Baptist Church Excludes Democrats

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perfessor
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Baptist Church Excludes Democrats

Post #1

Post by perfessor »

http://www.wlos.com/

I don't get it. Didn't Jesus ply his trade among tax collectors, prostitutes, and other "sinners"?
East Waynesville Baptist asked nine members to leave. Now 40 more have left the church in protest. Former members say Pastor Chan Chandler gave them the ultimatum, saying if they didn't support George Bush, they should resign or repent. The minister declined an interview with News 13. But he did say "the actions were not politically motivated." There are questions about whether the bi-laws were followed when the members were thrown out.
So my question for debate: Should the East Waynesville Baptist Church lose its tax-exempt status?

I say they should, since the pastor has turned the church into an arm of the Republican party.
"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist."

foshizzle
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Post #2

Post by foshizzle »

What are the requirements for tax-exempt status?

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perfessor
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Post #3

Post by perfessor »

According to this:
From Americans United
The only thing houses of worship may not do is endorse or oppose candidates for public office or use their resources in partisan campaigns. This restriction, which is found in federal tax law, is not limited to churches and other religious ministries. In fact, it is applied to every non-profit organization in the country that holds a tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Emphasis added.

To me, this seems pretty clear. If the Pastor says, "I believe in party X; you must also, or you are a hell-bound sinner. If you won't repent, then you must leave." - this is clearly a partisan political position.
"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist."

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Post #4

Post by foshizzle »

I don't really know much about what the law actually says (as far as I can determine, that website wasn't government affiliated). If it says they may not deny membership to people for political reasons, and they are, then they should lose tax-exempt status.

However, it is unknown whether or not that really was the reason. That pastor said it wasn't.

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perfessor
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Post #5

Post by perfessor »

foshizzle wrote:I don't really know much about what the law actually says (as far as I can determine, that website wasn't government affiliated).
Very true, it is not. And any such determination will have to be by the IRS in any case. Nonetheless, I am asking for opinions such as yours, which is worth neither more nor less than mine. :-k
If it says they may not deny membership to people for political reasons, and they are, then they should lose tax-exempt status.
The tax issue is not so much about membership, as it is about partisan advocacy.
However, it is unknown whether or not that really was the reason. That pastor said it wasn't.
And I, for one, don't believe him. :roll:
"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist."

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Post #6

Post by foshizzle »

From the article you gave me, I'm leaning more towards agreement with you.

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micatala
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Post #7

Post by micatala »

In my view, this 'endorsement' game has been going on for a long time, except that most pastors are not so explicit. I have been in churches where one did not have to do much (if any) reading between the lines to know where he or she stood and that not voting the same way meant you were going against God. Although I have had more experience with this in conservative churches, I have also seen it happen in churches that supported liberals or democrats (they are not the same in my mind :eyebrow: ).

I am not one to say that people of faith should not be involved or speak their mind with regards to the political process. I do find it very disappointing when religious leaders and others are so unable to disassociate their own opinions and views from whatever God might believe that they feel their opinions have the force of the Word of God.

With regards to the law, I found the following discussion from The Baptist Press.

The full IRS document regarding tax-exempt status is here. (can get in PDF or HTML format)

I did find it interesting that (according the the BP), the law regarding political endorsements was the result of a domineering Texas politician (LBJ). Evidently, Tom Delay is part of a long history :lol: ).

Should we have such a law? On the one hand, such a law is a selective restriction of free speech, which I find distasteful. On the other hand, I have seen enough what I would consider abuses by religious leaders to have some trepidation about not having any restrictions. It is also probably fair to say that some religious leaders will push the envelope on any restrictions that exist to the greatest extent they can (I think this is already happening with regards to the current law).

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Post #8

Post by youngborean »

As a Christian, I think this is totally wrong. They should definitely loose their status if it is true.

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Post #9

Post by Vladd44 »

I found some of the comments of his supporters interesting

Read Article here
Misty Turner wrote:I'm not going to serve with the ungodly
This is a quote of one of his supporters after leaving the church. She supported this "Pastor" and his efforts to cleanse their church of democrats.
Rhonda Trantham wrote:If it's in the Bible, I believe it should be preached
I must have missed the passage about not voting for democrats.
Rhonda Trantham wrote:God will always fix things in the end
If i believed in a god, I would have to assume he did.

And in the close minded arrogance of his ilk.... The words of the "Pastor" who started this fiasco.
Chandler wrote:I am resigning with gratitude in my heart for all of you, particularly those of you who love me and my family
Luke 6:32 wrote: For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
Maybe if Chandler spent a little more time reading his bible instead of Focus on the Family and other Republican propaganda machines, he wouldnt have gotten himself into this mess.

To bad the other intolerant leaders of the xtain community arent so easy to expose for what they are.

Good Riddance.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.[GOD] ‑ 1 Cor 13:11
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Post #10

Post by AlAyeti »

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."
Galileo Galilei (1564 - 1642)


Listen to Gally, god advice in that quote of his.

Read the Gospels and the letters in the New Testament. Gain the knowledge "if you want to" to understand why the Pastor is doing the right thing. The people asked to leave, were asked to leave because the democrat party is incompatible with Christians living within the Christian faith. Because of their stated beliefs Democrats go against what the New Testament, time and time again talks about NOT being a part of.

The "American United" are hypocrites. If there is a seperation of church and state than what a church says within (or without) the walls of its church cannot be challenged in any way. Seperation means seperation. Congress shall make no laws. . .! Unless they become a threat to national security than if you don't likre what is being taught in any particular church, than start another one.

Read the Gospels and see if Jesus meant come on in and beleive anything you want to! NOPE! He plainly says He came to seperate people during the choice process and after. That is why there are so many "denominatios" I suggest the demotists" go form their own church. "Go and sin no more," is about as UN-politically correct as it gets. And that message doesn't jive with liberal progressive bunk. The Democrats believe in relativism and chaos and want to take everyone's money to pay the evenyual bills for that chaos.

The Pastor was 100% within his right to teach his religion the way he wants. Lucky for the church it wasn't a mosque or AK-47's may have decided the issue.

Let churches decide for themselves. That is the "American Way."

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