N.C. Baptist Convention may oust churches supporting gays

[FernBell]

The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina could expel any church that endorses homosexuality after its annual meeting this week.

On Tuesday, the organization is expected to pass a measure that would alter the articles of its constitution to provide for such exclusions. Some local churches said the move symbolizes a divide that began years ago between conservative and progressive churches.

With 1.2 million members and 4,080 churches, the N.C. convention is the second largest association of Baptist churches in the nation. It had previously kicked out several churches that ordained gays or blessed their relationships, including a Cabarrus County church in 2003, which accepted two gay men as members and later baptized them.

And since last year, members of churches that support a group called the Alliance of Baptists, which endorses gay rights, have not been able to serve as trustees for Baptist organizations. At the 2005 state convention, Raleigh-area pastor Bill Sanderson brought the homosexuality issue to the forefront.

"Bill thought it was timely that the North Carolina Baptists address the issue head on, and we said we consider homosexual activity a sin," state convention spokesman Norman Jameson said. "We will not view favorably churches that allow that practice."



http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/15993099.htm

[longship]

1. Bring on the schism.

The lunatics are having their real problems.

[William769]

2. I thought the Southern Baptist convention already made that ruling.

:shrug:

[donco6]

8. From what I can find, this convention seems . . .

. . . to be some conglomeration of various Baptist denoms. It's hard to tell if it's just one denom - even on their web site.

[Jamastiene]

9. I saw the word, "demons" when I read the word, "denoms."

My eyes are messing with my head now. Must be some sort of omen. :evilgrin:

[donco6]

10. Demons, Denoms, what the diff?

Oops, was that my outside voice?

[Jamastiene]

12. I saw on the local news tonight that they are ousting churches

not over the gay marriage issue, but based on whether or not the individual churches allow gay people to be members of the church. In other words, if an individual church allows gay people to attend but not be a member of the church, they will frown on that, but if an individual church allows a gay person to become a member of the church, that church will be kicked out and cut off. Of course, one jerk quoted the ol' Adam and Steve thing. :eyes: I hate some of my fellow North Carolinians sometimes. What's their problem?

[thinks4herself]

3. Cherry picking sins?

"It had previously kicked out several churches that ordained gays or blessed their relationships, including a Cabarrus County church in 2003, which accepted two gay men as members and later baptized them."


If the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina wants to kick out sinners or entire churches that tolerate sinners, then how about going after divorced people? The bible mentions that far more than homosexuality. Oh, one thing though, when did Jesus reject anyone? Seems he even washed the feet of some rather scroungy individuals...

[Tyo]

6. To paraphrase WFB Jr (yes, I have read him)

Following right-wing Christians in search of hypocrisy is like following a lighted fuse in search of an explosion. You usually don't have to wait very long.

[Ian David]

4. Well, they split over slavery, too. Why not this?

Let them schism.

And let the Free Market determine which brand of god-franchise the consumers want.

[msongs]

5. so much for love they neighbor. what does "endorse" mean exactly?

are they gonna kick out all the heterosexuals who "sin" according to their dogma?

or endorse all the awful things the bible says are okey-dokey, like stoning, slavery, war, and other wonderful behaviors?

seems to me jesus was a sort of forgiving sort.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[Bear down under]

7. Breaking news: Rome ousts Churches that support Protestants

Oops, that happened back in the 1520s, didn't it? And the Protestants are still alive and kicking...

[sui generis]

11. They're just shooting themselves in the foot

They want to deny trusteeship over babtist organizations to more forward thinking churches, AS IF those communities would continue to volunteer and give resources to those organizations after they've been "kicked out".

They presume to banish those churches, when in reality what's happening for their bigotry is that they lose that turf.

Seeds grow on fertile soil.

If there are baptist churches that are more inclusive and open, that's a reflection of where those churches are. Some third world backwater babtist who never leaves his compound except to go on a meth binge and get diddled by a manwhore completely won't understand that.

See, unlike god, Darwin works in quite unmysterious ways. If churches evolve they survive and thrive. If they fail to evolve they're stuck in whatever ecological niche spawned them.