Friday, May 06, 2005

Excommunication, anyone?

I’m on my way out the door for dinner but am compelled to post this news: the East Waynesville, NC, Baptist Church has kicked out all of its Democratic parishioners. The story broke yesterday, on the National Day of Prayer.

Pastor Chan Chandler, 31, evidently told his congregation that anyone who supported John Kerry or the Democratic Party was against the church. He called on them to repent and agree to vote Republican. Nine members said the minister led the charge to excommunicate them because of issues of abortion and homosexuality. Forty other members resigned in protest. The story is backed up with video links and there is also a link with suggested actions to take.

Certainly any church is entitled to state its views on controversial issues of the day. But according to my understanding of the U.S. Constitution and IRS tax code, they cannot become an arm of the GOP.

I
think it is becoming an urgent matter for people of faith to speak up and state that God is neither a Republican nor a Democrat. (Though one commenter was moved to add, "In related news, Jesus Christ, a notorious liberal, also left the church in protest....")

UPDATE: Excellent, passionate rant here on the arrogance and blasphemy of those who claim to have God's vote.

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