Sinner and Saint

Politics Prompt Church Tax Questions

Rev. Chan Chandler led an effort to expel members of East Waynesville Baptist Church in western North Carolina because they did not support President Bush.

This is insane. While I applaud Rev. Chandler's stand on homosexuality and abortion as sin...I cannot support the way in which he is handling this situation. While I am very upset that the Democratic Party constantly stands firm in its support of homosexuality and abortion, I cannot support the throwing out of members that happened to vote for democrats.

First of all,  Rev. Chandler does not have the right to ask every member how they voted in this past presidential election. Secondly, there are many Democrats that do not support homosexuality or abortion. Many people have many different reasons for why they support a specific candidate. Just because a person votes one way or the other does not make them Christian or not Christian or a good Christian.

While I am swayed to vote on the issues of Abortion and Homosexuality that does not mean that others have different issues of importance. The Church has every right to preach and teach that abortion and homosexuality is a sin but it has NO RIGHT to tell someone how they must vote. This is going to lead to more problems in the future for churches while dealing with the IRS and the separation of Church and State.

Prayer effective as painkiller?

This was the title of a story written by Anita Manning of USA Today and carried by yahoo. This is an interesting article that should provide much thought and care. I do believe that Prayer  is very important to those that are sick. Prayer is a gift from God and a way of communicating with our Lord. Prayer itself does not help the patient though...it is God that helps the patient. It is God that is at the persons side that takes up the pain and suffering of that person and helps them to recover and heal and at times carries the patient home to heaven.

I cannot agree with Richard Sloan that it is merely taking your mind off of pain. If it was just that...then prayer would not be any higher in effect then many other things like watching a ball game or playing solitaire. Prayer works. God works for the good of those that love Him and works through prayer, medicene, and doctors.