The Methodists prepare their Hattori Hanzo swords.
A little over two years ago, I wrote an article for PJ Media about the United Methodist Church's initiative called "Praying our Way Forward." In the article, I explained that the UMC was "taking seventy-five weeks to determine if God's parameters for sexuality are going to be obeyed by the denomination or not." Well, it seems the 75 weeks are up because this Sunday (Feb. 23), the UMC kicks off a special General Conference in St. Louis. On the docket is a vote to decide if the UMC is going to officially ordain LGBTQ ministers and sanction same-sex marriages.
I've spoken to several conservative members of UMC churches and they assure me that if the vote goes the wrong way, their churches are planning on leaving the denomination. The denomination's liberals are aware of the conservative majority's beliefs and feelings on the matter, yet they are still working overtime to ensure that the vote goes the way they hope.
As tempted as I am to go down there and watch, I've seen this show before and I and other former Anglicans know how this movie will end. The vote on the measure, close or otherwise, will be against officially "ordaining" homosexuals and allowing homosexual "marriage."
The Americans will return home and do whatever they want. They'll "ordain" some homosexual somewhere or make a point of letting the press know that there will be a homosexual "marriage" at this Methodist church on that date. And the press will make a big deal out of it.
Since the American church is, as Willie Sutton might have quipped, where the Methodist money is, nothing much will happen. There will be expressions of condemnation all over the place but not much more than that. At a future General Conference, someone will push through some sort of "compromise" measure that will allow the Americans to remain Methodists in good standing.
And as we former Anglicans all know, that "compromise" will eventually be scrapped, sooner rather than later, in favor of making the American position mandatory, a Methodist law of the Medes and the Persians which altereth not. Whereupon Methodism flies apart and ends up with the same pseudo-Christian status that Episcopalianism currently enjoys.
Been there, done that.
5 comments:
You are right. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Bottom line is that the Amercan churches have allowed themselves to be bought. Too many rich folk with strange children in various closets have succeed in purchasing them.
My Brother in law attends a MEthodist church and he asked me about this last Thanksgiving during the dinner, and I gave him the same prediction. I don't think most Methodist pewsitters are that well informed.
From what I have read, American Methodists in many places are already doing what they want about this. The substantial conservative element is encouraging, and combined with the African vote, they may avoid going over the edge "officially." But you're right, the idea that the liberal Methodist congregations will obey any vote at this convention is silly (unless it goes their way, of course).
The defeat happens the moment they put it up for a vote. Once you've acknowledged it can be voted on, votes will keep happening until it is approved.
Really, people should leave the instant it first goes in the docket.
Yup. That's how it works. "Dialogue" continues until you admit that I'm right.
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