Posted on 05/24/2007 7:20:35 AM PDT by epow
An official with the Institute on Religion and Democracy says it is outrageous that a leader in the United Methodist Church has called for the removal of U.S. flags from the denomination's churches.
Minister Clayton Childers of the Capitol Hill-based United Methodist Board of Church and Society said the presence of a national flag can imply endorsement of national policies, which often are counter to the teachings of Christ. Childers even noted that the Swastika flag was displayed prominently in German churches during the Nazi era.
Mark Tooley is with the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD). "Obviously," he notes, "there are a number of serious problems with that Nazi-American analogy; but one of the problems, of course, is that American churches display the American flag completely voluntarily. No one is compelling them to do it -- whereas, of course, in Nazi Germany the totalitarian state compelled its churches not only to display the flag but to support the government's policies."
Meanwhile, the IRD spokesman remarks, United Methodist officials apparently are not concerned about the fact that many churches display politically correct, rainbow paraphernalia and peace banners. He says the comments from Childers are not surprising.
"This illustrates one of the many, many problems with liberal theology, which de-emphasizes the need for evangelism and for conversion and for salvation," Tooley contends. "If you set aside all of those things," he says, "what do you have left but simply using the church for social justice issues?
My Godly Methodist grandparents must be watching from above in disgust as Wesley's formerly bible-based denomination sinks deeper and deeper into anti-American liberalism and apostacy. Thank God there are still some independent Methodist congregations in America that haven't fallen into Godless apostacy, but you have to look long and hard to find them in many localities.
On Capitol Hill, no less. You should see how this place dresses itself up at Halloween.
Unpatriotic jerks.
Die.
Seriously.
I agree this is stupid, and I am glad they went public with their stupidity.
But he is right- this is America, they can choose whether or not they decide to fly a flag.
We have a right to our opinion about it too.
The main problem is that it’s stark raving nuts.
When I read this kind of thing, it makes me do a slow burn. But on the other hand, publishing these guys’ opinion never really accomplishes anything, except to reassure similarly-minded nutcases that they are not alone in their hatred of America. I’m not sure what use there is in that.
The gift of timing. For this clown to trot this out right before Memorial Day is sure to provoke more backlash than if he waited another week.
Is there any wonder why the UMC is circling the drain and becoming increasingly irrelevant?
The fact that don’t want to display the American flag yet they have no compunction about displaying the homosexual rainbow banner sufficiently illustrates the current state of the United Methodist Church.
The UMC is indicative of the sickness that has deeply infected the left in this country. They are clearly being given over to depravity.
Every year. every summer Bible school. 3 pledges. The American flag, The Christian flag and God’s Holy Word.
American flags hang proudly in both worship venues in our UM Church. Despite these sensational episodes of liberal outbursts, the pendulum has swung. The UM Denomination has been tilting back to a more traditional, conservative view since the 2000 General Conference. And now the liberal elements are on defense - trying to fight the demographic shifts within the Church, where conservative areas are growing (Southeast U.S. and Africa in particular) and the liberal areas are hemorraging membership (Northeast and Western U.S.) - it’s still a battle, but the tide has turned. Just watch (and pray).
Was raised Methodist..........but that was back in a time when it was a Christian Church......Now sadly Methodist is just a PC word for Communist.
The only difference between an anti-American Mosque and a Methodist Church is the Methodist Church doesn’t have bomb making supplies........................yet.
Their numbers along with their relevancy are headed south, this is a good example of why!
We left the UM church several years ago after I read the Book of Discipline and found out the church doesn’t stand firmly against abortion at all stages of development. I also got tired of those reports from the national meetings where homosexuals were allowed to continually disrupt the proceedings. And I got tired of hearing about the Council on Women’s Ministries hosting “Sophia Worship” get togethers.
In return they should lose their tax exemption and have to pay back taxes. Looks to me like they are running a business and not a church. So tax them like a business.
I wonder if he is using that marker to strike out the parts of the Bible he doesn’t approve of?
Proud to say I am an ex-Methodist.
Pardon my ignorance, but who — or what — is Sophia?
I don't know about other areas of the country, but I just left WA state last month, and everywhere I went, the United Methodist Churches were pastored by women, the majority of which looked like, well, gym teachers...
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