United Methodists repeal longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy

[SemperFiDawg]

United Methodist delegates repealed their church’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy with no debate on Wednesday, removing a rule forbidding “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from being ordained or appointed as ministers.
Delegates voted 692-51 at their General Conference

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/us/u...-longstanding-ban-on-lgbtq-clergy/ar-AA1nZcgo

Sad, sad day. There's not a thing sin touches it doesn't destroy. The Wesleys, Whitefield and countless others poured blood, sweat and tears into this once great institution. I've never been a Methodist, but I know a lot of good people who have been and still are. My prayers are with them as most of them have joined the Global Methodist Church. It's the first step in the right direction.

 

[brutally honest]

The Wesley brothers are rolling over in their graves.

 

[brutally honest]

Delegates voted 692-51 at their General Conference

I’m actually surprised that 51 people voted against this. I thought all those people had already left the UMC.

 

[SemperFiDawg]

I’m actually surprised that 51 people voted against this. I thought all those people had already left the UMC.

I was more shocked that of the 7000 or so Churches that left that number only accounted for roughly 1/4th of them. 3/4ths of the churches were in favor of homosexual pastors and marriages. Now THAT was shocking to me and the more I think about it the more stunning it appears.

 

[The Original Rooster]

I was more shocked that of the 7000 or so Churches that left that number only accounted for roughly 1/4th of them. 3/4ths of the churches were in favor of homosexual pastors and marriages. Now THAT was shocking to me and the more I think about it the more stunning it appears.

I'd be so tempted to stand up and shock them by saying something like, "So what Biblically listed sin are we embracing next? Personally I'm all in favor of adultery and I'm pretty sure there's a few in here that can't wait to give sodomy a try. By the way, I'm getting tired of my old car so lets vote on theft as well".

 

[The Original Rooster]

It's sad that these churches have confused tolerance with acceptance. We're all tolerated in church because we're all sinners but some expect their particular sin to be overlooked and accepted. The devil is laughing at the trick he's fooled those people with. He made them confuse loving the sinner with accepting the sin out of fear of being labeled intolerant.

 

[Ruger#3]

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

 

[brutally honest]

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

… and they will reap what they sow:

Religion Data Wonk: Just How Bad Is Denominational Decline?

 

[furtaker]

I'm assuming they still claim to follow Scripture. Why don't they just be honest and admit that they are nothing but a feel good social club and toss the Bible out?

 

[NE GA Pappy]

I'm assuming they still claim to follow Scripture. Why don't they just be honest and admit that they are nothing but a feel good social club and toss the Bible out?

There are a lot of Sunday morning social clubs out there today.

 

[Madman]

Unfortunately, as I found decades ago with the Episcopalians, Holy Scripture holds no authority to them. They are a social club, therefore, trying to reason with them from Scripture is useless.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I'm assuming they still claim to follow Scripture. Why don't they just be honest and admit that they are nothing but a feel good social club and toss the Bible out?

My sister goes to wine tastings at her Methodist church. Our Baptist church I grew up in would say you'll go to hel for drinking wine, even though Jesus did.
My church is the mountains, the woods, and the flowing streams.

 

[furtaker]

My sister goes to wine tastings at her Methodist church. Our Baptist church I grew up in would say you'll go to hel for drinking wine, even though Jesus did.
My church is the mountains, the woods, and the flowing streams.

Your church actually said you would go to Hades for drinking wine? Most independent Baptist churches around here are adamantly against it. I guess they still are; at least they used to be. Never heard one say that wine drinking sent somebody to Hades, though.

 

[crackerdave]

My sister goes to wine tastings at her Methodist church. Our Baptist church I grew up in would say you'll go to hel for drinking wine, even though Jesus did.
My church is the mountains, the woods, and the flowing streams.

Much easier to feel the presence of God in your church.

I think most of today's churches are a disappointment to God.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Your church actually said you would go to Hades for drinking wine? Most independent Baptist churches around here are adamantly against it. I guess they still are; at least they used to be. Never heard one say that wine drinking sent somebody to Hades, though.

In the Baptist culture I grew up in, drinking any kind of alcohol was a horrible sin. It was in the church covenant hanging on the wall beside the pulpit. Old women would be like: "Well, ol' Raiford might have raped and murdered and chopped up all them women, and stoled all the money his grandma had, and beat his daddy up with a baseball bat, and stomped little fluffy kittens, but at least he never was bad to drink."

I don't go to church no more.

 

[Danuwoa]

Our church disaffiliated. Ain’t gotta worry about it.

 

[crackerdave]

In the Baptist culture I grew up in, drinking any kind of alcohol was a horrible sin. It was in the church covenant hanging on the wall beside the pulpit. Old women would be like: "Well, ol' Raiford might have raped and murdered and chopped up all them women, and stoled all the money his grandma had, and beat his daddy up with a baseball bat, and stomped little fluffy kittens, but at least he never was bad to drink."

I don't go to church no more.

I don't think God does either.

 

[GeorgiaBob]

I was more shocked that of the 7000 or so Churches that left that number only accounted for roughly 1/4th of them. 3/4ths of the churches were in favor of homosexual pastors and marriages. Now THAT was shocking to me and the more I think about it the more stunning it appears.

With the UMC it hasn't been a case of 3/4 in favor of homosexual pastors. Instead it became a case of 3/4 of the churches either did not vote on whether to leave, or when they voted less than two thirds of the members present when the vote was taken chose to vote in favor of leaving the denomination. It wasn't easy to leave!

Of the 7,000 US churches who are still part of the General Conference, I would guess that over 70% have lost a significant number of members who have left over this and other problems. I do know of several UMC churches that are still trying to figure out how to disassociate from the UMC but keep their building and other significant assets. Most of those either didn't complete the exit vote in a way their conference found acceptable, or had conditions that the conference rejected.

The UMC only allowed churches to leave the denomination and keep their buildings after several lawsuits and ALL the United Methodist Churches in Africa, Europe, Korea, and So America voted to leave instead of allowing homosexual pastors and same sex marriages. The newly formed Global Methodist Church is still working to figure out what they are going to be. I won't be surprised if more UMC churches move to the NON homosexual pastor Global Methodist Church in the near future.

 

[SemperFiDawg]

With the UMC it hasn't been a case of 3/4 in favor of homosexual pastors. Instead it became a case of 3/4 of the churches either did not vote on whether to leave, or when they voted less than two thirds of the members present when the vote was taken chose to vote in favor of leaving the denomination. It wasn't easy to leave!

Of the 7,000 US churches who are still part of the General Conference, I would guess that over 70% have lost a significant number of members who have left over this and other problems. I do know of several UMC churches that are still trying to figure out how to disassociate from the UMC but keep their building and other significant assets. Most of those either didn't complete the exit vote in a way their conference found acceptable, or had conditions that the conference rejected.

The UMC only allowed churches to leave the denomination and keep their buildings after several lawsuits and ALL the United Methodist Churches in Africa, Europe, Korea, and So America voted to leave instead of allowing homosexual pastors and same sex marriages. The newly formed Global Methodist Church is still working to figure out what they are going to be. I won't be surprised if more UMC churches move to the NON homosexual pastor Global Methodist Church in the near future.

Wow. So the if a church voted to leave they had to forfeit the church building itself???? How did it come about that the UMC "owned" the building. Am I wrong in assuming those buildings were built by and funded by the local congregation and the generations of congregants before them? That seems like a really dirty move on the UMCs part. I guess I would have to ask how the pro-homosexual movement gained so much power in the UMC in the first place to be able to leverage such a move. Something with bad wrong a long time back.

 

[SemperFiDawg]

I don't think God does either.

You would be wrong there Sir.