Delegates at the United Methodist Church’s General Conference voted Wednesday to adhere to the church’s position that marriage should not include same-sex unions and that homosexual acts are not compatible with Christian teaching.
Those guidelines are included in church’s Social Principles, which do not have the force of church law but are to instruct the denomination’s 11 million members. The nearly 1,000 delegates at the international conference at the Fort Worth Convention Center are struggling with social issues at the conference that ends Friday.
While affirming the existing guidelines about sexuality, delegates also approved a resolution Wednesday opposing homophobia.
Numerous delegates at the crowded session spoke into microphones placed around the convention center floor. One man from Africa said that “we love homosexuals, but we detest what they do.”
Others said condemnation of homosexual behavior conflicts with Jesus’ message of love and acceptance.
The church must guard against “denying companionship and intimacy in loving relationships just because there are differences of understanding,” a Texas pastor said.
[blockquote] Others said condemnation of homosexual behavior conflicts with Jesus’ message of love and acceptance.
The church must guard against “denying companionship and intimacy in loving relationships just because there are differences of understanding,” a Texas pastor said. [/blockquote]
And this, of course is the problem. Jesus accepts those who turn to Him, but He does not accept all behavior. And the Texas pastors reasoning can be use to justify almost any sexual behavior to include incest etc.
[blockquote]The church must guard against “denying companionship and intimacy in loving relationships just because there are differences of understanding,” a Texas pastor said.[/blockquote]
This is almost so empty and vapid as to defy parody. You could use that “logic” to justify nearly ANY consensual or semi-consensual sexual activity.
See the comments above. The problem here is as it is in a like cases, that affirmation or inclusion, by itself, at last leaves the advocate in the position of having to deny all standards, since all standards are restrictive or exclusive. TEC does not grasp this simple principle and will therefore destroy itself because it cannot maintain its position of complete inclusion and maintain an identity at the same time. LM
Agree with all the above, and hats off to the Methodists! It is cheering to see a major denomination holding fast to Christian teaching and principles. I would also guess that they’ve been watching us closely and have the sense to avoid the quagmire we’ve waded into.
The Episcopal Church: leading by object lesson.
This is an example of how not to do thiings. The numbers are not that great according to the vote tallies. This is what the GLBT groups want, “we will gradually wear you down until you agree with us.” Look what has happened to any great civilization of the PAST that has gone this route. Notice the emphasis on past because they don’t exist any more. No civilization can survive when the fence comes down that seperates Godly behavior from sinful behavior. Man is too weak for that.
Orthodox teaching in the UMC may yet be retained thanks to the growing influence of African Methodists and the faster rate of shrinkage in the more liberal Western annual conferences than in the rest of the denomination. I think this vote was closer than previous votes though so drummie might be right about Methodists being “worn down.” As an ex-UM youth pastor, I was certainly happy to see that the resolution failed, especially after reading some UM friend’s blogs who were predicting that the resolution would pass. One other thing that could have a positive effect on the UMC would be if Wesley Biblical Seminary in Mississippi is approved as a source of UM pastors. Right now Asbury and to some degree Duke are the only somewhat orthodox seminaries supplying large numbers of UM pastors.
http://northwestanglican.blogspot.com/
5/1/08
Folks:
Please pray for the UM General Conference. There is still plenty of time for the deligates to make terrible mistakes, and lead the Church into error.
LMK