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July 15th, 2011
01:33 PM ET
Michele Bachmann officially leaves her churchBy Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor Washington (CNN) - Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann has long been a darling of conservative evangelicals, but shortly before announcing her White House bid, she officially quit a church she’d belonged to for years. Bachmann, a Minnesota congresswoman, and her husband, Marcus, withdrew their membership from Salem Lutheran Church in Stillwater, Minnesota, last month, according to church officials. The Bachmanns had been members of the church for more than 10 years, according to Joel Hochmuth, director of communications for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, the broader denominational body of which Bachmann’s former church is a member. The church council granted the Bachmanns’ request to be released from their membership on June 21, Hochmuth said. After declaring at the CNN/WMUR/New Hampshire Union Leader presidential debate that she would seek the nomination, Bachmann formally announced her presidential bid June 27 in Waterloo, Iowa. The Bachmanns approached their pastor and verbally made the request “a few weeks before the church council granted the request,” Hochmuth said. He added, “they had not been attending that congregation in over two years. They were still on the books as members, but then the church council acted on their request and released them from membership.” Bachmann had listed her membership in the church on her campaign site for congress in 2006. She lists no church affiliation on her campaign website or her official congressional website. Hochmuth said that a change in membership is not out of the ordinary. “You have people who are on the books as members, but they may have gone on to another church; they may not be attending a church anywhere. There’s all sorts of circumstances.” A similar request for membership is to transfer membership from one church to another within the denomination. But that does not appear to be the case with the Bachmanns, according to Hochmuth, who said that to his knowledge, the couple was no longer attending a church within the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Pastor Marcus Birkholz has been at the helm of Salem Lutheran Church for nearly three decades. When asked about the Bachmanns leaving the church, he said, “I’ve been asked to make no comments regarding them and their family.” Bachmann was asked about her status with the church on Thursday at Reagan National Airport as she headed to catch a flight. When asked about her pastor, she asked, “Which one?” An aide quickly hustled her away, noting that they were late for a flight. The Bachmann campaign declined to immediately respond to a request for further comment Friday. Becky Rogness, a spokesperson in Bachmann’s congressional office, said the Congresswoman now attends a nondenominational church in the Stillwater area but did not know the name of the church or how long she had been attending. Hochmuth said that, “My understanding of the situation was the timing of the request for release was far more coincidental than strategic.” The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod has come under criticism from some Catholics for its views on the papacy, an institution that the denomination calls the Antichrist. "We identify the Antichrist as the Papacy," the denomination's website says. "This is an historical judgment based on Scripture." The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights issued a statement Thursday about Bachmann's denomination, saying it's "regrettable that there are still strains of anti-Catholicism in some Protestant circles." "But we find no evidence of any bigotry on the part of Rep. Michele Bachmann," the statement continued. "Indeed, she has condemned anti-Catholicism. Just as President Barack Obama is not responsible for the views of Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Rep. Bachmann must be judged on the basis of her own record." The debate over the legitimacy of the papacy goes back to the Protestant Reformation. The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod's namesake is Martin Luther, who led the 16th century Reformation and who opposed the papacy. “The issue of the papacy as the Antichrist does go back to Luther - he did use that terminology,” said Professor George C. Heider, theology chair at Valparaiso University, a Lutheran school in Indiana. “Luther’s point was, that in his view, the pope was so obstructing the gospel of God’s free love in Jesus, even though he wore all the trappings of a leader in the church," Heider said. "He was functioning as the New Testament describes it as the Antichrist.” Still, Heider notes that Roman Catholics and Lutherans have close ties today. They recognize each other's baptisms, a point of contention in relations between the Catholic Church and other Protestant denominations. Salem Lutheran Church still maintains some ties with the Bachmann family. It lists a Christian counseling center operated by Bachmann’s husband on its website under special member services for confidential counseling. Hochmuth said there are no formal ties between the counseling center and the denomination but added that it is not uncommon for churches to link off to members’ websites as in this case. Bachmann and Associates has faced accusations that it uses a controversial therapy that encourages gay and lesbian patients to change their sexual orientation. In an interview with the Minnesota Star Tribune published Friday, Marcus Bachmann did not deny that he or other counselors at his clinic used the technique but said they did so only at the request of a patient. "Is it a remedy form that I typically would use?” he said. "It is at the client's discretion." Salem Lutheran Church has about 800 members and holds three services each weekend. The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod is often referred to as theologically conservative. The denomination opposes same-sex marriage and abortion, both positions Bachmann has long endorsed politically. The denomination has approximately 390,000 members in 48 states and 1,300 congregations in the United States and Canada. Presidential candidates’ affiliation with churches and pastors played a dramatic role in the 2008 campaign for president. Then-candidate Barack Obama resigned from his Chicago church in May 2008 after videos surfaced of his longtime pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, delivering fiery sermons that criticized certain U.S. policies. In the speeches, Wright suggested that the U.S. government may be responsible for the spread of AIDS in the black community and equated some American wartime activities to terrorism. Wright officiated Obama’s wedding and baptized his children, and the Obamas were members at Wright’s church for years. After a sustained attention on Wright, Obama distanced himself from his former pastor. During the same election cycle, Republican presidential nominee John McCain rejected endorsements from two prominent pastors, John Hagee and Rod Parsley, for controversial statements from the pastors’ pasts. soundoff (2,666 Responses)1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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She'll be much happier with her like-minded buddies at Westboro Baptist.
Nicely done!
Totally original. Not!
ding...ding....ding...we have a winner
You know that the leader of Westboro is a democrat right? Fred Phelps. Look it up. And don't forget that the KKK was started by democrats. I know you'll never let the truth get in the way of slanding somebody who you disagree with ....
Sorry, that was slandering.
Give it a rest, Rolly. Bauchmann slanders herself every time she SPEAKS of herself because she is incapable of telling the truth.
@Rolly: What does it matter if they were Repub or Dem? We can all agree that anti-gay prejudice, the KKK and the WBC are repugnant in their practices. Or are you really trying to draw partisan lines based on hate?
She is crazy as a loon, but she has MUCH better legs than Obama
Reminds me of that Fatal Instinct movie. Once you get a little your whole life is destroyed.
You’re comparing "Pig Legs" to a "Stallion Horse Legs"? Toothless trailer park PUNK, try another one. You missed the mark! Heeeeeeehehhhhheheehhehehehe!
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING!!!!!! AND NOBODY!!!!!!!
Artist, how dare you to ridicule Sen. Bachmann using her own words.
How DARE "Artist" to ridicule Sen. Bachmann? It's his undeniable BIRTH RIGHT! Not only that; does Freedom of Speech RING a bell in your plugged Tea bag ears? Are you living in some cave in Kabul?
After reading all the stirring, intellectual comments made here, only one thing comes to mind. Appently, "Freedom" of speech doesn't translate into the ability to do it. If this is all you people have to offer to the debate, don't pretend to be interested in serious discussions next year. Many here are only interested in tearing people down. Most of what I read here could pass for high school hallway chatter.
@ Che-3..
Why is it in EVERY one of your comments your putting people down? Are you THAT lonely??? Ill be your friend if you need one that bad. Mommy must not have loved you very much 🙂
Here's the difference between Palin and Bachmann. Palin wouldn't listen to her handlers. Bachmann learned from that. She will do whatever they say for her to look more mainstream (if that's even possible). Her ideas, being as extreme as they are, will, in the end, undo her. Becoming a moderate or going mainstream is just not in her genes. She will self-destruct at some point. It's an easy ride this early. Wait until the good stuff starts coming out. This show ain't over yet.
I know...I can't wait lol
But that's just it, Jack. I fear they won't. This country is becoming more fearful, angry and irrational - and they're turning to fundamentalist Christian dogmas (dominionism, evangelicals, etc.) as a solution.
God is Crap
But that's just it, Jack. I fear they won't. This country is becoming more fearful, angry and irrational – and they're turning to fundamentalist Christian dogmas (dominionism, evangelicals, etc.) as a solution.
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We are becoming the perfect breeding ground for a new Christian Taliban Hitler. Drippy droolie religo nuts are eating what these idiot spew.
F.ck religious people. I'm so GD sick of them and their fairytales! Now we have one trying to run for POTUS who thinks god talks to her and tells her to do stuff against her will. You can't make this sh!t up.
Oh yes, I HATE fundamentalist dogmas. Those deeply held, core beliefs that cannot be proven by science and exist due to blind faith. Global warming. Big government income redistribution. The weird idea that Comrade Obama is intelligent. You know–stuff like that.
If all of you are so afraid of Christians, then how about packing up and moving to China! There and atheistic government that enslaves it's people, aborts children, and you hardly have a say about anything about God and the Bible without getting sent to jail and tortured. How's about that? Or stay here in America where men and women go overseas, fight and die for your freedom to sit behind a computer and type about things you don't know about.
@anb: Global warming...step outside, unless you are a polar bear. If so, your home has melted. Wealth redistribution...Rich have been taking everybody's $$$ for years. We want some back. Obama's intelligence...he passed the Bar exam. There you have it. Myths proven.
The biggest problem with Bachmann being a member of WELS is their requirement that women remain subservient to men. Can't see her being President if she belongs to a Church that has that as part of its policy. Based on her personal beliefs, though, I cannot see her joining the LCMS. It is waaaay to liberal for her philosophy.
So what do Christian's believe when it comes to headship in the Whitehouse? Most I know claim the husband get's the final say on anything in his house, so if Michele is President will that mean she has to do what her husband tell's her to since the White house would then be "their house"?
Yes, her beliefs reduce her to a 2nd class citizen that answers to her husband.
Don't be silly. She can be president... as long as she makes dinner first and her husband says it's okay.
Yeah this woman does not want to impose her religious morality on others..*rolling eyes* She is the example of the Christian Taliban.
I like That! You made my DAY!
“It’s part of Satan I think to say that this is “gay.” It’s anything but gay.” — Senator Michele Bachmann, speaking at EdWatch National Education Conference, November 6, 2004.
Hahahaha...
You can always tell an azzclown leftie site like this one.
Lunatic lies and fabrications steeped in hate, but what else would one expect from you losers?
Look – you're gonna get your teeth handed to you in '12, and no matter how much BS you throw out to each other to dream otherwise, it's gonna happen.
Lay back and enjoy it. You're a minority in this country, and the majority will not let you destroy the U.S.
Bet your pathetic, warped little meaningless lives on it.
CNN and its trolls makes me sick! I hope and PRAY this woman gets the votes, we need a good CHRISTIAN in the white house! OUR God is an almighty God!
Hahahaha...
You can always tell an azzclown wingnut.
Lunatic lies and fabrications steeped in hate, but what else would one expect from you losers?
Look – you're gonna get your teeth handed to you in '12, and no matter how much BS you throw out to each other to dream otherwise, it's gonna happen.
Lay back and enjoy it. You're a minority in this country, and the majority will not let you destroy the U.S.
Bet your pathetic, warped little meaningless lives on it.
THAT WAS FUN!!!! Hahahaha!!!!! Moron
Ellis...Leave CNN for Fox...Unless the wingnuts are paying you plenty to get on here and make a fool of yourself.
This woman is a fraud. She hates gays catholics has a strange husband who profits off of the goverment. Go away michele
Looking at the husband, she obviously settled for less/down.
She married him to cure him of "the gay". It obviously didn't work, and now he need's to be cured of "the fat" as well.
GodPot
She married him to cure him of "the gay". It obviously didn't work, and now he need's to be cured of "the fat" as well.
-–
That was my thought as well. He appears like the gays that are anti gay...oh wait there is a word for it...Conservative Christian
I'm sure Westbro Baptist Church will take her with open arms
Sharon, you missed the Muslims from her hate list.
Who doesnt hate Gays???
“We’re in a state of crisis where our nation is literally ripping apart at the seams right now, and lawlessness is occurring from one ocean to the other. And we’re seeing the fulfillment of the Book of Judges here in our own time, where every man doing that which is right in his own eyes—in other words, anarchy.” – Senator Michele Bachmann, appearing as guest on radio program “Prophetic Views Behind The News”, hosted by Jan Markell, KKMS 980-AM, March 6, 2004.
Just an FYI, All Christians believe Armageddon will occur in their life time, and so they work towards that goal of making things in the world as close to the scriptures prophecy as possible, and have been for 2000 years. Michele Bachmann is no different. Thankfully, even though many Christians have brought the world closer to the precipice, none have realized their dreams of world destruction. And may they continually fail. fail. fail...
Give them nuclear weapons.
they forgot to mention that bachmann's former church was anti-catholic and publicly denounced the papacy as "the anti-christ."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/14/bachmanns-former-church_n_899353.html
OMG!!! Now I am cursed. Not only does she hate me because I am a Catholic but she also hates me because I am gay. Do you think she hates me because I am a man? hmmm I wonder.
She could cure you of your gayness. I helped a lesbian once.
Still cannot get past her Darth Vader hair. lol
But don't you think the hair goes welll with her crow's feet?
I never noticed that before, but wow, now that's all I'll see!
Really?
Her "Hair DO" goes welll with her "Lucifer PIG LEGS".
Interesting, have to question her motives in leaving and then making it "public"...more reason to distrust her.
The reason's are simple, pre-candidate spring cleaning. They knew once she threw her hat (and it's got to be a big one to fit that hair helmet) in the ring she would have to defend her absenteeism for the last 2 years to her evangelical base.
The right wing teaparty nuts probably mad her join the radical baptist church.
Must be protecting their tax-free status - even though they promote the welfare-aided Clinic the Buckman's run.
This is news. Really? Who cares? I think Michelle needs botox.
Flakety flake flake flake
Usually when one leaves a church..you just do. It's not that big of a deal.
Yes, I was wondering about the implied "permission" to leave. Like the church might say "no"????????
I thought only Moonies had to ask permission to leave a church.
I don't get why this is a story, there is nothing controversial about this.
The church itself is ant-Catholic and adheres to an extreme form of evangelical Protestantism. Her resignation just before she filed her nominating papers is suspect...and while her faith is her own, the religious movement that she belongs to, Dominionism or Christian Reconstructionism, EXPLICITLY advocates turning America into a theocracy governed by the legal code in Deuteronomy and Leviticus. If that doesn't qualify as controversial, nothing does.
Any persons religious affiliations will come out in a presidential race. It's the fact that she dumped them because her "handlers" told her to that is most interesting to me. It's evidence she can be manipulated.
Pastor to Michele Bachmann "You look surprised to see me."
Michele "Why would you say that? With these eyes I always look surprised..."