This is an opinion column.

Smiths Station Mayor F.L. “Bubba” Copeland got out of his vehicle, produced a handgun, and then took his own life. That’s where the story ended up. Copeland’s fate might have been avoided if the outlet reporting the story charted a course consistent with the beliefs it espouses.

Copeland took his own life after 1819 News ran several articles outing the Phenix City pastor as a crossdresser with a penchant for erotic fiction who used images and names of locals without their consent. In response, numerous members of the media criticized 1819 News for breaching journalistic ethics and, at least one, called for the non-profit website’s funders to be similarly outed.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Smiths Station, the parishioners of First Baptist Church of Phenix City and the victims and family of Mayor Copeland,” wrote 1819 News editor-in-chief Jeff Poor in a statement sent to Al.com.

In hindsight, critics have argued that Copeland’s suicide was a foreseeable result of 1819′s negative media attention. If news outlets can’t report about public figures because they might harm themselves, then we’ll have little real accountability. Media outlets regularly deem a public official’s private life to be relevant and newsworthy even if it is uncomfortable at times.

Just ask John Merrill.

After conservative news sites shared recorded conversations about an affair, more traditional outlets reported on the sexual misadventures of the former Alabama Secretary of State in explicit detail. I don’t recall Alabama’s media infrastructure suggesting that the minutiae of the former Alabama Secretary of State’s indiscretions weren’t newsworthy because he executed the responsibilities of his office effectively.

If Merrill’s conduct was news fit for print, Copeland’s is as well. At a minimum, the deceased pastor’s behavior is certainly relevant to his congregation and community.

The difference here is that 1819 News doesn’t claim to be a traditional media outlet. According to the nonprofit 1819’s own website, “the mission is to tell news with honesty and integrity while ‘rising to the moment of truth’ and focusing on Alabama values.” Ironically, 1819′s current critics claim the conservative organization isn’t meeting basic standards of decency let a alone serving a higher calling.

I worked at the Alabama Policy Institute for years. I know the folks who got 1819 News off the ground. Faith in Christ is at the center of who they are and what they do. They didn’t like the coverage and perspective of outlets like Al.com, so they created something different.

Right now, I wonder if this is what they had in mind.

The Bible is crystal clear about the correct path for Christians who find a brother in sin. “Restore him gently,” the Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

In Copeland’s case, those burdens were significant. Being a public figure, even in a small town, invites scrutiny. So does leading a church. “What I do in private life has nothing to do with what I do in my holy life,” Copeland told 1819 News. That’s Biblical heresy, plain and simple. Regardless of his other activities, that perspective alone demands loving correction.

According to 1819′s expose, Copeland also shared a meme featuring a brother and sister from his community, one of which is a minor, with the caption, “Take the shots, get implants, become the whore.” That’s certainly an activity that demands accountability in the church if not law enforcement.

It’s a hell of a thing to throw a man to the wolves and then offer “thoughts and prayers” after he’s dead. 1819 News knew the information they possessed would wreck Copeland’s life. There was another way with fewer clicks, less uproar, and more compassion.

Taking the salacious information to Copeland’s church leadership could have resulted in a stronger church, a stronger community, and Copeland’s survival.

To borrow from scripture, 1819 News took the broad road with the wide gate instead of the narrow path consistent with what many of them and their supporters claim to believe. It’s hard to blame them for behaving like so many current media outlets. In times like these, we could use something different.

More Cameron Smith columns:

Smith is a recovering political attorney with four boys, two dogs, a bearded dragon, and an extremely patient wife. He’s a partner in a media company, a business strategy wonk, and a regular on talk radio. Please direct outrage or agreement to [email protected] or @DCameronSmith on Twitter.