Michele Bachmann's [former] Church Says the Pope Is the Antichrist

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"Bachmann was a longtime member of the Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Stillwater, Minn., which belongs to the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), a council of churches founded in 1850 that today comprises about 400,000 people. WELS is the most conservative of the major Lutheran church organizations, known for its strict adherence to the writings of Martin Luther, the German theologian who broke with the Catholic Church and launched the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. This includes endorsing Luther’s statements about the papacy. From the WELS “Doctrinal Statement on the Antichrist”:
Since Scripture teaches that the Antichrist would be revealed and gives the marks by which the Antichrist is to be recognized, and since this prophecy has been clearly fulfilled in the history and development of the Roman Papacy, it is Scripture which reveals that the Papacy is the Antichrist.
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Hochmuth also revealed that Bachmann is no longer a member of the WELS congregation. “I do know that she has requested a release of her membership,” he said, adding that she took the unusual step of formally requesting that release in writing. “She has not been an active member of our fellowship during the last year.” Hochmuth wouldn’t speculate on whether her presidential ambitions factored in this decision – the nation’s 70 million Catholics (who lean Republican) might not respond kindly to the Pope-as-Antichrist stuff – but he did emphasize that “it’s not something you’re going to hear preached from our pulpits every Sunday.”
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“Clearly, that is anti-Catholic,” said Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, a national organization devoted to protecting Catholic civil rights. “This kind of hatred is reminiscent of Bob Jones. I believe [Bachmann] has in the past condemned anti-Catholicism…We never went after Obama for sitting there for 20 years listening to Rev. ‘Goddam America’ Wright. I don’t want to give him a pass, but I saw no bigotry on Obama’s part. Similarly, I have see none on Bachmann’s part. But it’s clear that the [synod]'s teachings are noxious and it’s important for her to speak to the issue. Obama had to answer for Wright, McCain had to answer for [the Rev. John] Hagee](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/08/us/politics/08hagee.html), and this is something that Bachmann has to answer for.”
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In fact, the only person really disputing any of this is Bachmann herself. Confronted during a candidate’s debate in 2006, she denied her church’s position on the Pope:
Pat Kessler, WCCO (debate moderator): We’ll start with Senator Bachmann. Religion and politics that has crept into this campaign over and over again. The Minneapolis-based Star Tribune reports today, Senator, that the church you belong to is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, which, it says, regards the Roman Catholic pope as the Anti-Christ. Is this true, do you share the views of your church, and why should any Catholic in the Sixth District vote for you if it is true?

Bachmann: Well that’s a false statement that was made, and I spoke with my pastor earlier today about that as well, and he was absolutely appalled that someone would put that out. It’s abhorrent, it’s religious bigotry. I love Catholics, I’m a Christian, and my church does not believe that the Pope is the Anti-Christ, that’s absolutely false.
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The problem here is not the anti-Catholic statements by WELS, but Bachmann’s apparently not knowing that the church (or ecclesial community) that she at that time belonged to, taught a particular teaching about the Pope. For someone who claims to be deeply Christian, I would think she would have had some idea of the WELS’ position on this issue. And maybe she did eventually find out about it, and decided to end her membership in that church/ecclesial community. But, hey, nobody’s perfect.🙂
 
Ahimsa said:
The problem here is not the anti-Catholic statements by WELS, but Bachmann’s apparently not knowing that the church (or ecclesial community) that she at that time belonged to, taught a particular teaching about the Pope. For someone who claims to be deeply Christian, I would think she would have had some idea of the WELS’ position on this issue. And maybe she did eventually find out about it, and decided to end her membership in that church/ecclesial community. But, hey, nobody’s perfect.🙂
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I could care less what the position of her ecclessiastical community is. I want to know about her and how she plans to lead the country out of the epic disaster the current clown in the WH has lead us into.
 
Given that Rep. Bachmann is no longer a member of that church, the headline for this thread should read “Michele Bachmann’s Former Church Says the Pope Is the Antichrist.”
 
Scott_Lafrance said:
I could care less what the position of her ecclessiastical community is. I want to know about her and how she plans to lead the country out of the epic disaster the current clown in the WH has lead us into.
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Rev. Jeremiah Wright
 
antonivs said:
Given that Rep. Bachmann is no longer a member of that church, the headline for this thread should read “Michele Bachmann’s Former Church Says the Pope Is the Antichrist.”
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Yes, “former” as of a year ago. Bill Donohue of the Catholic League stated that she would still have to give an explanation, since her membership existed up until about a year ago, when she was presumably considering running for president.
 
ringil said:
Rev. Jeremiah Wright
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The man who married Obama and his wife Michelle, baptized their two daughters and is credited by Obama for the title of his book, “The Audacity of Hope.” The man who Obama said was like his uncle?

What about him?
 
Does anyone honestly believe that Bachmann would risk pushing Catholic voters even further down the Democrat path by persecuting us? Even if she does believe this, she’s a savvy enough politician to know how stupid that would be. On top of that, she’s staunchly pro-life, and she no doubt recognizes how vital the Catholic Church is in fighting that battle.

Peace,
Dante
 
Ahimsa said:
Yes, “former” as of a year ago. Bill Donohue of the Catholic League stated that she would still have to give an explanation, since her membership existed up until about a year ago, when she was presumably considering running for president.
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Yaaaaa, who cares about Bill Donadue? He needs to get off his soap box and spend more time with his family.
 
More bad theology. The Bible says Antichrist is someone that denies Jesus came in the flesh.
When has the Pope done that?
 
While she should probably address this I know there are some positions of the United Methodist Church that I was not aware of until I researched on my own. I wouldn’t have known them sitting in my pew as they were not preached. I am not sure she can be held responsible for that- I am more interested in her own views and how they play out in her political career.

Val
 
Ahimsa said:
The problem here is not the anti-Catholic statements by WELS, but Bachmann’s apparently not knowing that the church (or ecclesial community) that she at that time belonged to, taught a particular teaching about the Pope. For someone who claims to be deeply Christian, I would think she would have had some idea of the WELS’ position on this issue. And maybe she did eventually find out about it, and decided to end her membership in that church/ecclesial community. But, hey, nobody’s perfect.🙂
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antonivs said:
Given that Rep. Bachmann is no longer a member of that church, the headline for this thread should read “Michele Bachmann’s Former Church Says the Pope Is the Antichrist.”
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What church is she a member of ?
 
Bachmann is going to be held responsible for everything MARTIN LUTHER ever said? Well, then, I guess all protestants are disqualified from being president of the U.S.:rolleyes:
 
Ridgerunner said:
Bachmann is going to be held responsible for everything MARTIN LUTHER ever said? Well, then, I guess all protestants are disqualified from being president of the U.S.:
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I don’t think its a matter what Luther said 500 years ago, but what WELS teaches today. Their official belief of Pope=Antichrist is something they have repeatedly reaffirmed.

That said, the article is an unjustified hit piece. It offers no evidence that Bachmann is anti-Catholic, and it admits that she no longer belongs to the church. When a reporter asked her about that WELS teaching, a few years ago, she seemed totally unaware of it, so I doubt that it is a prominent part of the religion.
 
Dale_M said:
I don’t think its a matter what Luther said 500 years ago, but what WELS teaches today. Their official belief of Pope=Antichrist is something they have repeatedly reaffirmed.
.
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Any evidence that WELS teaches Pope=Antichrist in Bachmann’s church?
 
SamH said:
The man who married Obama and his wife Michelle, baptized their two daughters and is credited by Obama for the title of his book, “The Audacity of Hope.” The man who Obama said was like his uncle?

What about him?
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Oh, it’s “different”, I see. . . . Republican first, everything else second.
 
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