Sinners banned from church

In North Carolina, at least, sex offenders are forbidden to go to church, since young children might be present. At least two have been arrested. The state is rethinking this policy. See Church among activities off limits to sex offenders.

I realize that the state is just trying to protect children and in forbidding child molesters from going anywhere children are present may not have intended to rule out church going. Still, there is a widespread misunderstanding about what church is and what it is for. We saw this earlier in a discussion about how churches deal with homosexuals, sending them away and implying that Christ has nothing for them. The assumption is that the church is a place for the righteous rather than a place for sinners.