GoFuckYourself.com - Adult Webmaster Forum - "DEMS" Excommunicated by Church ... video

Since there was so much interest, I tought an update was called for :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

Quote:

Pro-Bush Pastor Resigns

May 11, 2005 10:07 a.m. EST

Hector Duarte Jr. All Headline News Staff Reporter

Waynesville, North Carolina (AHN) - The baptist preacher, accused of running out two non-Bush supporters from his congregation, resigned Tuesday.

?I am resigning with gratitude in my heart for all of you, particularly those of you who love me and my family,? the Rev. Chan Chandler said during a meeting at East Waynesville Baptist Church.

Congregants have said Reverend Chan Chandler endorsed Bush from the pulpit and stated that anyone who planned to vote Democrat needed to "repent or resign."

Members say he continued preaching politics even after Bush was re-elected. Nine members have said they were ousted by Chandler after a church gathering last week.

Speaking from the pulpit Tuesday night, Chandler opened the meeting with prayer before telling the gathered congregation that, ?For me to remain now would only cause more hurt for me and my family.?

Chandler's attrorney, John J. Pavey Jr., has said the dispute was rooted in his strong beliefs against abortion and that the dispute inside the church had nothing to do with politics.

The resignation announcement came one day after a national group of lobbyists for church-state separation, urged the IRS to investigate the tax exempt status of The East Waynesville Baptist Church.

IRS rules strictly prohibit tax-exemt groups from politicking. Last October, the government agency announced it was investigating about 60 charities and other tax-exempt groups, about a third if them churches, for potentially breaking rules that ban them from engaging in political activity.

The outcome of those investigations is not known. The IRS is barred from naming the organizations it investigates or announcing case results.

At Sunday?s service, the 33-year-old Chandler said the flap over the church members? dismissal was ?a great misunderstanding? and he tried to welcome them back.

The dismissed members, who attended the service with their lawyer and other supporters, said there was no misunderstanding and the only way to heal the rift is for Chandler to leave.