American Taliban Redux

Read this. It's the last two sentences that really fill you with horror. The theocon project takes another baby step forward:

WATERTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — The reverend of a church that dismissed a female Sunday School teacher this month after adopting what it called a literal interpretation of the Bible said a woman can perform any job — outside of the church.

Rev. Timothy LaBouf and the board of the First Baptist Church issued statements Saturday.

The church dismissed Mary Lambert, who had taught at the church for 54 years, on Aug. 9 with a letter explaining the church had adopted an interpretation that prohibits women from teaching men.

The letter quoted the first epistle to Timothy: "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent."

Lambert has publicly criticized the decision, but the church did not publicly address the matter until Saturday, a day after the church board met.

The board's statement said other issues were behind Lambert's dismissal, but it did not say what they were.

LaBouf's statement said his stance against women teaching men in Sunday school would not affect his decisions as a member of the Watertown City Council.

"I believe that a woman can perform any job and fulfill any responsibility that she desires to" outside of the church, he wrote.

Thanks to Americablog for the heads-up.