United Methodist Church To Split Over Same-Sex Marriage

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Posters should refrain from saying snarky mocking flaming disparaging things. It creates a toxic environment.

I have read reports explaining how there are trade-offs between religious thinking and logical thinking in the sense of the more religious someone is the less logical they are or vise versa.

Since there is a definite divide over this set of issues within the Methodist Church, it makes sense to me, and to them, apparently, to separate into two different churches based on the basic Methodist doctrines, with the new church adding their own spin on sexual issues.

Regarding celebacy, which was mentioned by one of the other responders, it's the Catholics who practice celebacy of their priests and nuns. Most other Bible based denominations don't have rules against their clergy getting married. Even some of those related to Catholicism like the Russian Orthodox Church allow the marriage of lower level clergy. Not sure about the Greek Orthodox Church.

People do get to choose their beliefs, but they don't get to force those beliefs on others. If a traditional church doesn't want to go against the teachings of the Bible to allow behaviors that violate Biblical teaching, then it's up to the rebels to form their own church, if they still want to maintain some semblance of a Biblical lifestyle, while going their own way on some things. Here in America anyone can form their own church. The people who want to remain Methodist, while violating Biblical teachings are free to form their own church, and should do so, as it will reduce conflict within the Methodist Church.

However, legal consequences only occur if a justice of the peace refuses to perform a same-sex ceremony in a courthouse. In places of worship, the clergy has full say on whether or not to perform.

Hence the couple would have no choice but to leave the church if they want to get married. I think that's what this faction of the United Methodists want, to exclude and remove gays from their parish.

If you allow homophobia to flourish within the christian church then repurcussions are socially toxic
https://www.news.com.au/world/north-ame ... 38558fbc84

They’re still welcome in the church, but they have to go to a courthouse or a church that does perform the ceremonies they seek.

How do you suggest we stop "homophobia " from flourishing within the Christian Church?

I am not sure, but I think cyberdad posted that article mainly because of the idea that the preacher it was about seemed to be encouraging violence. I can't make an argument on telling you whether to serve gays at a business you own, but I would think a "kill em all" attitude goes a bit out of bounds for what is allowed with free speech.

I'm a member of a Christian church. So are my gay exbf and his husband. My other exbf is gay and a practicing Catholic.

I suppose we stop homophobia in the same way we police people's freedom of thought?

To my knowledge you can't police thought, you can only police thoughts that are spoken or acted on. Big difference. How do you suggest seeing everything on someone's mind?

That's probably the best way to stop homophobia----to really meet and befriend actual gay people.

I was prejudiced against black people---until I actually hung out with them for an extended time.

The key----is education and exposure to actual people, rather than just relying on theory on the time.

I was being facetious. Maybe you haven't read my point of view. Everyone is allowed freedom of thought.

In fact, I'm quite certain the US Constitution is founded on that principle.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I think the misunderstanding is really coming down to a difference in beliefs:

Isabella states: "The "positive" is that you can teach him people live in a free society where they can make their own decisions about a number of issues, as they grow up." I fully agree with this and happen to be helping to raise my children this way.


Twilightprincess, cyberdad, Bravo5150, please correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm taking it that you disagree with the above belief and instead believe that even in a free society people shouldn't be allowed to express, practice or share certain beliefs such as being anti-gay marriage and if they do they should be met with criminal punishment.

I'm interpreting your beliefs on the matter this way because of comments such as those viewpoints are a "problem" (problems beg solutions) that need to be dealt with and certain beliefs should be "illegal".

Am I misunderstanding?

I’m raising my son to not have anti-gay beliefs because that’s extremely important to me and to him in the long run! I don’t think that all world-views are equally valid or worthy in this regard. I also wouldn’t espouse Neo-Nazism.

It’s about steering him in the right direction. He’s going to hear a lot of anti-gay talk from his peers as he grows up. I’m just doing my part.

I don’t think that it should necessarily be criminalized, but I do think that churches which express anti-gay sentiment should lose their tax exempt status. Maybe they all should lose it because that’d be a pretty difficult thing to regulate.

To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.

~ Nelson Mandela