GASTON COUNTY -- The massacre of nine African-Americans has rocked the North Carolina faith community. Prayer vigils, like many  at Center Baptist Church Friday, reveal memories of a different time for race in our country.

"Far from having a culture, a system, a psychology which is accepting of everyone, and we still have to do some work,” said Psychologist Dr. Bilal Ghandour. 

Witnesses say 21 year-old Dylann Roof made comments including “you rape our women and you’re taking over our country."

A mentality that may have led to this tragedy.

"There's also a very obsessive pattern of thinking that involves 'I identify with a particular great group and everybody else needs to be destroyed,'" said Ghandour.

Investigators also revealed Roof could have changed his mind.

"The point where he said he thought about it because people were nice, and that gets sometimes to the heart of the matter which is eventually there is a person underneath this brutal murderer,” said Ghandour.

It all goes back to choice. Ghandour says the shooter targeted a message by letting people go.

"It's not a revenge, it's not targeted to a specific person because they hurt them, it's more the act itself that harms and what it tells about how I am,” said Ghandour.

It's a message Ghandour says is filled with hate.

"The only way to really change this is for the dialogue to be continuous, constant,” said Ghandour.

Vigils have been held across the country. The goal of the Gastonia faith community is to send prayers and start a dialogue about race.