Democrats voted out of church because of their politics

This is just crazy. A pastor at a church in Waynsville, NC has decided to kick out members who do not support Bush. That is beyond crossing the line. No wonder so many people think Christians are stupid.

I would love to know what God would have to say to that pastor.

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."
www.usatoday.com...

To suggest that all Democrats are hell-bound is just wrong, not to mention ignorant as hell. Maybe its the pastor that needs to be run outta the church.


[edit on 19-09-2003 by EastCoastKid]

Is the pastor following the rules of the church? If so, then he is
just doing his job. If someone doesn't believe what the church
believes, they shouldn't be going there anyways.

If the pastor is spewing his own version of 'truth', then the people
of the parish should show their displeasure by either withholding
$$$ in the collection plate, or changing churches.

One's political affiliation is a personal matter protected by the first ammendment to the constitution. It has nothing to do with worshipping God.

No political organisation has a lock on God. Today's GOP doesn't seem to understand this.

I've never heard of any church's bylaws stating anything about membership in political parties. This just goes to show how out of control all of this is. As a Christian first and Republican second, I am appalled by this. So were several other Republican church members who had Democrat family members. They left the church, too. I say Bravo!

Only a CULT would operate in this way. This pastor's actions are completely antithetical to the teaching of Jesus Christ!

First off, the 1st Amendment does not control who is thrown out of a church.

Sorry, I have to address constitutional issues, first.

Now, to the heart of the matter. The Democratic party supports everything that is called an Abomination by God in the King James Version, 1611. How does one support those who want to glorify Satan and call God a liar?

As far as the Republicans, how can one demand that the congregation support Bush? Claiming to believe in God, while at the same time doing nothing to restore the nation to it's constitutionally correct place proves nothing but this administration talked the talk only to get elected.

If that preacher wanted to be true and correct to his beliefs, he'd do better to teach his congregation that both parties are control by evil and let it go at that.

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
The Democratic party supports everything that is called an Abomination by God in the King James Version, 1611. How does one support those who want to glorify Satan and call God a liar?

Yeah, personally I don't see how anyone could call themselves either a Christian or a Jew and support the Democratic Party.

Although there's no First Amendment issues here as stated, the church may be risking its tax-exempt status by taking such a strong political stance.

[edit on 5/8/2005 by djohnsto77]

w0w...

isn't church and state separated???

The First Amendment says the State can't endorse a religion, not the other way around...

There was a very good reason the founding fathers kept the church and state separate. AFterall, they had just recently left that tyranny in the dust to come here. The greatness of America and their vision has always been that each and every individual has a right to worship - and vote - as he sees fit, without the interference of the state - or the church - in that matter.

That pastor would do well to go take a long hard look at the Beattitudes. If he's truly seeking the Lord's will, he would then see how foolishly and judgemental he is behaving.

I heard mention that some church members who had left are looking into suing the pastor/church for breaking the bylaws in throwing them out. They might wanna reconsider that action. In the scriptures Paul warns the church not to go dragging each other into secular courts and suing each other.

He could have used this case as an example.

Perhaps they should all read the good book more and listen to the pastor/lobbyist less.

If thine eyes offend thee...

What chances would you stand of remaining a member of a black inner city church if you spent the rest of the week screaming about white supremacy?

Unless he is talking about a criminal act, the state and general public have no say in the what a pastor does in his own church, period.

Seperation of church and state meant the state would not establish a religion like the crown did with the Church of England, period.

If you in public proclaim that you are an adherant to a church's philosophy, rules and domain, then you should be as good as your word, or leave the church. Cafeteria Catholics like Kennedy and Kerry that never heard of an abortion they didn't approve of shouldn't be surprised to see themselves denied communion. Here's hoping Benedict excommunicates 'em.

He's a pastor of a small church, and unlike the Catholic denominations, there is often no overall governing body that he has to answer to. The church is Baptist (or has that on its name) and they have had some unusual practices. As I recall, they also denounced Masons and said that Masons would have to make a decision between belonging to the Baptist churck or being Masonic.

So... it's not unusual.

I don't mind seeing them do this, because it acts to segregate them from the rest of the population. The Democrats and others will have to find a home in a more liberal church -- and I don't see that as a bad thing at all.

...speaking as a Pagan...

The intolerance in this country is becoming intolerable.

Now that the story is getting national attention, the pastor is backpeddling.

The pastor may have, indeed, broken the law. Here's a story from the Associated press..

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.
www.truthout.org...

I agree with this congregant (as a Southern Baptist):

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 my friend likes to say: "Jesus, save me from your followers!"




[edit on 19-09-2003 by EastCoastKid]

I see no one's interested in this horrible little episode.

If this was a Democrat administration (like Clinton) and preachers were telling their congregants to vote Democrat or REPENT and asking those who dint to leave, all hell would be breaking loose. The hypocrisy stinks to high heaven. That's one reason I don't go to church anymore. I can't deal with that. People sitting in judgement of others. Those very same people all have their own personal demons they hide from everyone else. It's pathetic.

[edit on 19-09-2003 by EastCoastKid]

Pastor Chan Chandler has resigned from his church (in N.C.). This whole thing is one sad affair.

God's Own Party?
By Jim Wallis
Sojourners

Several weeks ago, Episcopal priest and former Republican Senator John Danforth began an op-ed in the New York Times by writing: "By a series of recent initiatives, Republicans have transformed our party into the political arm of conservative Christians." And, I would add, some Religious Right leaders are trying to transform the church into the religious arm of conservative Republicans. Either way, these partisan attempts to hijack faith and politics are wrong.

Yet each week brings a new outrage. This week's news was of a Baptist church in North Carolina, where nine members, including three deacons, say they had their membership revoked because they were Democrats who supported John Kerry. According to the Charlotte News-Observer, the nine walked out of a church meeting when Pastor Chan Chandler asked them to sign documents agreeing with his political views. When they left, members remaining voted to terminate their membership.

While the pastor has attributed it to a "misunderstanding," the former members say that last fall he told the congregation that anyone who planned to vote for Kerry should either leave the church or repent. One, a 75-year-old deacon, told the News-Observer: "He went on and on about how he's going to bring politics up, and if we didn't agree with him we should leave. I think I deserve the right to vote for who I want to." News reports today indicate that Pastor Chandler is resigning.
www.tompaine.com...

Churches are Tax Exempt,because they are not political.

Is that right?

I know they do not pay taxes.

With all the churches getting envolved in politics, they should be taxed.

Goverment and Church do not mix.

Originally posted by Snowman9
Churches are Tax Exempt,because they are not political.

That's exactly right. The good pastor, in his zeal, bit off a bit more than he could chew.

Ladies and gentlemen, this kind of crap is why I don't go to church reguarly. It may not be against the law, but this kind of BS is flat out wrong. I honestly don't think that we need churches effectivly blackmailing people into a political affiliation. If this kind of stuff keeps up we'll be living in the United States of Jesusland pretty soon.

There have been a lot of things prophecy-wise that I just did not understand, like the cooling of the 'church.' The turning away from truth that scriptures speak of. I believe it now, though, b/c I see it all around me. Look at those who support this illegal and immoral war in Iraq. Do you really thin they are Christians in the true sense? I don't. I think they are feaux Christians. And I also think that they are going to be in for a big shock one of these days.

I havn't gone to church in a long time. I find the hypocrisy there insufferable.

If Christendom and politics don't mix, why were there democrats in the congregation in the first place ?
My opinion is, if you wanna be a democrat then go to a democratic church. If you wanna be a republican, go to a republican church. And if you don't want anything to do with politics then find yourself a church that actually understands what's written in the bible.

On the other hand, why would they denouce masonry and yet promote a member of Skull and Bones ? Its either unreasonable or this minister is acting upon pure ignorance.