And now there’s confirmation in the mainstream press about a « North Carolina church’s purge of Democrats »:
‘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 … 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.” … 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.’
I’m no lawyer, but I’d say this church will stand on the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the Boy Scouts to exclude whoever they want under freedom of association and that no one will challenge their tax-exempt status (or at least be successful at it).
It will be interesting to see if this spreads. If it does, we’ll at least be able to see which churches walk the walk of Christ and which ones walk the walk of the Pharisees.