I saw this blip my newsfeed… and frankly it made me sick and angry and sick…
First, the story.
A group of lay members of the United Methodist Church have had enough. “It’s about time that the church got back to its main mission – saving souls and creating disciples for Christ” says Penny Monk, a life-long UMC member. Instead, they have taken a political path of so-called “social justice” which could eventually lead to the demise of the UMC according to Monk.
“Save the UMC” has been launched as a vehicle meant to change the suicidal path of the UMC, says Steve Wright of the savetheumc.org website. “We believe that most UMC members would be shocked to hear what a small but influential group of political partisans are up to in the church.”
According to the savetheumc.org website, the church’s reputation is being soiled by a weak stance on abortion, anti-Israel/pro-Palestinian statements, economic justice and social justice political talking points and support of Obamacare and other partisan issues. “The church has to get out of partisan politics and return to its Christian roots” according to another Save the UMC organizer, Nancy Erwin. (read the disservice to journalism here)
And then, I started to explore their website. And did some more looking around elsewhere…
It seems, however, that the Confessing Movement within the United Methodist Church has been connected to right wing think tanks before,
For the past two years, Media Transparency and the Boston Wesleyan Association have published research on a steady stream of attacks against the United Methodist Church (UMC) and other mainline American denominations carried out by conservative philanthropy sponsored institutions and people (Weaver, and Seibert, 2004 a, b; Weaver, Seibert and Kandeler 2005).
The primary actor in this unethical and mendacious attack is the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD), a political “think tank” that operates more like a shark in a fish tank as it attempts to undermine mainline Protestant ministries to form an unholy alliance with far-right politics (Swecker, 2005). (read the story here)
I know that I haven’t been a UMC member for long, and I don’t feel like I can speak from the UMC stand point, but I can from the stand point of a Christian first and then an American and what I see worries me in both areas. Further, I can from the point of a theologian. Yes, I am claiming that right.
I am really trying to be nicer on the blog, and attempt a better dialog… so I am trying not to pop off… but I am worried as I see this slip in more and more… it is the new Dominionism.
Anyway, so this new group wants to the save the UMC. They are asking people to sign a petition, which is harmless enough -
We, the undersigned lay members of this local UMC, do hereby state and affirm the following:
- The UMC should cease all public endorsements and financial support for lobbying, legislation and political rallies.
- No Bishop or spokesperson for any UMC Board or Agency should publicly support or oppose political candidates, parties, agendas or legislation in the name of the UMC.
- The leadership of the UMC should restore our Church’s proud heritage and reputation so that it may fulfill its singular mission of saving souls and making passionate disciples for Christ.
Okay.. so nothing wrong with that. Shoot, I might even agree to that. I mean, get the Church completely out of the political sphere… you know, where it cannot speak about abortion or gay marriage or anything else which may be ‘agendas’ or legislation.
But… then comes the real issues that they are combating found on another page which is not included on the petition…
1. Health Care Reform Bill – Support for this highly partisan bill was provided by the General Board for Church and Society of the UMC. “GBCS advocates for health care for all in the United States by focusing on a single-payer national health plan on the state and federal level.”
This was voted on, I am sure, in some way. Further, many Americans support this actually.
2. Reproductive rights – The UMC General Board for Church and Society is clear that they support the “legal option of abortion” in certain situations and “reproductive rights”. “We cannot affirm abortion as an acceptable means of birth control, and we unconditionally reject it as a means of gender selection”. Why don’t we “unconditionally reject” abortion for birth control?
Uh-huh. Someone is inventing boogy monsters here. Further, again, votes…
3. Israel – ”The United Methodist Church opposes continued military occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, the confiscation of Palestinian land and water resources, the destruction of Palestinian homes, the continued building of illegal Jewish settlements….” Our friend and ally, Israel, appears to be the bad guy here.
Actually, in many ways, Israel is the ‘bad guy’ here. (Although admittedly, when you have missiles being thrown into your living room, it is difficult to turn the other cheek…) But tell me, do you support the continued military occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, the confiscation of Palestinian land and water resources, the destruction of Palestinian homes, the continued building of illegal Jewish settlement by Israel and the forced ghettoization of the Palestinian people?
4. Iraq – “As people of faith we (UMC) raise our voices in protest against the tragedy of the unjust war in Iraq. We urge the United States government to develop and implement a plan for the withdrawal of its troops.”
This floors me. What is wrong with the Church asking for peace? You know, ‘blessed are the peace makers?’ Can you really support the death of hundreds of thousands of civilians in a war built on lies? Do they actually mean to say that they support the Iraq war?
5. Economic Justice – We are asked to “Prioritize the needs of the poor in budget and tax policies.” The Christian priority is to give to the poor but that is different from what the UMC appears to support by demanding citizens to give to the poor through government’s forced taxation.
I love the word ‘appears’, don’t you? That way, you can say anything. For example, Mike Hart, the ‘investigator’ for this group appears to take bribes from child molesters. Or, Mike Hart appears to beat his wife. Where is the proof that he doesn’t? This issue hasn’t been resolved yet, as it?
This irritates me! I mean, have they read John Wesley? I know that they haven’t read the bible, but at least they should read Wesley! They have no real clue as to what economic or social justice is, and I suspect that they have forgotten John’s appeal to coal miners, child labor, and slavery.
Oh, and they have their own dictionary….
WORDS MEAN THINGS
As you read, research, and listen you will become aware of certain words and phrases which are used by the Progressives in our church and the political realm—become familiar with some of the euphemisms they employ:
- Social/economic/environmental justice = redistribution of wealth/resources (uh… no.)
- Collective salvation = none saved unless all are saved (see Jn 14:6)
- Process theology = God is constantly evolving into something else (really?)
- Undocumented worker/immigrant/sojourner/visitor = illegal alien (actually, some of those are biblical terms)
- Liberation theology = Marxism (think Jeremiah Wright) (for a better view, see Rodney’s post, here and here)
- Women’s reproductive rights/family planning = Abortion (not always, but often)
Regarding Social Justice, I like what Roger Olsen has to say. Note especially what the comments contain…
Christian churches of all kinds should vocally condemn such implicit social Darwinism (which I believe lies behind the current condemnations of “social justice”). One church may prefer “soup, soap and salvation.” Another one may prefer “community development.” Yet another may prefer “liberation theology.” But all are into social justice in some way.
It is interesting that one commentator brought up the Confessing Movement within the UMC while another noted that MLK was considered a socialist/communist in the 60′s and now? A hero. Why? Because vitrolic speech is usually forgotten when the works of the person comes through. But, I digress.
Oh… and they quote the IRD… and I have to laugh when the site chastises a UMC bishop for talking about the unity of the Three Abrahamic faiths…
With Jewish, Muslim, and Christian attendees listening, UM Bishop Kenneth Carder spoke: “At the heart of our three great religions that are represented here this evening…is a God who knows the suffering of children.” He later continued, “The state of the least of these threatens the very vision portrayed by the God of Abraham, Jesus and Mohammed.” (Is anyone a little theologically confused?)
Say… I wonder if these guys have read Richard Land or Glenn Beck…. I doubt it. Because if they had, they would turn against them too (or at least in theory)… which is the way with fundamentalist revolutionaries, i.e., the French Revolution. Step back and examine it for a minute – they want to get away from partisanship, and yet they repeat the same talking points as Glenn Beck.. Their ‘issues’ are so far to the right that I’m unsure they could gain traction if they were on the edge of a cliff… oh wait. Bad image, because they are. From reading the history of the Confessing Movement, it is a hearkening back to the ancient rites, the patristic authors, to a paleo-orthodoxy, but it has been murdered and replaced with a political movement, foreign to the early Church Fathers, to John Wesley, and to the Gospel. Oh… and everyone still seems to think that the Manhattan Declaration is part of the Gospel…because this group, like the Confessing Group, urges people to sign it.
Personally, I think that the Church should focus on the Gospel and making disciples for the Kingdom of God which will recreate this world…If that actually happened, we wouldn’t need socialism, or liberation theology, or capitalism, or conservatism. The Kingdom of God is not any of these things. Maybe I don’t disagree that sometimes the focus has been lost on that singular important mission, but the hypocrisy and self-serving specter of this is disgusting.
Joel Landon Watts is a Masters of Theological Studies student with a focus in Mimetic Criticism of the Gospel of Mark. His interests include exploring the role of mimesis in human civilization, specifically in the study of religion and media, as well as science fiction and the way in which it has allowed mythology to be explored in light of scientific ideals of the past century. Currently, he is a TA for Old Testament at United Theological Seminary under Dr. Vivian Johnson, Associate Professor of Old Testament. His first book, Rhetorical Strategies of the Evangelist: Mimetic Criticism of the Gospel of Mark, is expected to be published by Wipf and Stock early next year. He is currently co-editing a book on moving from Fear to Faith (Energion, 2013).
My wife brought up the confessing movement to me a few months ago. I had forgotten, so reading this kinda jogged my memory. I think it was in reference to some comment one of her FB friends said that set her off.
Honestly, I didn’t give it much more thought than one would give any fringe movement, but it’s obvious they’re not just going away.
I agree..and it burns my shorts when people do this. Dominionism scares me…
I tell and atheist friend of mine that when the Beck-ites take over, I’ll be next to him on the gallows. I have no doubt that you might not be far behind me…
I like the patristics of the Confessing Movement, and the return to some of the earlier times, but for the life of me, I have yet to read unmerited support for apartheid, ghettos, and war in the early writings
[...] Saving the church from Glenn Beck. [...]
[...] My wife brought up this “confessing movement” associated with “Save the UMC” a few months ago. I blew it off. Leave it to my good friend Joel to expose the “Glenn Beck” wing of the church. [...]
OK. You know I’m somewhat right wing in politics. Perhaps more of a libertarian. I read American Free Press, appreciate the original reason for the TEA parties, and oppose homosexual marriage, abortion, and Obamacare.
That being said, the pulpit and church areas are being hijacked by right wingers. I’m sick of it. It’s the new modernism carrying the name Evangelicalism or Fundamentalism. It is NOT God and country with them. It is country is God. It is politics is God. They have made an idol out of conservativism.
It sickens me to see how far we’ve come in this country. As you’ve mentioned in the past, the rhetoric, the anger, the hate…and all of these things in the name of Christian morals. How did that happen? After all, there are no Christian morals without love. Therefore, I must love the homosexual and the abortionist, though I believe they are sinners. I must also remember that I am a sinner, too. I must remember that I am a sinner, too. I must remember….
Then, I must recall the grace of God in Jesus Christ and show that to them. We would all be amazed at the difference it would make if we who are in the Evangelical and Fundamentalist movement would preach the gospel instead of the Republican party.
The folks have some valid concerns with the UMC, but they surely are going about it the wrong way, with the wrong foundation, the wrong assumptions, and the wrong cure.
As a life-long member of the UMC this is an old tune picked up by new players. The Good News Movement claimed the same thing – the Church is being hijacked by liberals ZOMG!!! – and it is as wrong now as then. Furthermore, this is no grassroots movement, any more than the Confessing Movement or Good News. A bunch of extremely powerful conservative voices in the denomination want more power. They stir up trouble, and now are using Tea Party tactics – get common folk to be the face of a fake grassroots movement that is actually controlled by people who will supply the money and the words.
Here’s my position on all this. You folks want to leave? Here’s the door. Bye-bye. The mission statement of the UMC is simple – Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. This is in keeping with the Biblical imperative and witness, with our traditions going back to Wesley, even to one of the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer – your kingdom come on earth. After many years, I have decided the best tactic is the easiest – ignore them and just do your thing, Joel. A far more powerful witness than wasting time playing their game.
The Confessing Movement is hardly a fringe group nor a right wing element. It is a theologically conservative Christian organization grounded securely in the Wesleyan traditions. Perhaps you should explore it’s origins more closely starting with the writings of Thomas C. Oden, on the the CM founders. His seminal book The Transforming Power of Grace is as close to a Wesley-Arminian text on the topic of biblical grace as you can find.
The origins matter very little when what it has become is a right wing fringe group. I like the return to the sources, the return to the early days, to deep theology, but the politics of this group, and groups which pretend to be Methodist or Christian like Save the UMC is completely known to the early writers.
[...] My Response to ‘Save the UMC’: Saving the UMC – From Glenn Beck… (thechurchofjesuschrist.us) [...]
To Heal the Country- You must First Heal the Church
There should be no social justice- Justice.
In 2009 there were 280 UMC Reconciling Churches.
34 retired Bishops want to ordain LGBT clergy
The UMC Buildings in DC and NYC are filled with left wing, radical organizations e.g.the Nation, Mother Jones
UMCs in DC and the Duke Chapel allow same-sex marriages
Jesus walked among sinners to convert them not join them Find out the influence the MFSA and the ACLU(both founded by the communist Harry Ward) are having on the Church. Why are we still members of the RCRC and provide support for Planned Parenthood? Why do our General Board Executives co-author books and serve on Boards with IPS Fellows?
Why are our executives members of MFSA and Progressive orgs?Why do our executives speak on the same platform with the co-founder of Code Pink?
You assume that homosexuality is a sin. Show me. You assume communism is evil. Show me. You see how this is go into work, right?
Read Romans 1
Every time Communism has been tried millions of people have been slaughtered
I have read Romans 1, but as you seem to think it means homosexuality, it is obvious that you haven’t. Leninism did try Communism. When hevtried to move to it, he was stopped. What the Chinese have is actually an economic mixture of socialism and capitalism. As far as death by economic system, you examine colonialism, the forerunner of capitalism, which as brought holocaust and genocide upon the earth.
Marx’s theory necessitates a government that is free from corruption and negates the possibility of elitism within its ranks. If history has shown anything, it is that power corrupts fallen mankind, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. A nation or government may kill the idea of God, but someone will take God’s place. That someone is most often an individual or group who begins to rule over the population and seeks to maintain their privileged position at all costs. Mao Ze-Dong killed 49M-78M people,Jozet Stalin killed 23M(the purges plus Ukraine’s famine), Pol Pot 1.7M,Kim II Sung 1.6M
How has Africa prospered since the end of Colonialism and Apartheid?As bad as they were not very well,in fact it is worse off today.Zimbabwe is a good example.Why? because of corruption and the dictators listed below. A “dictator” is a head of state who exercises arbitrary authority over the lives of his citizens and who cannot be removed from power through legal means. The worst commit terrible human-rights abuses. This present list draws in part on reports by global human-rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International. While the three worst from 2005 have retained their places, two on last year’s list (Muammar al-Qaddafi of Libya and Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan) have slipped out of the Top 10—not because their conduct has improved but because other dictators have gotten worse.http://www.conservapedia.com/List_of_dictators http://www.parade.com/dictators/2009/
From a Christian perspective, the basis of private property rests in our being created in God’s image. We can make choices over property that we can exchange in a market system. But sometimes the desire for private property grows out of our sinfulness. Correspondingly, our sinful nature also produces laziness, neglect, and slothfulness. The fact of the matter is that economic justice can best be achieved if each person is accountable for his own productivity.Ask your questions at http://www.gotquestions.org/ .
Historically, capitalism has had a number of advantages. It has liberated economic potential. It has also provided the foundation for a great deal of political and economic freedom. When government is not controlling markets, then there is economic freedom to be involved in a whole array of entrepreneurial activities. Capitalism has also led to a great deal of political freedom, because once we limit the role of government in economics, we limit the scope of government in other areas. It is no accident that most of the countries with the greatest political freedom usually have a great deal of economic freedom. However, Christians cannot and should not endorse every aspect of capitalism. For example, many proponents of capitalism hold a view known as utilitarianism, which is opposed to the notion of biblical absolutes. Certainly, we must reject this philosophy. Also, there are certain economic and moral issues that must be addressed. Though there are some valid economic criticisms of capitalism such as monopolies and the byproduct of pollution, these can be controlled by limited governmental control. And when capitalism is wisely controlled, it generates significant economic prosperity and economic freedom for its people.
One of the major moral arguments against capitalism is greed, which is why many Christians feel unsure about the free enterprise system. Critics of capitalism contend that this system makes people greedy. But then we must ask whether capitalism makes people greedy or do we already have greedy people who use the economic freedom of the capitalistic system to achieve their ends? In light of the biblical description of human nature (Jeremiah 17:9), the latter seems more likely. Because people are sinful and selfish, some are going to use the capitalist system to feed their greed. But that is not so much a criticism of capitalism as it is a realization of the human condition. The goal of capitalism is not to change people but to protect us from them. Capitalism is a system in which bad people can do the least harm and good people have the freedom to do good works. Capitalism works well with completely moral individuals. But it also functions adequately with selfish and greedy people.
It’s important to realize that there is a difference between self-interest and selfishness. All people have self-interests which can operate in ways that are not selfish. For example, it is in our self-interest to get a job and earn an income so that we can support our family. We can do that in ways that are not selfish. By contrast, other economic systems such as socialism ignore the biblical definitions of human nature. As a result, they allow economic power to be centralized and concentrate power in the hands of a few greedy people. Those who complain of the influence major corporations have on our lives should consider the socialist alternative where a few governmental bureaucrats control every aspect of our lives.
Though greed does rear its ugly head in the capitalist system, we have to understand it’s not because of the system—it’s because it is part of man’s sinful nature. The true solution lies not in changing the economic system, but in changing the heart of man through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The United Methodist Church ,especially the General Board Of Global Ministries/General Board Of Church And Society/Women’s Division left wing political activism has hurt our Church. How did the Church get to this point-Infiltration of Social Gospel and liberation theology into our Church polity and the acceptance of moral and cultural relativism.
First, Jerry, Stalin wasn’t communist. Read Marx for yourself. Not sure your point about colonialism, but you should read some sociological perspectives about post-colonial people and what it does to the psychology of a people. From a Christian perspective, there is really no such thing as private property. Stop using the bible to justify a recent invention even an economic theory at all. generally everything you said in defense of capitalism can easily be said of ANY economic system. You are presenting a fallacy in you argument, Jerry.
Capitalism, like pure democracy is evil. But, so are any of humanity’s principalities.
You have yet to prove what is wrong with so-called left wing policies. I would contend that they are more Christian. Further if you have read the Gospels, then you would see that the Social Gospel is an important piece of the Gospel. And, I have doubts that you understand liberation theology, as with your comments above. While I am not a subscriber to everything Liberation Theology says, it does have merits which should be answered.
Also, infiltration is a conspiratorial term and often left out of polite conversation
Joel, you are part of the unrepetent class of individuals known as the “galactically stupid”. Did we read a little Howard Zinn and become transformed. Your right nothing wrong with socialism and communism, and the Chinese,, amen brother they are the quintessential supporters of human rights.
I suggest that next Sunday you stand before your congregation and announce that there is no longer any such thing as private property. If that is the case I suggest you donate your PC or maybe just the keyboard to someone who has greater need than you,,, after all it’s not really yours,,, now don’t put up some facetious argument about how you paid for it,, just give it up brother Joel. For that matter I am running out of peanut butter so I would like you to leave the door to your domicile open because I need it for my dietary requirements. Spread the wealth Joel,,, er the peanut butter. The interesting thing about your case is that I am certain you truly believe your an enlightened and educated man.
in other words, you have nothing really important to say, just some insults, assumptions, and nothing of substance. Just like Glenn Beck…
Nothing about God, Christ, Scripture, love, nothing. Umm…. Just like Glenn Beck.
Bad grammar, spelling and paragraph formation… just like Glenn Beck…
is this you, Glenn?
Joel,
I neither listen to or watch Glenn Beck so your feeble and alinsky like tactic of trying to associate me with what appears to the object of your hatred is incorrect. First, as to spelling and grammatical text I suggest ye not throw that stone if you review your own prior ramblings which contain not only misspelled words but at times almost illogical meaning. Amongst your other maladies you appear to be suffering from Beck derangement syndrome. Your a strange bird Joel, born into a political state conceived of liberty but in the exercise of that nations most cherished freedoms you have determined that the political structure that gave birth to those freedoms is of no greater significance than those dedicated to the quashing of liberty in favor of the state. The moral relativism of your opinions (yes they are simply your opinions not god’s) is all too ubiquitous amongst those who have taken a 100 level sociology course (your views on colonialism suggest
you were spoon fed works like “the lonely African”) at a lower tier school. You speak of scripture, love, and god but only your version of it. You are basically a statist and an apostate, who hides behind religion as a means to lend substance and credence to the deprivation of another mans life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. You wish to use religion as an authority for secular governments to deprive others of property earned through their hard work to ensure equal outcomes. I believe that freedom and liberty brings man closer to a relationship with his creator. You believe that power of the state justified by your version of god’s will can create an equality on earth. But history shows it merely produces misery and suffering by quashing the blessings of liberty. If you find my words insulting then so be it, because your opinions are destructive and the light must be cast upon those who seek to use religion and religious denominations as means to
achieve the destruction our liberties.
Actually, I find your words arrogant, idiotic and depraved. You are depriving yourself of liberty and others by your silliness, racism and really, really bad history. I note that you provide nothing for a foundation, but lob insults. Oh, that’s right… You don’t need to. I mean, you are just following other ‘patriots’ such a Hitler, Mao, and Beck. I pity you, as a I pity other hate filled fools.
When you try to respond out of your wounded ego, try to provide some sorta of foundation so that I can understand where your mental derangement comes from. You are far from God and shame on you.
Racism??? when in doubt throw out and unfounded accusation of racism. Where in my words do you find substance for that accusation. If you find me arrogant ,, perhaps you feel inadequate. “really, really bad history”. Okay, when In read that little section of your retort I realized that sparring you is like batting around a little bunny and I refuse to do this anymore. Shame on me,, were you by chance protesting in Madison WI lately. Good grief man,, grow up,,. I do not recall either Hitler or Mao espousing the concept of individual liberty Joel,,, here comes the moral relativism again. Or do you construe patriotic love for our founding concepts of liberty and individual freedom as somehow equivalent to the causes carried forth by Hitler and Mao (I will leave out Mr. Beck as apparently this sets off some sort of strange pavlovian reaction on your part ???.
I pity the fool,,, was that your ode to Mr. T. And I wonder why our nation is in the condition it is in today. My ego is fine,, in fact I daily ask god for humility in part so that I may deal with pusilanimous fools such as you who hide their true inadeqacies and jealousy of others through artificial religious convictions.
Note, lonely African…
It is apparent that you have no clue about the history of this country nor the ability to actually debate. Until you can, until you have more of a foundation than the rhetoric of violence and ignorance, don’t stop by. if you think that you can, or if you think you have the ability to actually think indepentely, please feel free. The internet is filled with garbage, and you are adding to it.
Oh, and please note that our ‘founding’ values were hardly about liberty, but thanks for trying.