Virginia Methodists Vote to Divest from Israel (and denounce U.S. torture, mercury in vaccines...)

Virginian-Pilot ^ | 16 June 2005 | Virginian-Pilot (Hampton Va) Steven G. Vegh

[mbarker12474]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=87873&ran=174189

Search for "methodist" if the link doesn't work. Here is the full text:

Methodists may support Palestinians by divesting By STEVEN G. VEGH , The Virginian-Pilot © June 16, 2005

HAMPTON — Representatives for Virginia’s more than 340,000 United Methodists called Wednesday for their denomination to consider divesting stock in companies whose dealings with Israel facilitate the seizure of Palestinian land or the destruction of Palestinian homes.

The resolution was approved during the annual meeting of the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church, which ended Wednesday at the Hampton Coliseum. The denomination has 1,211 congregations in Virginia.

The measure was reminiscent of a resolution approved last summer by the national assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA. That action prompted criticism and concern among many American Jews who felt it unfairly

targeted Israel and dismissed Palestinian violence.

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The resolution before Methodist delegates on Wednesday was proposed by the Virginia chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action, an advocacy group that is independent of the official Methodist denomination.

Hunter Mabry , who spoke on behalf of the group, said that products of multinational corporations such as Caterpillar Inc. had been used by Israel in destroying Palestinian homes and seizing Palestinian land for Israeli resettlement.

He said the resolution called for the denomination’s national pension and social justice boards to start a review process “to identify any multinational corporation profiting from the use of its products in the illegal destruction of Palestinian homes and properties.”

Mabry stressed that the resolution did not ask for immediate divestment of such corporations. Divestment is the term for a financial boycott in which an investor sells and refuses to own stock in corporations with practices the seller considers objectionable.

The resolution noted that the United Methodist Church had exercised financial boycotts in the past as a way of challenging apartheid, South Africa’s former system of legalized racial segregation.

It also called on the denomination to promote dialogue among Christians, Muslims and Jews in the pursuit of peace and justice.

The measure provoked immediate debate Wednesday, starting with a committee assigned to review resolutions prior to the annual meeting. The committee recommended that references to divestment be deleted, leaving only the language encouraging interfaith dialogue.

The Rev. Beth Gavins , an Ashland minister who headed the committee, said later in the morning that her group felt the resolution was too one-sided in identifying Israel as a wrongdoer while ignoring Palestinian offenses.

“I’m very sympathetic to the injustices being perpetrated on the Palestinians, and they need to stop, but there are a lot of other things in that region that need to stop as well: suicide bombings targeting Israelis,” she said.

Delegates spoke for and against the resolution, but ultimately approved the measure by a show of hands after voting down the alternate version proposed by Gavins’ committee.

The resolution’s approval was condemned later the same day by several leaders in Hampton Roads’ Jewish community.

“The actions of the local leadership of the Methodist Church, starting a process that puts divestment on the table, is a basic breach in the relationship with the Jewish community and all who support Israel and a comprehensive peace with security in the Middle East,” Harry Graber , executive vice president of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, wrote in an e-mail.

Graber said the resolution ignored Palestinian terrorism and corruption as well as Arabs’ historical refusal to accept Israel’s right to exist.

Rabbi Israel Zoberman of Congregation Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach said the Methodist and Presbyterian resolutions ignored the Israeli civilians killed by Arab terrorists.

“What hurts so much is the fact that our Protestant friends have not fully understood our bond with our brethren in the land of Israel – that the security of the state of Israel is paramount for the American Jewish community,” he said.

Reach Steven G. Vegh at 757-446-2417 or steven.vegh@pilotonline.com

[mbarker12474]

The Virginia Conference of the UMC is the largest of Methodist conferences (I believe). The 2000 or so voters have no forums by which to discuss resolutions prior to conference, and the resolutions are not even announced prior to conference, though they are printed in a Book of Reports that delegates receive about three weeks prior to the mtg. The debate on this subject lasted perhaps 30 minutes. The "resolutions committee" announced the resolution and advocated an amendment which would have removed the teeth of the resolution. Mr. Mabry and sympathizers responded with the usual lies about Berlin walls and apartheid. The res committee's attempt to neutrailize the resolution failed and the original resolution passed. The res comes from retired pastor Rev. Hunter Mabry, representing the Va Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action, which is not a UMC body and therefore has not standing to submit a resolution (though Mabry does as retired Va UMC clergy.) Mabry lives in Waynesboro Va.

Mike Barker King George VA

[Tax-chick]

What a bunch of Noodles.

[jusduat]

Another denomination shoots itself spiritually.

[Tax-chick]

Thanks for the commentary, Mike. It sounds like the NEA convention!

[marty60]

A thread that makes you go HUMMMMMM.

[KC_for_Freedom]

The resolution’s approval was condemned later the same day by several leaders in Hampton Roads’ Jewish community.

I guess the spirit of ecumenecalism is gone? Asside from caustic comments let me say that the Methodists have joined the left hook line and sinker. Soon religion will not be discussed, only global warming solutions.

[Convert from ECUSA]

And another former Christian denomination shows itself to be nothing but a flock of New Agey bolshie lefty 60s-leftovers stuck in 1968.

[Tulane]

Not all of us...been a Methodist for many years and I don't think what the Virginia wing has done represents the majority view.

[Longbow1969]

If this is what the United Methodist church has sunk to, all decent members should immediately quit and find a new relgious body to join.

Perhaps switch to Baptist, or maybe become a Catholic.

If that isn't possible, it's time for Methodist to start purging peacenik activists from their church.

Longbow

[Longbow1969]

If this is what the United Methodist church has sunk to, all decent members should immediately quit and find a new relgious body to join.

Perhaps switch to Baptist, or maybe become a Catholic.

If that isn't possible, it's time for Methodist to start purging peacenik activists from their church.

Longbow

[Eric in the Ozarks]

They've lost their way and lost their minds.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Then again - there are those of us that are working to bring the Methodist church back to where it should be.

[KC_for_Freedom]

Keep the faith, and don't let them have the power to change the religion. In California my sister is a Methodist. Pure liberal all the way. Homosexual clergy, anti America. Not pretty.

[El Gato]

Representatives for Virginia’s more than 340,000 United Methodists called Wednesday for their denomination to consider divesting stock in companies whose dealings with Israel facilitate the seizure of Palestinian land or the destruction of Palestinian homes.

Hmm, no mention of withdrawing their support, often direct, to the folks who kill innocent men women and children as they have lunch, ride to work or school on the bus, or even as they sleep in their beds. Not a word. I have a word, it's hypocrisy. Here's some more words.

Left-wing-anti-American-politically-correct-dingleberries.

[fso301]

Do the Methodists marry Adam and Steve?

[Lion in Winter]

Yes, just look at the METHODISTS... just the folks every Christian ought to ask for advice... NOT!!

Sorry, if some of you folks out there are Methodist conservatives and have to tolerate those shinanians. You are probably as shocked by this as am I. My best wishes to you in this time of travails.

: ^ (

[Lion in Winter]

Well, good luck there. From the sounds of it... you have your work cut out for you.

[Salem]

"What hurts so much is the fact that our Protestant friends have not fully understood...."

Time to find some new Protestant friends.

These are, well, as Convert from ECUSA, said so eloquently, "nothing but a flock of New Agey bolshie lefty 60s-leftovers stuck in 1968."

---

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[since1868]

Is it safe for me to believe that Methodists do not believe the Bible literally?