In what is suspected to be an act of Evangelical Christian religious extremism, a monument in Elberton, Georgia was damaged in the pre-dawn hours of July 6, 2022 in suspected bombing authorities labeled "domestic terrorism."
Northern Judicial Circuit district attorney Parks White said in an email about the explosion:
"The destruction of a public building by explosive is inherently intended to influence the actions of the governing authority that owns the structure."
"The use of violence to sway or alter the behavior of any government agency is terrorism."
The Georgia Guidestones was a granite monument in Elbert County, Georgia erected in 1979-1980.
Standing 19 feet 3 inches tall and made from six granite slabs weighing over 118 tons (107 metric tons), the formidable structure was sometimes referred to as an "American Stonehenge."
The monument's creators stated an upcoming social, nuclear or economic calamity necessitated creating a guide for future humanity. The monument created little controversy when it was unveiled in a small ceremony in 1980, but became the subject of conspiracy theories alleging a connection to Satanism in the last few decades.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation shared surveillance video of an individual planting what they believe was an explosive device near the monument. They asked for the public's help in making an identification.
You can see video clips here:
The entire structure was demolished later in the day on July 6 citing safety concerns.
Large portions of the monument remained standing after the initial explosion.
The remains of the monument were also hauled away from the site.
While the monument became a target for Evangelical Christian ire, the original creator claimed his Christian faith inspired the granite construction project. In 1979 a man using the name Robert C. Christian contacted the Elberton Granite Finishing Company on behalf of "a small group of loyal Americans" to commission stone and engraving for the structure.
"Christian" claimed the stones would act as a compass, calendar and clock capable of "withstanding catastrophic events". The man also reportedly claimed he chose the pseudonym "Christian" as a reference to the sponsoring group's deep faith.
His real identity has never been determined.
He reportedly said he was inspired to create the Guidestones by a visit to the British monument Stonehenge, but wanted to communicate a clear message in a United States monument.
Early public perceptions of the monument stated the creators were "loony" but it might be good for tourism. After the unveiling in 1980, Richard C. Christian passed ownership of the property over to Elbert County and effectively disappeared.
But in the 2000s, conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones and Evangelical Christian leaders enjoyed using the monument as a backdrop and "proof" for their claims about a new world order run by the deep state, Satanism and their antisemitic globalist and racist Great Replacement conspiracy theories.
Cameras were added around the structure after a series of acts of vandalism between 2008 and 2014—over 20 years after the monument's unveiling.
Evangelical Christians—including two Republican candidates for public office—cheered the act of domestic terrorism as a win for God.
It took little time for new conspiracy theories to be spun up by religious extremists.
They claimed the Georgia Guidestones were either destroyed directly by God or the destruction was a ploy by the Satanic deep state globalists to trick Christians.
Meanwhile an internet meme was created claiming a time capsule found under the monument was opened by Elbert County officials.
While entertaining...
...that story is as accurate as all the other wild claims about the now demolished monument.
According to Fox 5 Atlanta, a slab on the ground at the monument with an unfinished inscription claimed a time capsule was "placed six feet below this spot on..." that was "to be opened on..." with neither the placement nor opening date inscriptions completed.
Elbert County Road Department crews brought in an excavator to dig down six feet under the slab just in case.
After verifying the depth with a tape measure, officials said the only thing found at the six-foot mark was "more dirt."
