This story of the Baptist minister in North Carolina throwing out any church member who didn't vote for Bush last year just keeps getting funnier and funnier. The pastor says it was all a misunderstanding, but given the audio of his sermons that have come out, that's an obvious lie. This statement, for instance:
"The question then comes in the Baptist Church, how do I vote? Let me just say this right now. If you vote for John Kerry this year, you need to repent or resign. You have been holding back God's church way too long. And I know I may get in trouble for saying that, but just pour it on."
That's pretty unequivocal, folks, there's not much room for misunderstanding. And at a church meeting on May 2nd, Chandler declared that anyone who didn't agree with him on the matter should leave. 9 people left and the remaining members voted to remove them from the membership rolls. This, folks, is a story of one dumbass preacher and his even dumber followers. And there is great irony in a man obviously trying to lie his way out of this while pretending to be a man of God.
What makes it even more bizarre is that some of the parishioners who were kicked out of the church have hired an attorney. Uh, why? The church is a private organization and can refuse membership to anyone they want. There is no legal basis for a suit against the church. There's a very good case for them losing their tax exemption, but that's another matter.
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I suppose they might have a case if they argue that a portion of church assets (bought with their tithe money) belongs to them. If they were forced to leave against their will, they could demand that money back, or demand that the church divide its assets accordingly.
I don't know if the law would be on their side in this case, but I think they'd at least have a valid moral claim.
Steve had a good thought. And we don't know the full story here - given that the preacher seems to be given to intemperate remarks, there may be claims that he slandered the tossed-out members.
'You have been holding back God's church way too long. And I know I may get in trouble for saying that, but just pour it on."'
Oh yeah, he certainly doesn't seem to what it poured on now does he?
Now he lies about it, he is embarrassing but there are oh so many like him.
From what i read in the Carolina papers, when the story first appeared, the exiled parishioners were voted out during a deacon's meeting rather than at a business meeting--thus the vote violated the official by-laws of that church. A business meeting must have its agenda published two weeks prior to the scheduled meetings, and all votes regarding parishioners and the use of church funds must take place during business meetings only. Thus it seems that the vote to remove them from the membership was illegal, and the need for attorneys more clear.
I find this totally confusing. I was raised in a Protestant church (American Baptist), and was led to believe that the membership of the church hired the pastor. The pastor was an employee of the membership. Unless that has changed or is somewhat different in this particular church, who the heck does an employee like Chandler think he is determining who should comprise the membership that employs him?
Slacktivist has a brief FAQ on Baptists, excommunication, why the ousted members have gotten a lawyer, and generally how un-Baptist the situation is.