Democrats scream: Love thy neighbor

They’re starting to pile on the Haywood County pastor who kicked Democrats out of his Waynesville church:

North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Meek:

One of the Bible’s most repeated commands is to ‘Love your neighbor.’ If these reports are true, this minister is not only acting extremely inappropriately by injecting partisan politics into a house of worship, but he is also potentially breaking the law and threatening the church’s 501 (c) (3) non-profit status.

Ralph Neas, of People for the American Way Foundation:

What have we come to when the doors of a church are closed to longtime members because of their political beliefs? When a pastor equates political support for the ‘wrong’ candidate with a sin before God?

I would say to Senator Frist and Karl Rove that this is what comes of attempts to manipulate religion for political gain. Americans simply will not accept the claim that ‘unless you accept my political beliefs, you cannot be a good Christian.

This nation was founded on respect for religious belief, and tolerance for religious diversity. Men and women of faith have every right to advocate for their political beliefs. While churches, of course, can set their own membership standards, no one should punish people of faith for their political beliefs.

This is terribly sad. I urge the President to express his opposition to all attempts to manipulate faith for political gain.