to many RSS feeds from Huffington to Beck, military ground units and all in-between........and I never count on anything that the news channels broadcast, because they are often misleading and sanitized material.
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Unify this Nation into what? The Progressive movement has moved the country too far left. The only place farther out is a full out Socialized Dictatorship. The Federal Government has reached too far and is crushing and "changing" everything this nationâs war dead have ever fought for. I don't agree with either sides extremes.
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So you can huff all you want felines99, but I do my homework and base my decision without emotion or partisan leanings, something you have shown to have an excess of with your jumping to conclusions or misreading intent. I wonât waste any more time on you, I have an audio book I want to finish today.
 @erudite 1. There is no bias in reading anti-Obama comments as generally conservative.
   2. You ERR in your assumptions.
   3. I support Obama because he seeks to unify this nation. It is the divisiveness and pure hatred and intolerance of right-wingers which is dividing our nation. I fear for President Obama's life.
   4. How is Obama "misrepresenting his heritage"??? Have you even read a biography of the man??? He makes no secret of the fact that his mother is white, and his father black. You appear to speak from massive ignorance on the matter.
   5. You're "upset" with "ethnic supporters"??? Please to explain. Obama is the closest thing to a black president which this nation has ever had. You resent it if black people take pride in having a man with black (and caucasian) origins in the White House??? How dare you???
felines99
I am not new, liberal or conservative, I am all three depending upon the subject matter. It is my belief that you are biased in your thought, placing decisive opinion on commentators in postings at KATU.Â
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I would assume from your past comments you are a proud Obama supporter, and that you are living in one of the economic bubbles of good fortune experienced by some. Good for you, but you must be in that class blinded by that good fortune. Thinking like yours will divide our nation further.
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And a PPS: I am upset with the media, Obama and ethnic supporters misrepresenting his heritage. He is a Mulatto with as much Caucasian blood as otherwise....... that is if you believe what he says, and this is rarely discussed. Why, because black sells better for his purpose, and he is, by his own admission ashamed of his Caucasian bloodline, (not of his Mother).
 @erudite  @felines99  @Scotty9 You must be new around here. Browse the comments following an article on gun control or any article involving Obama, and you must conclude that most of the posters are conservatives. Unless you have blinders on, of course.
 @Scotty9  @felines99  @Derek2mk Nope, I'm asking for proof that liberals, BECAUSE they think they're right, think that they cannot be intolerant. That is the claim which you yourself made, and which I am challenging.
@felines99 @Scotty9 @Derek2mk Â
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Who are you felines99Â to judge who is conservative and who is liberal? How could you arrive at that conclusion with such a definitive statement of "fact" reading these posts with the exception of those who identified themselves as such?
 @felines99  @Derek2mkÂ
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Are you asking for proof that Liberals are intolerant? Liberals are so proud of their stance on women's right to choose and reproductive rights, but don't have any problem when Obama forces Catholic organizations to provide them knowing that it goes against their core beliefs. How do they rationalize it? We're progressive, we're compassionate, we're right and you're wrong. Get used to it.
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 Look at Hollywood and the entertainment industry in general. They see themselves as holier than thou and yet it's okay for them to do and say horrble things against conservatives.
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/billy-hallowell/hollywoods-oxymoronic-def_b_422727.html
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Here is a very enlightening article concerning Liberal intolerance in general:
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http://townhall.com/columnists/christophermerola/2012/08/27/the_psychology_of_liberal_intolerance/page/full/
 @Scotty9  @Derek2mk I have never heard a liberal say that. Certain posts above prove exactly the opposite. I could just as easily say that about conservatives -- when you think you're right, you don't think you're intolerant. How about some proof that a liberal ever said that, and not just personal innuendo???
 @felines99  @Derek2mkÂ
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LOL! There is enough intolerance on both sides to go around. Intolerance is not a four letter word. I am intolerant of my children not picking up after themselves. I am intolerant of people that lie to me. I am intolerant of people telling me that because they think they're right that their view isn't intolerant of other people's views. (Liberals)