American Warmonger

Democrats voted out of Western North Carolina Church Due To Political Affiliation

According to recent reports, a pastor in western North Carolina has kicked nine members of his congregation out of his Baptist ministry because they would not sign a statement of political allegiance. Members of the East Waynesville Baptist Church have stated that Pastor Chan Chandler has directed their political opinions in the past, particularly during the presidential elections.

George Bullard, associate executive director-treasurer for Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, told the Asheville Citizen-Times that a pastor has the right to disallow memberships if a church's bylaws allow for the pastor to establish criteria for membership. No other executives have been available for comment.

Local churchgoers have stated that Chandler’s actions have violated church bylaws and are not in accordance with the rest of the congregation. Several of them have been speaking with lawyers about possible action against Pastor Chandler due to his continued politically based speeches and bylaw violations in the church.

N.C. Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Meek has this to say about the current situation:

"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 and threatening the church's ... nonprofit status,"

Rep. Bruce Goforth, (D) Buncombe County, had this to say:

"The Bible teaches in Matthew, it says 'judge not lest you be judged,'" said Goforth. "I think that's what we need to look at. I think this pastor in Waynesville needs to look at that scripture. How can you judge along what you believe in politics? I don't think that's got anything to do with Christian life."

The Democratic party of North Carolina has been hard at work denouncing the act and are threatening to work towards removeal of the church's tax exempt status if the situation is not rectified quickly.

Individual Baptist churches do not answer to higher authority and there may be little the parent organization can so about the situation other than pull their “Baptist” name from the offending church. Other recognized church groups do have authority over their many congregations and several go as far as to approve individual sermons for use on the pulpit. The Baptist churches do not do this.

This post is also available at Blogger News Network.

UPDATE: This article has been googleized! Do a google news search on "North Carolina Church" and...aw, hell. Take a look at the snapshot:

Me over 282 other news sources. This BNN gig is really working!

Posted by aakaakaak at May 7, 2005 11:27 PM