Democrats Voted Out of Baptist Church

[DLR'sCock]

Democrats Voted Out of Baptist Church
The Associated Press

Saturday 07 May 2005

Waynesville, N.C. - 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 church treasurer who was among those voted out. "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 100-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."

-------

[Jesus Christ]

Originally posted by DLR'sCock
Democrats Voted Out of Baptist Church
The Associated Press

Saturday 07 May 2005

Waynesville, N.C. - 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 church treasurer who was among those voted out. "He's real negative all the time."

Verily, I say unto this "pastor" do it MY way, or get thee out of My Father's house, you Pharisee hypocrite :mad:

Chandler didn't return a message left by The Associated Press at his home Friday, and several calls to the church went unanswered.

He hasn't returned My calls either. I wonder why.....

He told WLOS-TV in Asheville that the actions were not politically motivated.

Caiaphas the high priest once said that to Me, right before he sent Me to Pilate.

The station also reported that 40 others in the 100-member congregation resigned in protest after Monday's vote.

Verily, these 40 shall be rewarded in Heaven for choosing My teachings over the vanity of this deluded man.

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.

And these also shall recieve their reward in Heaven. For this I say unto you... If the Son of Bush is thy idea of what I, the Messiah, want from mankind, then exactly what gospel art thou preaching?? :confused:

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.

Criteria for membership:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

If that is not thy criteria for membership, and thy ONLY criteria for membership, then thy church and it's gospel are worthless :mad:

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

See My previous comment.

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.

Even a lawyer must one day appear before the Highest Court.

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.

Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's.

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."


Verily :(

[vanzilla]

Gee, what ever happened to "Forgive and Forget"?

I'm sorry, but this is a classic example of how some (I'm not trying to paint with a broad brush here Warham) SOME Christians are delusional and power hungry.

This is the type of behavior that makes me loath organized religion.

It's sad these people consider themselves Christians. I doubt Jesus would exclude anyone from his church because they had different politcial beliefs.

The separation between church and state is growing even thinner.

Today's sermon: "Why voting against "W" is a vote for eternal damnation."

Let us pray indeed.

[blueturk]

I live in North Carolina, about 75 miles east of Waynesville. I have a rather prominent "If You Can Read This, You're Not The President" bumper sticker on the back of my car, and I've gotten a wide range of reactions. People either love it or ( more frequently) hate it. Many of those who don't like it indignantly tell me that Dubya is a good Christian man (or words to that effect), and generally don't want to hear anybody suggest otherwise. My wife takes the sticker off when she drives the car because she says she got tired of people shooting her the bird or giving her dirty looks. That shit doesn't bother me. Actually, it's kind of fun.

"God loves you, and I love you. And you can count on both of us as a powerful message that people who wonder about their future can hear." —George W. Bush, Los Angeles, Calif., March 3, 2004

[Nickdfresh]

Tax exempt MY ASS!:mad:

[blueturk]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
Tax exempt MY ASS!:mad:

Indeed! Here's what the IRS says:

"Organizations described in section 501(c)(3) of the Code that are exempt from federal income tax are prohibited from participating or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office. Charities, educational institutions and religious organizations, including churches, are among those that are tax-exempt under this code section.

These organizations cannot endorse any candidates, make donations to their campaigns, engage in fund raising, distribute statements, or become involved in any other activities that may be beneficial or detrimental to any candidate. Even activities that encourage people to vote for or against a particular candidate on the basis of nonpartisan criteria violate the political campaign prohibition of section 501(c)(3)".

This place might as well start calling itself The League Of The Christian Right Who Support George W. Bush.

Church my ass!!

[blueturk]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4991767,00.html

The NC preacher that kicked nine members of his church out for anti-Bush sentiments now says that the whole thing was a "big misunderstanding". I guess that like the Bushite that he is, the thought of not being tax-exempt scared him straight. He'll never try to pull this shit again!

[Cathedral]

Everyone who attends that church should be finding a new one, pronto.
There really is no other option than that, the man is lost.

[DLR'sCock]

There are thousands of churches like this in the USA....

[vanzilla]

Originally posted by DLR'sCock
There are thousands of churches like this in the USA....

True. That's why I stopped going 20 years ago.

[FORD]

Originally posted by vanzilla
True. That's why I stopped going 20 years ago.

That's about the time I stopped going. And my church worshipped Reagan rather than Jesus Christ, but they stopped short of actually requiring GOP membership.

[DrMaddVibe]

Those pesky dems trying to get at the collection plate again?

Damn them to hell!

[BigBadBrian]

Originally posted by DLR'sCock
There are thousands of churches like this in the USA....


EXACTLY!!!

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/images/I22994-2004Oct10L

http://www.traditioninaction.org/RevolutionPhotos/Images/056_clintonCommunion_30Gio_4-98.jpg

[rustoffa]

Religious faith and practice have historically formed an important part of the fabric of southern Appalachian life.

*I ripped that off from some site along with this ironical picture.*

Full-on Baptist.

[FORD]

Ok, those snake handling weirdos are an entirely other subject altogether, but seriously, the comparison of Kerry speaking in a church to this situation is ridiculous. Nobody excluded Republicans from that sermon, or forced them out of that church.

As for Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, they are ordained ministers of course they are going to preach in churches. Pat Robertson was once a presidential candidate. Funny how there's never any distorted cartoons of him in these threads.

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by FORD
Ok, those snake handling weirdos are an entirely other subject altogether, but seriously, the comparison of Kerry speaking in a church to this situation is ridiculous. Nobody excluded Republicans from that sermon, or forced them out of that church.

As for Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, they are ordained ministers of course they are going to preach in churches. Pat Robertson was once a presidential candidate. Funny how there's never any distorted cartoons of him in these threads.

You don't have to be a Republican to know how stupid it would be to hear the "3 Stooges" at church!

[DLR82VH]

Oh thats fuckin great assholes trying to tell us what and what not to do at church. How do these people get in positions like this??


They do not own the church , it isn't theirs and they have no right to tell or make anyone leave. You'd think the church would have a way to vote this jackass out.


I don't go as much anymore either.......I know what I believe and I don't want all this extra bullshit getting in the way.

[FORD]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
You don't have to be a Republican to know how stupid it would be to hear the "3 Stooges" at church! http://www.gwjokes.com/pictures/3stooges.jpg
Not gonna argue that one, AssVibe :D

[DrMaddVibe]

That should read "8 Years"!!!!!

[Nickdfresh]

Holy shit! George is a dead ringer for a cross between MOE and SHEMP! Somebody in the GOP has been conducting hideous genetic engineering experiments!

Karl Rove!:mad: that bastard!

[Nickdfresh]

Pastor resigns after political spat
Ousted congregants say he mixed politics and religion

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 Posted: 6:25 AM EDT (1025 GMT)

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2005/US/05/10/church.politics.ap/story.chandler.ap.jpg
The Rev. Chan Chandler drives away from Waynesville Baptist Church after Sunday morning services.

WAYNESVILLE, North Carolina (AP) -- A Baptist preacher accused of running out nine congregants who disagreed with his Republican politics resigned Tuesday, two days after calling the issue "a great misunderstanding."

Speaking from the pulpit during a meeting at East Waynesville Baptist Church, the Rev. Chan Chandler told church members that it would "cause more hurt for me and my family" if he stayed.

"I am resigning with gratitude in my heart for all of you, particularly those of you who love me and my family," Chandler said, adding that the dispute was rooted in his strong feelings about abortion.

Chandler's attorney, John Pavey Jr., said the pastor has not apologized for anything he said and would continue to speak out against abortion. He said the dispute inside the church had nothing to do with politics, a contention echoed Tuesday by Chandler's supporters.

"I don't believe he preached politics," church member Rhonda Trantham said. "I don't believe anyone should tell a preacher not to preach what's in the Bible."

But some congregants of the 100-member church in western North Carolina have said Chandler endorsed President Bush from the pulpit during last year's presidential campaign and said that anyone who planned to vote for Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry needed to "repent or resign."

The church members said he continued to preach about politics after Bush won re-election, culminating with a church gathering last week in which the nine members said they were voted out.

At Sunday's service, the 33-year-old Chandler said the flap over the church members' dismissal was "a great misunderstanding" and he tried to welcome them back.

"No one has ever been voted from the membership of this church due to an individual's support or lack of support for a political party or candidate," he said in a statement.

Blount Osborne, chairman of the church's elected deacons, said there was no warning Chandler would resign and the church had no severance agreement with him.

"That was surprising, him leaving as quick as he did. I didn't figure he'd walk that way," Osborne said.

Several church members said they agreed with Chandler on issues like abortion, but objected to him making those issues explicitly political in the church.

"I think everyone in there agrees with him on the issues. Politics was the problem," Carolyn Gaddy said.

www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/10/church.politics.ap/index.html

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[DrMaddVibe]

I think the catholics like this news because it deflects from the Nazis and boy ass grabbing going on in their pulpits!

[BITEYOASS]

I do attend church, but once they start recommending that a destroy my classic VH collection(studio albums and unreleased items), my Doors albums and all of my kick-ass rock, then I'm outta here!!!

[FORD]

There's one less dominionist-fascist to worry about. Now let's take the rest of them down.

[steve]

I say we crack down on violators of 501c3s.

Churches, pro and anti-abortion groups - EVERYTHING, Republican or Democrat.

It is a huge loophole allowing for tax exempt politicing.

More and more the tax-exempt status is being used illegally.

[BrownSound1]

This is ridiculous

[Seshmeister]

Originally posted by blueturk
I live in North Carolina, about 75 miles east of Waynesville. I have a rather prominent "If You Can Read This, You're Not The President" bumper sticker on the back of my car, and I've gotten a wide range of reactions.


LMFAO!

:D:D:D