Not just a lost to the people who believed in it, as well the damage that will be done to the tourism trade, and its the town that will feel it with a big lost to the trade. I’d say the towns coffers will be a lot less, some people are just mindless scum.

When I read the headline, I was horrified, but then I realized… it’s a “magical tree” Forget which religion thinks it’s worth it to make a pilgrimage to …a tree, it’s just stupid. It’s a dead tree, and nothing more.

Why are the houses built in a big hole?

I am a fairly staunch Atheist, but I just don’t understand what attacking someone’s beliefs like this will accomplish. The tree has been there for hundreds of years guaranteed and could be ~2,000 years old, leave it be. It was amazing it had stood that long, revere it for its longevity rather than the religous connotations.

Let people believe what they want to believe, stop trying to inject your beliefs into theirs; you’re just as bad as they are.

10 bucks says it was muslims.

Hahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahaahahahahhahahahahah silly christians.

I really really don’t care. All religious people should be kicked out of the country, leaving the sane minority. I look forward to reading the “Vandals burn down thousands of churches” headline.

Like Durrg, I’m an atheist; but this contemptible destruction of a charming and harmless religious custom completely appals me. As do the callous and thugish responses of several previous commentators. Sometimes the human race disgusts me.
No, make that “often”.

AKA I”M a asshole fundamentalist. For those saying kick out christian let me just say your illustrating that it isn’t belief in god that causes holocausts and genocide it just horrible people like yourselves.

i think whoever did this needs to get a life and stop being so stupid!!!

people have different views on life so leave it be!! to be honest i dont believe in any religion as there is no truth but this tree sounds pretty cool!! so as i said who ever the tree cutter is grow up!!

Speaking as another atheist, this tree has no spiritual significance to me – other than to say that nature is worth treasuring in its own right. For that reason alone, the purposeless destruction of a tree, whatever its history. is wrong. But why do some misanthropic halfwits feel that atheism and tolerance for the religion of others are incompatible? People making pilgrimages to a tree hardly rolls back the enlightenment. And what evidence is there that Muslims did it – that’s just prejudice.

Say let’s just leave religion out of this all together. What I find amazing is that tree was so old. That in itself is amazing, to be able to see a tree that old. And that it had survived that long. What a shame that vandals should hack it down like this. Hope they find the culprits that did this.

It’s YOU who should be exiled – and I’d be happy to do it brother!

magic and religion aside, why would someone go onto someone elses land and prune their tree for them? i always want paying for pruning stuff! leave it alone it will come back in spring! whoever did it will get what they deserve!

narhh! if it was muslims it would of been blown up! oh no! they only blow themselves up! why is it that the only human beings in history to explode are all muslims?!!

The Standing People ( Trees ) Are Sacred In Their Own Right, It Seems as Though This Tree Has Become The Subject Of Atheists, Christians & Yeah “Blame It On The Muslim” ect. To Me I Am Sad For The Innocent Harmless Defenceless Weaponless TREE. Unlike Human-Unkindness It Has Harmed None, Why Was’nt It Fully Protected “As All Trees Should Be”, Afterall It Did Bring The Mighty Dollar Did It Not, It Did Grace The Table Of aristocracy, It Did Bring Comfort. I Feel For This Standing Person Who No Longer Stands. Blame & Shame & Threats Will Not Bring It Back, Thank It For Being & Be Grateful ~ Bless It For It Lived On This Earth. 11Tigeress11