Baptist Convention EXPELS North Carolina church for welcoming gays without trying to change them

[Bluebear]

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Delegates to the Baptist State Convention voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to expel a Charlotte church that welcomed gays and lesbians without trying to change them.

Myers Park Baptist Church, which has 1,970 members, became the first to be kicked out under rules approved at last year's meeting. Those rules say any Baptist church that affirmed or endorsed homosexual behavior would be considered not to be cooperating with the convention.

The vote by the more than 2,000 delegates came after two of the church's leaders called on them to open their hearts to homosexuals who want to worship and to respect local autonomy in interpreting the Bible...

The convention didn't count the votes, instead passing the Myers Park motion with a show of hand-held ballots. Only about a dozen delegates supported the church.

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/wcnc-111307-krg-baptists.286a7ee.html

[Cha]

1. Dogma Sucks the big

Money Racket.

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. That picture is exactly the right one n/t

[CT_Progressive]

3. FIGHT ! FIGHT ! FIGHT ! FIGHT ! FIGHT !

WooHoo!

CHRISTIAN FIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!!

:popcorn:

[dbackjon]

4. Southern Baptists - Repressing Civil L:iberties for 175 years

What do you expect from a Church founded to Support Slavery.

Any one that has a conscience, or truly believes in the teachings of Christ can not be a member of that evil empire in good faith. Southern Baptists are more dangerous to our way of life than al-queda.

[aquart]

5. God Bless the Myers Park Baptist Church.

My friend Ralph found such a church, which welcomed him and, too damn soon, gave him the best, most loving funeral I was ever at.

[marmar]

6. I hope someone starts a Progressive Church Convention.......

that expels churches that accept bigots without trying to change them.

[Richard Steele]

7. Then shall he answer them, saying:

"Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not
to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me."

Matthew, 25:45

[Forkboy]

8. How dare they treat people equally?

What bastards!

[Jane Eyre]

9. It was THE Headline in today's Charlotte Observer

Today's paper had the headline "EXPELLED" in huge letters above the fold. Here's a link, didn't know how to copy it:

http://www.realcities.com/multimedia/charlotte/KRT_packages/archive/frontpage/wednesday.pdf

Myers Park Baptist Church is right smack in the heart of one of Charlotte's oldest and most desirable neighborhood - Myers Park. The church's pastor made history in the sixties by being perhaps the first clergyman in the region to speak out against the Vietnam War from the pulpit. The church also recently hosted a multi-faith memorial for the Iraq War victims, where the mother of a slain soldier spoke out fiercely against the war.

The beauty of it is that Myers Park Baptist is actually as mainstream as can be, and several of our local elected officials are members along with a lot of other prominent citizens. This isn't some Johnny-come-lately in the faith community, they have been leading the way for many years when it comes to truly following the example of Jesus Christ. And, yes, it is still "high church" with all the traditional trappings and wear your Sunday best.

[Danger Mouse]

10. Jesus is saying to himself 'Dad, why did you make humans so damn stupid?'

I hate the way idiotic fundies treat gays. HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT. :grr: :grr: :banghead: