Schism looms in American Baptist Church

One of the strengths of the GOP (and weaknesses of the Democratic party) is the right's willingness to stick together and vote a straight ticket (and I do mean straight). Some Dems have a very unfortunate tendency to abandon the party over whatever boutique issue they happen to champion. As with Nader's disastrous run in 2000, this doesn't lead to getting attention for their issues-- it just means that everyone loses. You know, because your party needs to actually have some power before they start shaping policy and you are able to push your own agenda.

So it's always nice to see some dissension in the Republican ranks. It's just a shame that the source is something as ugly as the desire to discriminate against a group of fellow citizens.

Delegates from the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest voted overwhelmingly Saturday to recommend severing ties with the national denomination in a dispute over homosexuality.

Members from the region's 300 churches are upset American Baptist Churches, USA, has not disciplined congregations with liberal gay policies even though the denomination has a strict definition that says "homosexuality is incompatible with biblical teaching."

The matter now goes to the region's board of directors, which meets May 11 and already recommended withdrawal from the denomination citing "deep differences of theological convictions and values."

The fundamentalists are still going full-bore with their plans for theocracy, and the more so-called values voters they can alienate the better. It'd be nice to see activist Christians pay that much attention to issues like poverty and homelessness.