Beaufort pastor sees scrawled messages of hate as an opportunity ‘for God to show off’

A Beaufort pastor whose building was the target of racist graffiti over the weekend sees the vandalism as an opportunity “for God to show off.”

A vandal wrote “KKK! Jackson Greant (sic) Lee KiLL Ni-’s” in red paint on the white wall at the back of Love House Community Bowling Center on Ribaut Road overnight Friday, a photo circulated on social media shows. The graffiti has since been painted over, but the outline of the words was still visible Monday morning.

The bowling alley is operated by Love House Ministries, founded by Randy and Theresa Roberts, who are black. Randy Roberts posted a photo of the vandalized building on his Facbook page Saturday afternoon and invited the community to bowl for free Wednesday night.

“The question was asked ‘How did it make you feel when you saw the hate graffiti on the Bowling Center Wall? Were you angry?” Roberts wrote in a later Facebook post. “Not angry at all; I smiled and said what a wonderful opportunity for God to show off!”

A resident who lives behind the bowling alley said she didn’t notice the graffiti when she arrived home from work Friday but saw the words Saturday morning.

“Stupid, and they can’t spell,” the woman said of her reaction before declining to comment further while on her way to work Monday.

In response, the bowling alley is offering a free night of bowling in a “racial harmony” event starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday. St. John’s Lutheran Church on Lady’s Island will serve hot dogs.

“Enjoy a night of free bowling with your neighbors and celebrate the love of our diverse community,” the event description on Facebook says.

Beaufort Police Department is investigating the graffiti after receiving a report Saturday, Investigator Stephanie Karafa said. Anyone with information can call Cpl. Josh Dowling at 843-322-7950 or remain anonymous by calling the police tip line at 843-322-7938.

The vandalism comes amid growing calls nationwide for the removal of Confederate statues following violence at a white nationalists rally this month in Charlottesville, Va. The rally began as a protest of the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue, and a counter-protestor was killed.

In Durham, N.C., last week, a crowd toppled a Confederate statue in front of a county administration building.

Local governments throughout the country are weighing the fate of Confederate monuments, with some municipalities choosing to relocate the statues.

Love House recently added a laser tag arena to its bowling center. The new room includes graffiti-style art on the walls that shares a biblical message.

“We are biblically based on purpose, by design, and so we wanted another way we could share the Gospel in a positive way and a wholesome way,” Roberts said when the addition opened in June. “The idea of the murals on the walls is to convey a message without necessarily being so confrontational.”

This story was originally published August 21, 2017 at 9:13 AM with the headline "Beaufort pastor sees scrawled messages of hate as an opportunity ‘for God to show off’."