---

Politics & Faith ...
...Aunspaugh, 16, a Baptist and student at Liberty High School, testified that a fellow Christian scoffed at her faith because of her politics. She is a Demo-crat.

"She said if I considered myself a Christian, I would be a Republican," Aunspaugh said. "Before I could even open my mouth to retort, she began a tirade on just how I did not even deserve the name of 'Christian' because I wasn't a Republican. She walked away while I just stood there speechless."...

...The Rev. Dr. Phil Willoughby, a state representative running for the state Senate, testified that a few weeks ago he attended the church where he had been raised in the faith. He said he listened with concern to what the pastor had to say.

"His first announcement was this: 'Our women's fellowship is providing volunteers for the Bush-Cheney campaign. We need 13 volunteers and I'm not supposed to sit down until we have them. Who's doing it?' And he didn't sit down until he had recruited workers for the Bush-Cheney visit to Sedalia," Willoughby said. "You and I sit here and say, 'Churches aren't supposed to do that. It's a violation of the (tax rules).' And you know what? That is happening all across our nation ... all across our state and even in our city."

Willoughby said conservatives wish to change the wall separating church and state into a chalk line that can be changed to suit them.

"They have reduced the pulpits in many churches to being nothing more than a lobbyist organization for the right wing agenda, and they have made some churches nothing more than political action committees," Willoughby said....

..."Jesus did not take sides with the Sadducees and the Pharisees, nor did the prophets kowtow to the kings of Israel. They stood apart. They were separate, better able to maintain their prophetic voice and redemptive purpose," Carnahan said....