Huckabee and the Southern Baptist Church

Via Lindsay Beyerstein: Mike Huckabee defended his religious belief that women should submit to their husbands.

"I'm not the least bit ashamed of my faith or the doctrines of it," Huckabee said. "I don't try to impose that as a governor, and I wouldn't impose it as a president. But I certainly am going to practice it unashamedly.... "

He went on to explain that the Bible also commands husbands to submit to their wives and that marriage requires each spouse to give 100 percent to the other.

Lindsay is creeped out by the Southern Baptist Convention. The SBC's recent history has been so weird. I would be more surprised if they didn't have a doctrine that wasn't offensive to women.

Former SBC President Henry J. Lyons on 56 count, including fraud, extortion and tax evasion. Lyon's finances were questioned after his wife found out about the $700,000 home co-owned by the mistress. The wife burnt the house down.

The SBC has engaged in relentless attacks against the gay community.

1987: Their convention condemned homosexual behavior as a "manifestation of a depraved nature and a perversion of divine standards." They viewed homosexual behavior as being linked to a general "moral decline" in America.
1991: Their convention passed a resolution saying that homosexual behavior is "outside the will of God." and that "it is the responsibility and privilege of the church to minister to homosexuals".
1992: One of the traditional, identifying characteristics of Baptist churches had always been the freedom of the individual congregation in matters of doctrine and morality. This had been the defining factor among Baptists for centuries, worldwide. Congregational freedom had existed in the SBC ever since the founding of the denomination. This came to a crashing halt in 1992. First, the North Carolina State Baptist Convention "disfellowshipped" (expelled) two of its congregations. They acted against the recommendations of their own executive committee. Olin T. Binkley Memorial Baptist Church in Chapel Hill NC had approved the ordination of a known homosexual. Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh NC had blessed the relationship of two committed gay men. The disfellowship decisions were later ratified by the SBC, who warned that other churches would be expelled if they demonstrated "unfriendly cooperation". The SBC amended their constitution to bar from membership any congregation that would "affirm, approve or endorse homosexual behavior." This convention was the one at which the then

Americans United sent the IRS a complaint that SBC member Wiley S. Drake, who responded by praying for the deaths of AU members. Huckabee went to great effort to distance himself from Wiley. I Can't say I blame him.

There is also the SBC's attacks against Catholics. The list goes on and on.