Sunday, May 08, 2005
A Step Too Far
A Baptist pastor in North Carolina has touched off an exodus in his church by declaring Democrats are not welcome as members.I have some sympathy for, say, the Catholic Chruch withholding communion from pro-choice people, doctrine matters. However, doing something like this purely on party affiliation grounds is just wrong. Worse, it gives those screaming "theocracy" far too much ammunition.
The Rev. Chan Chandler of East Waynesville Baptist Church in Waynesville ex-communicated nine members who refuse to support President Bush, according to WLOS-TV in Asheville, N.C.
Hate to break it to you, this guy is the lunatic right fringe.
But those excommunicated are not doing much better as they threaten litigation. Bad as the pastor's decision was, throwing this into a court is worse. The minute a civil court is deciding who can and cannot join a church is the minute government really is establishing religion. My guess is no judge will agree to hear the case on that basis, but your never know in this day and age.
At this point I find myself wondering if this really was over political affiliation or if that is how the excommunicted are casting it? Time will tell, since no one seems to be talking.
