United Methodist Church schism

[Anonymous]

Can’t they just join other churches that have split? Like Episcopalian and Anglican? Do we need more denominations??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a minister. Watching this unfold has been interesting. Churches across the country are hemorrhaging members. People are waking up. They are seeing through the expensive stained glass, silver plates, and bad combovers. They are exhausted by one sex scandal after another. They are confused by the cult-like support of a “president “ who is literally the complete opposite of everything Christ taught.

Organized religion isn’t being destroyed by liberals. It’s being destroyed from within by hypocrites, bigots, and racists who are so very unlike the Christ they claim to follow. And it’s being replaced by a deeper understanding of what all great spiritual leaders taught - compassion, inclusivity, tolerance, and love. Religion is dying but spirituality is not.

Um, okay, Mr. UU, thanks for chiming in. “Spirituality” is not going to save us. Jesus will.

I’m not a UU minister. Believe it or not, there are many progressive, tolerant Christian churches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a minister. Watching this unfold has been interesting. Churches across the country are hemorrhaging members. People are waking up. They are seeing through the expensive stained glass, silver plates, and bad combovers. They are exhausted by one sex scandal after another. They are confused by the cult-like support of a “president “ who is literally the complete opposite of everything Christ taught.

Organized religion isn’t being destroyed by liberals. It’s being destroyed from within by hypocrites, bigots, and racists who are so very unlike the Christ they claim to follow. And it’s being replaced by a deeper understanding of what all great spiritual leaders taught - compassion, inclusivity, tolerance, and love. Religion is dying but spirituality is not.

Um, okay, Mr. UU, thanks for chiming in. “Spirituality” is not going to save us. Jesus will.

I’m not a UU minister. Believe it or not, there are many progressive, tolerant Christian churches.

You might as well be. And I believe it (!) because I left a church like yours. And for that matter, I have a parent who was a liberal protestant minister so spare me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I thought it would come to this and it has. The UMC will split into two denominations with the UMC maintaining the reconciling ministry allowing LGBT clergy and allowing clergy to perform gay marriages.

A new "traditional Methodist" denomination will spin off that will follow the traditional plan that was voted on last year and set to be implemented starting yesterday that would bar clergy from conducting gay marriages and ordaining gay clergy.

I really think it is for the best. Much like this country, the UMC has been sharply divided and polarized by this difference in opinion with predominantly the non-US churches wanting to follow the traditional plan and about 3/4 of the American churches that wanted to continue with the former policies. The non-US churches and the smaller demographic of conservative US churches will spin off.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2020/01/03/united-methodist-church-is-expected-split-over-gay-marriage-disagreement-fracturing-nations-third-largest-denomination/

I remember when this happened to the Episcopalians. I would not be opposed to it in my own faith, Catholicism, if it mean that my daughter did not have to leave to marry the woman she loves some day.

Your daughter can marry legally in a court of law. The Catholic sacrament of marriage is between a man and woman. There are sacraments that not everyone gets — the sacrament of ordination, as an obvious example. Your daughter doesn’t have to leave Catholicism over it.

Are you from the DC area? I’ve had friends be asked to leave the Catholic Church or not take communion (this was me)over the fact that they weren’t married in the church. You’re kidding yourself if you think Catholics would allow them to attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can’t they just join other churches that have split? Like Episcopalian and Anglican? Do we need more denominations??

There are serious theological differences between anglicans/Episcopalians and Methodists though the way progressive Methodists approach things, one wonders why they even pretend to care about theology.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a minister. Watching this unfold has been interesting. Churches across the country are hemorrhaging members. People are waking up. They are seeing through the expensive stained glass, silver plates, and bad combovers. They are exhausted by one sex scandal after another. They are confused by the cult-like support of a “president “ who is literally the complete opposite of everything Christ taught.

Organized religion isn’t being destroyed by liberals. It’s being destroyed from within by hypocrites, bigots, and racists who are so very unlike the Christ they claim to follow. And it’s being replaced by a deeper understanding of what all great spiritual leaders taught - compassion, inclusivity, tolerance, and love. Religion is dying but spirituality is not.

Thoughtful post. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I thought it would come to this and it has. The UMC will split into two denominations with the UMC maintaining the reconciling ministry allowing LGBT clergy and allowing clergy to perform gay marriages.

A new "traditional Methodist" denomination will spin off that will follow the traditional plan that was voted on last year and set to be implemented starting yesterday that would bar clergy from conducting gay marriages and ordaining gay clergy.

I really think it is for the best. Much like this country, the UMC has been sharply divided and polarized by this difference in opinion with predominantly the non-US churches wanting to follow the traditional plan and about 3/4 of the American churches that wanted to continue with the former policies. The non-US churches and the smaller demographic of conservative US churches will spin off.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2020/01/03/united-methodist-church-is-expected-split-over-gay-marriage-disagreement-fracturing-nations-third-largest-denomination/

I remember when this happened to the Episcopalians. I would not be opposed to it in my own faith, Catholicism, if it mean that my daughter did not have to leave to marry the woman she loves some day.

Your daughter can marry legally in a court of law. The Catholic sacrament of marriage is between a man and woman. There are sacraments that not everyone gets — the sacrament of ordination, as an obvious example. Your daughter doesn’t have to leave Catholicism over it.

Are you from the DC area? I’ve had friends be asked to leave the Catholic Church or not take communion (this was me)over the fact that they weren’t married in the church. You’re kidding yourself if you think Catholics would allow them to attend.

I’m in Maryland. I wasn’t married in Catholic Church and no one’s asked me to leave or denied me communion. I’m not LGBT, to clarify, I was just married by a judge to a non-Catholic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I thought it would come to this and it has. The UMC will split into two denominations with the UMC maintaining the reconciling ministry allowing LGBT clergy and allowing clergy to perform gay marriages.

A new "traditional Methodist" denomination will spin off that will follow the traditional plan that was voted on last year and set to be implemented starting yesterday that would bar clergy from conducting gay marriages and ordaining gay clergy.

I really think it is for the best. Much like this country, the UMC has been sharply divided and polarized by this difference in opinion with predominantly the non-US churches wanting to follow the traditional plan and about 3/4 of the American churches that wanted to continue with the former policies. The non-US churches and the smaller demographic of conservative US churches will spin off.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2020/01/03/united-methodist-church-is-expected-split-over-gay-marriage-disagreement-fracturing-nations-third-largest-denomination/

I remember when this happened to the Episcopalians. I would not be opposed to it in my own faith, Catholicism, if it mean that my daughter did not have to leave to marry the woman she loves some day.

Your daughter can marry legally in a court of law. The Catholic sacrament of marriage is between a man and woman. There are sacraments that not everyone gets — the sacrament of ordination, as an obvious example. Your daughter doesn’t have to leave Catholicism over it.

Are you from the DC area? I’ve had friends be asked to leave the Catholic Church or not take communion (this was me)over the fact that they weren’t married in the church. You’re kidding yourself if you think Catholics would allow them to attend.

I’m in Maryland. I wasn’t married in Catholic Church and no one’s asked me to leave or denied me communion. I’m not LGBT, to clarify, I was just married by a judge to a non-Catholic.

I’m a catholic married to a non catholic and was told in a letter either not to attend or to attend and not take communion (dh never took communion but I even gave confession still). . This was last year. My dh is very religious and had no issue attending, tithing, sending our kids to catholic schools but drew the line at RCIA or saying new vows.. They sent the letter when I had a baby I wanted baptized. I remember crying for weeks over it. This was in the Arlington diocese.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I thought it would come to this and it has. The UMC will split into two denominations with the UMC maintaining the reconciling ministry allowing LGBT clergy and allowing clergy to perform gay marriages.

A new "traditional Methodist" denomination will spin off that will follow the traditional plan that was voted on last year and set to be implemented starting yesterday that would bar clergy from conducting gay marriages and ordaining gay clergy.

I really think it is for the best. Much like this country, the UMC has been sharply divided and polarized by this difference in opinion with predominantly the non-US churches wanting to follow the traditional plan and about 3/4 of the American churches that wanted to continue with the former policies. The non-US churches and the smaller demographic of conservative US churches will spin off.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2020/01/03/united-methodist-church-is-expected-split-over-gay-marriage-disagreement-fracturing-nations-third-largest-denomination/

I remember when this happened to the Episcopalians. I would not be opposed to it in my own faith, Catholicism, if it mean that my daughter did not have to leave to marry the woman she loves some day.

Your daughter can marry legally in a court of law. The Catholic sacrament of marriage is between a man and woman. There are sacraments that not everyone gets — the sacrament of ordination, as an obvious example. Your daughter doesn’t have to leave Catholicism over it.

Are you from the DC area? I’ve had friends be asked to leave the Catholic Church or not take communion (this was me)over the fact that they weren’t married in the church. You’re kidding yourself if you think Catholics would allow them to attend.

I’m in Maryland. I wasn’t married in Catholic Church and no one’s asked me to leave or denied me communion. I’m not LGBT, to clarify, I was just married by a judge to a non-Catholic.

I’m a catholic married to a non catholic and was told in a letter either not to attend or to attend and not take communion (dh never took communion but I even gave confession still). . This was last year. My dh is very religious and had no issue attending, tithing, sending our kids to catholic schools but drew the line at RCIA or saying new vows.. They sent the letter when I had a baby I wanted baptized. I remember crying for weeks over it. This was in the Arlington diocese.

That sucks, I’m sorry. I understand that the Arlington diocese is the most conservative in the country. That letter kinda baffles me because there’s nothing in the Catechism that supports that. Mixed marriages are fine, the goal is to raise the kids in the faith and grow closer to Christ in your marriage. I have heard you can have a civil marriage “convalidated” if your spouse is not Catholic and that’s supposed to make it a Catholic marriage for the Catholic partner but I don’t know whether that would solve your predicament. Again, you have my sympathy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the breakaways. It’s the same for a Anglicans who “broke away” from the Episcopal church. The church leadership set the existing policies, and there are a million other churches and denominations that don’t like women and/or gay people. Go there if that’s your thing, because fundamentally that’s what it’s about.

I left the Methodist Church two years because I got sick of the constant celebrating of the LGBTQ community. Go be whoever you want. I really don’t care. But I don’t attend church to celebrate you and your cause. I go there to worship Christ and this LGBTQ issue has, in my opinion, taken the focus off of Christ.

Exactly!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a minister. Watching this unfold has been interesting. Churches across the country are hemorrhaging members. People are waking up. They are seeing through the expensive stained glass, silver plates, and bad combovers. They are exhausted by one sex scandal after another. They are confused by the cult-like support of a “president “ who is literally the complete opposite of everything Christ taught.

Organized religion isn’t being destroyed by liberals. It’s being destroyed from within by hypocrites, bigots, and racists who are so very unlike the Christ they claim to follow. And it’s being replaced by a deeper understanding of what all great spiritual leaders taught - compassion, inclusivity, tolerance, and love. Religion is dying but spirituality is not.

Where do you minister?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a minister. Watching this unfold has been interesting. Churches across the country are hemorrhaging members. People are waking up. They are seeing through the expensive stained glass, silver plates, and bad combovers. They are exhausted by one sex scandal after another. They are confused by the cult-like support of a “president “ who is literally the complete opposite of everything Christ taught.

Organized religion isn’t being destroyed by liberals. It’s being destroyed from within by hypocrites, bigots, and racists who are so very unlike the Christ they claim to follow. And it’s being replaced by a deeper understanding of what all great spiritual leaders taught - compassion, inclusivity, tolerance, and love. Religion is dying but spirituality is not.

Where do you minister?

Right now I work for Hospice. I am a hospital and hospice chaplain. Before that, I pastored a Unity church. I’m an ordained Interfaith Minister. My own denomination is Episcopalian. We attend an Episcopal church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the breakaways. It’s the same for a Anglicans who “broke away” from the Episcopal church. The church leadership set the existing policies, and there are a million other churches and denominations that don’t like women and/or gay people. Go there if that’s your thing, because fundamentally that’s what it’s about.

I left the Methodist Church two years because I got sick of the constant celebrating of the LGBTQ community. Go be whoever you want. I really don’t care. But I don’t attend church to celebrate you and your cause. I go there to worship Christ and this LGBTQ issue has, in my opinion, taken the focus off of Christ.

Exactly!!!!

Same here! However, for me it was their audacity to place their middle finger up at Jesus Christ by deciding that he will no longer be the focus of the church. Once Christ has left the church why even bother attending. I want to hear about Jesus Christ when I attend church not about politics. Their services felt like a hippie convention. Some of the extremists within the church are pushing anti-Christian rhetoric.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the breakaways. It’s the same for a Anglicans who “broke away” from the Episcopal church. The church leadership set the existing policies, and there are a million other churches and denominations that don’t like women and/or gay people. Go there if that’s your thing, because fundamentally that’s what it’s about.

I left the Methodist Church two years because I got sick of the constant celebrating of the LGBTQ community. Go be whoever you want. I really don’t care. But I don’t attend church to celebrate you and your cause. I go there to worship Christ and this LGBTQ issue has, in my opinion, taken the focus off of Christ.

Exactly!!!!

Same here! However, for me it was their audacity to place their middle finger up at Jesus Christ by deciding that he will no longer be the focus of the church. Once Christ has left the church why even bother attending. I want to hear about Jesus Christ when I attend church not about politics. Their services felt like a hippie convention. Some of the extremists within the church are pushing anti-Christian rhetoric.

Jesus Christ was very much a “hippy”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the breakaways. It’s the same for a Anglicans who “broke away” from the Episcopal church. The church leadership set the existing policies, and there are a million other churches and denominations that don’t like women and/or gay people. Go there if that’s your thing, because fundamentally that’s what it’s about.

I left the Methodist Church two years because I got sick of the constant celebrating of the LGBTQ community. Go be whoever you want. I really don’t care. But I don’t attend church to celebrate you and your cause. I go there to worship Christ and this LGBTQ issue has, in my opinion, taken the focus off of Christ.

Exactly!!!!

Same here! However, for me it was their audacity to place their middle finger up at Jesus Christ by deciding that he will no longer be the focus of the church. Once Christ has left the church why even bother attending. I want to hear about Jesus Christ when I attend church not about politics. Their services felt like a hippie convention. Some of the extremists within the church are pushing anti-Christian rhetoric.

Jesus Christ was very much a “hippy”.

Yep, there he was, in a drum circle, advocating “free love” and smoking pot. What a historian you are!