The Raleigh News & Observer mixes religion with its politics

The liberal trending left Raleigh News & Observer has a front page story today headlined:

A pulpit minus the politics

Pastor says it’s not the job of churches to legislate morality

Staff writer Yonet Shimron begins:

The Rev. Stephen Davey is an evangelical Christian (who) views the Bible as the inerrant word of God, (but who) does not believe the church should engage in political action. To the contrary, it should submit to government authority, he said.

That position -- held by the Triangle's largest Protestant church, and a conservative one at that -- is at odds with many national evangelical leaders, who have called on their congregations to press for political and social changes.

If you’re now saying to yourself, “I bet I know where this story’s going. The N&O gives Davey “rah-rah” treatment and talks about “the growing influence of religious conservatives,” you pretty much have it.

Here’s a little more from the 1000 plus word article after which I'll share some reactions:

Davey's conviction comes at a time when evangelical influence in the corridors of power has never been stronger, especially among conservative Republicans. Evangelical churches helped reelect President Bush in 2004.

They worked to pass heterosexual marriage amendments in more than a dozen states and urged the president to select two Supreme Court justices who oppose abortion. Evangelicals have the ear of Bush's chief political adviser, Karl Rove. They command growing numbers in the chambers of Congress.
…
And last month, the N.C. Republican Party asked churchgoers to share their membership directories to help the GOP with voter mobilization efforts.

In terms of political involvement, what’s the difference between liberal churches working to legalize gay marriage and evangelical churches opposing it? Or between liberal religious groups opposing then Judge Samuel Alito’s Supreme Court nomination while conservative religious groups supported it?

And why does The N&O now think it’s front page news that a political party has asked churchgoers to share their membership lists?

For as long as I’ve lived in North Carolina, Democratic candidates have appeared at churches where they’ve been cheered and endorsed from the alter. On election day, many churches make church vehicles available to transport voters believed very likely to vote Democratic.

The N&O has never been concerned about that mixing of religion and politics. In fact, it enthusiastically endorses Democrats who engage in such activities.

The N&O seems concerned that Reverends Jerry Falwell and Pat Robinson are involved in Republican politics but doesn’t seem to have a similar concern that the Reverends Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are heavily involved in its own party’s politics.

Have you ever read a story in The N&O about the "growing influence" of the religious left on the Democratic Party and what it means for America? How often does The N&O link "liberal" with "religious left?"

On its news and editorial pages, The N&O has been nothing but supportive of the political advocacy of two long-time leaders of North Carolina’s powerful religious left, the Reverends W. W. Finlator and Robert Seymour. In fact, it's often run their columns.

The N&O’s article, A pulpit minus the politics, reeks of double standard agenda journalism.

Readers deserve a fair and accurate newspaper minus The N&O’s politics.

(The N&O is a McClatchy Company newspaper.)