Originally Posted by tristanrobin

NC Baptist Churches Leave Over Convention's Anti-Gay Stand
Posted: February 5, 2007 - 1:00 pm ET

(Charlotte, North Carolina) For the second time in a week a Charlotte Baptist church has voted to leave the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

In November delegates to the annual meeting of the state Baptist Convention voted to expel any church that welcomes gays and lesbians.

Members of St. John's Baptist Church voted overwhelmingly by a show of hands on Sunday to leave the convention contingent on a determination of what the decision will mean to its tax exempt status.

The statement put to the congregation accused the Baptist State Convention of choosing "to narrow its membership to exclude churches and institutions that do not adhere to its exclusive and discriminatory view of who is welcome in its fellowship."

Last week Park Road Baptist decided to quit the convention and some 18 other state Baptist churches are reportedly considering similar action.

All 20 churches are self-described "welcoming churches" for LGBT parishioners.

"The November vote (by the convention) was the last straw for us," the Rev. Russ Dean, of Park Road, told the Charlotte Observer.

A third church under investigation for its inclusion of gay parishioners - Myers Park Baptist - rather than taking a preemptive approach and quitting has publicly invited leaders of the state convention to visit the church before ousting it.

"We will not allow our conscience to be coerced by [the convention's] exclusionary conditions of membership," the church said in a statement.

The North Carolina Baptist Convention has 1.2 million members and 4,080 churches making it the second largest association of Baptist churches in the country.

Originally Posted by tristanrobin

I know what you're writing - but it's wrong. I'm not dodging anything.

Originally Posted by tristanrobin

I firmly believe that "congress shall pass no law regarding religion" if thats what you mean. The standards of the church have been around longer than the laws of the land. Maybe the law should protect people of faith. The way I see it, you have no ground to even speak. How many children do you plan to adopt?
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That means that Congress will NOT pass laws that are religious in origin - NOT that churches don't have to follow the laws of the land. geeeeeeesh.
Thats a crock. If England makes that law, then they have forced the church to lower its standards, and no longer follow ther concious given to them by faith. No one should have the right to make the churches bend to there will, especialy if the church feels it losses moral ground. And you still havent told me what is better for those 4000 children, aside from a fantacy.

The laws of the land DO protect people of faith - people of ALL faiths. Or at least they're supposed to.
So then how can they hold down one, to raise another?
Adopt? Nope. I've raised the only kid I plan on. And I don't live in England. What's your point?
My point is, there are more than enough children to go around, if your so worried about it maybe ou should go get one. You dont need the church to get a child.

Originally Posted by tristanrobin

I'm not playing your silly game ... you're boring

Originally Posted by Preacherman

I dont think the church is unsypathetic to homosexuals. (maybe a few in the south). I've seen much of a outreach to homosexuals, there just not saying what they want to hear. You cant blame a church for standing firm in there beliefs. But they'd be more than willing to help out. In the churches I know anyway.