Church votes Democrat Memebers Out

[Monica]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-05-07-church-politics_x.htm?POE=click-refer

Democrats voted out of church because of their politics, members say
WAYNESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Some in Pastor Chan Chandler's flock wish he had a little less zeal for the GOP.

Members of the small East Waynesville Baptist Church say Chandler led an effort to kick out congregants who didn't support President Bush. Nine members were voted out at a Monday church meeting in this mountain town, about 120 miles west of Charlotte.

"He's the kind of pastor who says do it my way or get out," said Selma Morris, the former church treasurer. "He's real negative all the time."

Chandler didn't return a message left by The Associated Press at his home Friday, and several calls to the church went unanswered. He told WLOS-TV in Asheville that the actions were not politically motivated.

The station also reported that 40 others in the 400-member congregation resigned in protest after Monday's vote.

During the presidential election last year, Chandler told the congregation that anyone who planned to vote for Democratic Sen. John Kerry should either leave the church or repent, said former member Lorene Sutton.

Some church members left after Chandler made his ultimatum in October, Morris said.

George Bullard, associate executive director-treasurer for Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, told the Asheville Citizen-Times that a pastor has every right to disallow memberships if a church's bylaws allow for the pastor to establish criteria for membership.

"Membership is a local church issue," he said. "It is not something the state convention would enter into."

He added that the nine members were not legally terminated because Monday's meeting was supposed to be a deacons meeting, not a business meeting. They have a lawyer looking into the situation, he said.

The head of the North Carolina Democratic Party sharply criticized the pastor Friday, saying Chandler jeopardized his church's tax-free status by openly supporting a candidate for president.

"If these reports are true, this minister is not only acting extremely inappropriately by injecting partisan politics into a house of worship, but he is also potentially breaking the law," Chairman Jerry Meek said.

Doris Wilson, one of Chandler's neighbors and a member of First Baptist Church in Waynesville, said God doesn't play partisan politics.

"I hate to see the church suffer like that," she said. "God doesn't care whether you're a Republican or a Democrat. It just hurts to see that going on."

As a Conservative Baptist, I find this very terrible. I was taught that you aren't supposed to reject anyone who wants to come to church. My church was actually particular and rejected a little black girl from coming on Sunday after she enjoyed herself at an open Bible School. After that, my family quit going and my grandfather stopped paying the bills which closed the church. (It was a very tiny church) I don't believe anyone who is not causing harm should be kept out of church. I can see where the pastor was coming from but that was horrible of him. :(

I didn't know wheather this went in GD for Politics or RD for religion...

[zoraking]

I heard about that. They said they are considering legal action. Frankly, if you're kicked out of church because of how you voted, that church is wrong and you shouldn't be going there. Why try to get back into a chruch of false belief? God doesn't care who you voted for.

[zfreak2004]

You know, forgive me for being skeptical, but I have a hard time imagining that a pastor would do something in that way. Rather, I'd say that what actually happened was something like this:

Pastor says that issue X is an issue of right and wrong.
Pastor says that as Christians, people have an obligation not to vote for people who do the wrong thing.
Member makes a scene and goes directly against what the pastor said.

That is probably how it went, which I have absolutely no problem with if that was the case.


God doesn't care who you voted for.

I would have to disagree there too. I'm sorry, I can't support anyone that does something contradictary to what is right. It would be almost as bad as if I were doing it. If both candidates have problems, then pick the lesser of two evils. I guess I see it as a very black and white sort of thing.

[Kairyu]

You know, forgive me for being skeptical, but I have a hard time imagining that a pastor would do something in that way. Rather, I'd say that what actually happened was something like this:

Pastor says that issue X is an issue of right and wrong.
Pastor says that as Christians, people have an obligation not to vote for people who do the wrong thing.
Member makes a scene and goes directly against what the pastor said.

That is probably how it went, which I have absolutely no problem with if that was the case.
Don't be so sure. I've met Democrats who, if they were pastors, would do the same thing. I'm certain there are also Republicans who would, but there just aren't many Conservatives at all where I live.



I would have to disagree there too. I'm sorry, I can't support anyone that does something contradictary to what is right. It would be almost as bad as if I were doing it. If both candidates have problems, then pick the lesser of two evils. I guess I see it as a very black and white sort of thing.
Trust me, black and white is boring. Color is where it's at.

[zoraking]

I would have to disagree there too. I'm sorry, I can't support anyone that does something contradictary to what is right. It would be almost as bad as if I were doing it. If both candidates have problems, then pick the lesser of two evils. I guess I see it as a very black and white sort of thing.


Well obviously if someone voted for someone who was a terrorist who's goals were to kill the entire planet with NASA funding or someone who was going to persecute Christians, or whatever-the-hell religion, god would be kinda pissed.

[zfreak2004]

Well obviously if someone voted for someone who was a terrorist who's goals were to kill the entire planet with NASA funding or someone who was going to persecute Christians, or whatever-the-hell religion, god would be kinda pissed.

And yet people will vote for someone who supports other things that are wrong. Look I'm not trying to make Joh Kerry out to be a bad person, thats not my call to make. However, I can say that his values do not line up with mine or historical Christianity. Thus, if a CHRISTIAN church wants to tell its members to not support candidates that don't support the values they do, they should be able to.

This message was paid for by a card carrying member of the religious right. Thank you for listening.

[DarkDragon]

Hrm, I seem to recall hearing something about a guy who was crucified once for having values which did not line up with the majority religion of his time, and I think it's safe to assume you don't think he turned out to be such bad guy.

Really, if these Democrats want to attend the church, what harm is there in letting them come? Sometimes I find the sheer volume of senseless bigotry in this world quite depressing.