Hundreds of United Methodists have begun looking over some 1,500 petitions that have been proposed by those seeking change in church policies and structures, among other things, during the church's quadrennial gathering.
Much of the media spotlight, however, has fallen on two submitted petitions aimed at changing the United Methodist Church's current position on homosexuality. The church body holds that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.
One petition would state that homosexuality is a subject about which Christians disagree and the other would define marriage as the union of two loving adults.
To support gay and transgender church members, young Methodists from the Mosaic Youth Network are holding a 24-hour "drumming and rally," which began Friday at noon, outside the Fort Worth Conference Center in Texas, where the United Methodist General Conference is taking place. Recent General Conferences have seen protests by gay-rights advocates, some of whom were arrested for disrupting proceedings.
Debates on whether gay Christians can be ordained as clergy have gone on for decades in the denomination and most recently, controversy has erupted over transgendered persons.
The Rev. Drew Phoenix, pastor of St. John's United Methodist Church in Baltimore, sparked debate when the transgender minister was allowed last year to remain pastor of the church. Phoenix, who previously led the church as the Rev. Ann Gordon, underwent surgery and hormone therapy to become male.
The ruling was made by the United Methodist Church's highest council, affirming a 2006 decision to reappoint Phoenix as pastor. The court agreed that while the denomination bars self-avowed practicing gay clergy from ordination and does not support gay unions, the United Methodist Book of Discipline says nothing about gender change.
The Rev. Karen Booth, executive director of Transforming Congregations, an organization she says ministers to “sexually confused, sinful and broken people," believes transgender people exhibit a “deep, psychological conflict,” according to the United Methodist News Service.
While the church should minister to them, she says, leadership should not be an option.
“We recognize that there are, in fact, people who are unfortunately born with a chromosomal blueprint that is ambiguous. That is a valid medical condition that needs to be addressed,” she said, as reported by UMNS. “Most of what we see is more of a psychological state where a person says, ‘I don’t feel like I’m in the right body.’ We believe that’s a blurring of the distinct way God created us as male and female.”
Phoenix argues that transgenderism is compatible with Christian teaching.
"It was in the context of my faith in Christ, led by the Spirit, that I made the transition (of gender)," Phoenix said. “We want to be known as the children God created us to be. That’s been my experience with my church, across the board."
"I can say that I have come home to the child that God created me to me, and I’m very joyful, whole and peaceful,” Phoenix said Thursday at a press conference sponsored by pro-gay group Affirmation during the General Conference in Fort Worth.
Booth, meanwhile, says it's ironic that "gays and lesbians say, 'God created me this way' whereas transgender people say, 'God made a mistake.'"
"There's a real inconsistency here," she said.
Booth submitted petitions to the General Conference for church policy to state that neither transgenderism nor transsexuality "reflects God's best intentions for humankind."
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I was raised in the UMC and my parents and brother still are. I now a minister with the Assembly of God. My heart breaks as I know does the Lord's when things like this are done in the name of Christian Biblical policy. If one truly reads the Word of God it will be clear that transgender, transexual or any other form of perversion is directly apposed to what the scriptures teach in word and principal. I agree that we should minister to those who are deluded by the adversary of God (Satan) but to see them delivered not made to feel that they were some mistake or mishap of creation. This is a sin issue not a genetic or cromosomal issue. Man from the beginning has tried to give excusses for his sin. Adam tried to blame Eve and Eve tried to blame the serpant. Man is responsible for his own action and needs a Savior (Jesus Christ) to deliver him from the sinful nature. We should not make or change our biblical views or perspective to give validation to or justify sin. We need to allow righteousness to reign and seek the kingdom of God.
I left the UMC after 49 years. The "creeping" liberalism, condonement of gay bishops, leadership and conference meeting agendas taking so much time, energy, money and other resources debating issues that go clearly against what is pleasing to God, and the allowing of the UMC Book of Discipline to supercede the Bible, are a few of the reasons. In, Deuteronomy, Chap. 22, the Lord speaks to Moses, and plainly states that men wearing women's clothes, and vise versa, is disgusting to the Lord. Just because the UMC Book of Discipline doesn't address transgender issues, doesn;t even matter...what God wants and commands of us is the only thing that matters. The UMC had better return to the Bible as the one and only Book of Discipline before Methodism becomes just another feel good, go along to get along religion.
argyle,
I am not saying that you are not a strong Christian who will stand up for Christian principles, however I cannot see how people can justify being in an organization which is officially against the principles they stand for. Certainly a single congregation can be good even if the whole organization is corrupt, but to be part of a single congregation is to be a part of the whole.
For instance, if there was a company that was extremely corrupt and involved in activities one was against, yet the branch where this person works is good, can it be justified to stay in this company, knowing that you bear its name and the work you do supports the central head?
You said, "Dont Judge people on what church they attend."
Fair enough, but then nobody has the right to judge Obama for attending his Church either. To me the two go hand in hand.
In God's Word Romans Ch 1:24 - Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25-They exchanged the truth of God for a lie & worshiped & served created things rather than the Creator-who is forever praised. Amen Read on thru to the end of the chapter. What God calls sin is sin - & it will not go unpunished. Homosexuality is wrong - God says so!
Disscussions such as this have been going on for years, not every congregation feels the same way. I love my current congregation, but if i see the word perverted in the congregation i am involved with i will leave it. Iv left a chuch before because i dissagreed with their teachings(and this wasnt a UMC). and if i have to I will do it again. Dont Judge people on what church they attend.
argyle,
If not everyone is happy with this development in the UMC, then why do they stay in the UMC?
We are at a crossroads in this nation, and in particular, the UMC, when they can publicy state that they are in engaged in transgendered talks. More like acceptance of perversity talks. Apostasy has come upon the church in this nation in a massive way, and believers need now, more than ever, to come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Be ye holy, as I am holy, and do not touch the accursed thing!!!!
REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND!!!!
Not everyone in the UMC are "down" with this. Just to let you people know.
Quecat
Same here.
"you never know who you are talking to. "
I'll talk to everyone the same; share the gospel when possible, contend for the faith always, refute false doctrine and empty religion wherever it rears it's ugly head.
ShuckC - I believe you'll find too many folks flag posts on here - just because they disagree with the content. My strategy - copy paste everything into a separate document - so if you get flagged - you can just re-post. Many posts take awhile to research and write - it would be a shame to lose them so randomly.
(btw - i often wondered the same thing - is a transgendered woman, a woman who changed to a man? or a man who changed to a woman?)
and no - God doesn't make mistakes.
Quecat
Re:But again - what if? If she were real, I certainly don't want to answer to the Lord someday for stumbling a little sister Christian in her walk.
Heb 13:2 - " Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."
pattiepie is no angel, obviously, but you never know who you are talking to.
I'm not surprised. When the Pattie character persisted, I had only a few ways to deal with her.
Either call her out as a phony - which would serve no purpose.
Pander to her - in the event she was really Howard playing a joke on everyone. I mean so long as she's talking to me, I can freely share the Gospel without being shouted down, huh?
Ignore her - which, if she were real, would be horribly insensitive.
Granted, it's unlkely that someone with her seemingly limited education would actually be participating in an online forum, much less have a computer or for that matter continue to subject herself to the not unexpected derision.
But again - what if? If she were real, I certainly don't want to answer to the Lord someday for stumbling a little sister Christian in her walk.
Thanks for the intel.
Okay, why exactly was my post flagged?? It had no inappropriate content. I wasn't making fun or calling anyone names. I simply want to know what "As a transgender woman..." means.
Seriously, is that a man as a woman or a woman as a man?? Consider me ignorant on the subject...I just want it clarified, thanx.
yes
Lacking patience for fighting the same battles over and over - but sticking it out none the less.
Lord grant me patience