Repent or resign

Air America's Ed Schultz   is all over the East Waynesville Baptist Church story about it's pastor kicking out Democrats.  This afternoon, he interviewed a 73-year-old member of the church, Selma Morris, who laid out what happened.  Morris said she lives in the Ninevah section of Waynesville (the name was lost on Schultz).

She said the pastor, Chan Chandler, started up last October, talking about how the church was going to be a political church. He told parishioners that if they didn't support George Bush, they should repent or resign.

Selma said things simmered for months, with some 40 people leaving the church between October and now.  Meantime, the pastor has recruited new, young members.

Then last Monday, Chandler made his move. At a meeting of deacons, a group of nine or 10 people who disagreed with the pastor's political stance showed up. Chandler reiterated that his was going to be a political church, Morris said.

At that point, the nine people left. The deacons erased their church membership. The others in the room clapped. End of story.

Selma says those excommunicated ones have retained a lawyer and are working on getting rid of Chandler.

Update on Friday, May 6, 2005 by Ash

Repent or resign ... the tapes.

The local TV station, running with the story, has more audio tapes of the pastor's sermons. It's not well-sourced, so you can't verify them, but it sounds good. And it is sweeps.