Carter, Clinton back moderate Baptists

From the AP via the Houston Chronicle:

With the help of former President Carter, Baptists who have distanced themselves from the conservative Southern Baptist Convention announced plans Tuesday for a major meeting that aims to improve the Baptist image and broaden its agenda.

Carter, who left the Southern Baptists in 2000 after the denomination came under conservative control, and former President Bill Clinton, also a Baptist, joined leaders of about 40 Baptist groups in making the announcement at The Carter Center.

"Our goal is to have a major demonstration of harmony and a common commitment to personifying and to accomplish the goals that Jesus Christ expressed," Carter said.

And

The announcement Tuesday is the latest chapter in fierce Baptist battles over how to interpret Scripture. Starting in 1979, Southern Baptists who believe the Bible is without error took leadership of the convention, which now claims 16.4 million members. The denomination became a leading voice opposing gay marriage and abortion, and took stands on many other public policy issues.

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You know, one thing that hardcore atheists don't seem to understand about religion is that it's not simply about theology or belief in a supreme being: religion is also about culture and identity. That's probably one of the bigger reasons why I'm so interested in the Southern Baptists after all these years as a non-Christian. I've rejected their theology, but in many ways I still like them as people. I mean, on the whole, they're good folk; if it weren't for their leadership being so heavily infiltrated by conservative literalist weirdos, they really wouldn't be so bad. To this day, on an individual level, I continue to get along with Southern Baptists exceedingly well, which makes sense, because they're who I come from. Their culture is still a big part of who I am. That's why I strongly endorse Carter and Clinton's Baptist reform movement. Anything to save all these good people from the right-wing psychos that control them.

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