Posted on 05/31/2014 12:06:01 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
Will the United Methodist Church soon have to drop the “United” part of its name?
A group of 80 pastors, including at least two from North Carolina, says the nation’s second-largest Protestant denomination faces a split because of an inability to resolve long-standing theological disputes about homosexuality and church doctrine.
But more than lamenting the divisions, the pastors indicated there is little reason to think reconciliation – or even coexistence – could be found. Like a couple heading to divorce court, the pastors cited irreconcilable differences that can’t be mended.
(Excerpt) Read more at charlotteobserver.com ...
Since there is no governing body of Methodism or any Protestantism, would you agree that people interpret the Bible differently?
If so SOME folks might think that they ARE obeying the Word of God as they interpret it. It MIGHT be a VERY different interpretation of those same words by YOUR standards.
Protestants are allowed to interpret the Word of God as they wish. There is no HINT of papal interference and they can establish Jesus as their own personal Savior, via the Bible, and THEIR OWN interpretation of it.
Many are on the way to hell, some will be in heaven.
Every major Protestant denomination has split in two, one side orthodox, the other Situation Ethicist. The United Methodist Church has not been united for a very long time; when it divides, it will be doing de jure what it has been doing de facto for at least two generations.
“In my family, we have pretty ferocious disagreements about a great many things,” Howell wrote. “But we love. We don’t divorce. We are a family
It is not about family sir. It is about will you follow and teach the Word of God or not. If half of you want to and the other half does not, then a split has to happen.
Years ago I went to a Methodist Easter service with my MIL. No mention of Jesus or the resurrection in the entire service. The minister (heavy female person) talked as I recall mostly about social justice.
But there is: the Council of Bishops, as guided by the General Conference. UMC churches do not even get to choose their own pastors: they are appointed by each annual conference's bishop.
Catholics are as confused about what they believe as any Protestants (which I will grant are confused). Rome is a “unified” mess! How could it not be with its labyrinthine structure? Or it’s rebellious children deciding for themselves which edict, which council, which “Vatican” they will acknowledge—as if they have any warrant from Rome to do so.
Suck it up and obey Francis, all you rebels of Rome!
SOME protestants think are allowed to interpret the Word of God as they wish just as SOME Catholics think they are allowed to interpret the Word of God.
Holy Spirit will guide in all truth. A Spirit-filled believer does not need a Pope or a Preacher dictating what he should believe.
JOHN 16:13
But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.
The Council of Bishops is not the governing body of United Methodism.
An individual bishop can do whatever and the Council of Bishops can complain, and that’s about it.
Conservative Methodists. Who knew?
I,for one,can't see the slightest bit of ambiguity in "Thou shalt not commit adultery".
There really does need to be a PCA-like designation for the UMC churches, such as my sister’s home church in North Carolina, that designate that they are NOT the one-world one-church un-Christian UMC any more.
There really is an problem with a good many UMC churches and what MANY UMC members believe.
The schism always arises from the left, who are never happy with doctrines of the faith, unless they fully embrace the political agenda of the left.
So say today, the schism is caused by the left demanding recognition and embrace of homosexual marriage, or whatever issue. No matter the effort at reconciliation, the left will never respect doctrine. So “next week” the schism will be over the divinity of God, whether there are more than one god, or if there isn’t any God at all.
This is because the left, wearing clerical garb or not, neither embraces nor respects religion, or God. They want the agenda of the left, and only the agenda of the left, and paid for out of the organization’s treasury.
So the bottom line is that if you are people of faith, the first time someone chimes in about an agenda of the left item, show them the door. They are not there to embrace the faith, they are there to subvert and destroy it.
I think the Council can defrock a bishop, though I don't know of any time that has occurred.
Full disclosure: I was a Methodist for the bulk of my first my first 35 years. At one point I applied to be a missionary in Japan and was rejected, not because of me but because the council of bishops decided they didn't want anyone going to Japan. I worked for Methodist churches in full-time music ministry for a while, and was halfway to becoming a diaconal minister in the denomination, when I switched first to college teaching, and then to the LCMS Lutheran church, 25 years ago. Spiritually it was the best move at the time, and I certainly would not go back with the UMC in its present condition, unless it was the only Christian option available.
‘Is sexual immorality the only sin that the UMC will tolerate? Or will it give its blessing to stealing, lying, and murder as well?’
There is an article, I forget where, that tells of the theft of I think 3 million bucks to help The Big 0 get elected. The money was gifted to the UMC and only to be used for alcoholic treatment and education, it was set up as a trust strictly for that purpose and that purpose only. The story tells of the hierarchy getting caught when dipping in the trust and the meeting that was held to get their story straight. All members agreed to lie except for one, he was promptly kicked off the board.
I was a member some years ago of a conservative UMC church and when I found out this and other things, I copied them and took them to my pastor to see if they were true. He said they were and asked me not to tell anyone, I didn’t and when he left, forced retirement by the UMC, I left.
The UMC is so far to the left in their polices that if members, especially in the rural south, knew where they stood there would be a mass exodus.
So in answer to your question, they already condone stealing and lying, as well as several perversions. If you look deeply at almost all Protestant churches, you will find the they are corrupt from the inside, they have been taken over by the secular humanists or commies or just plain nutjobs.
Embracing sin as okay and normal is never compatible with Christianity
In these situations I think it’s more that the secularizers are coming to terms with the net effects of their forebears’ heresies, and saying to themselves: You know what, we should get comfortable with and openly proclaim the implications of what this church was really about in the first place.
If some people want to redefine Christ’s teachings so as to allow for blatant sin, then let them go in peace to form their own church. It is better to endure an organizational split than to compromise with sin.
“It’s a shame Christianity does not have a governing book that would answer these questions on sexual immorality by providing clear guidance.”
On this topic that would be redundant. There are plenty of passages that are plenty clear on the subject. The problem is not in the clarity of the Bible, it is on the willingness of people to have faith and character to obey what God tells them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.