Minister to act as human shield (Methodism in action - my title)

Daily Record ^ | Feb 14, 2003 | Frederick Boyle

[ZULU]

The Rev. Frederick Boyle, a pacifist and pastor of Millbrook United Methodist Church in Randolph, is planning to head to Baghdad next week to join the ranks of human shields there.

The controversial shield movement is drawing volunteers from Russia, Canada, Italy, the United States, Ireland, England and other countries. Their first wish is to dissuade an American preemptive strike against Iraq. But Boyle, 53, said that's not why they're going.

[ZULU]

Hope he's wearing a large bulls-eye.

[Question_Assumptions]

I didn't leave the Methodist Church. It left me. And it's a shame, too, given its history.

[lormand]

We should create a thread which instructs human shields of exactly where they should station themselves in Iraq.

For example, the human shields should place themselves as close to Command & Control facilities, Anti-Aircraft batteries...etc.

[Bluntpoint]

I love the smell of human shields burning in the morning. Smells like... victory. Also, they smell like chicken on the barbie.

[LiteKeeper]

"And the nominees for this year's Darwin Award are..."

[MindBender26]

Tell them to wear a Jane Fonda mask.

[ZULU]

The same can be said for the Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and Catholics. Now the Pope is getting into the pacifist act. He should take a leaf from those fighting popes in the middle ages - like the one who called for the first Crusade (Pope Urban something??)

[ZULU]

"...to force Americans to realize their bombs will kill human beings."

Gee, I never knew that. I'll bet Al Qaida and the Taliban and Saddam didn't know that either. Maybe he should go talk to them about his theories.

[AppyPappy]

I just joined a Methodist Church. I figured they needed me.

[davisfh]

"I didn't leave the Methodist Church. It left me. And it's a shame, too, given its history. "

I grew up in the Methodist Church. In the sixties, it became apparent to me that something had gone wrong though. I was pretty much apolitical at the time and didn't understand the difference between the political left and right. In retrospect, I can easily understand that when the Methodist Church became the United Methodist Church a serious leftward lurch began.

I remember saying to an older gentleman back then that I noticed a big change in the sunday school literature. He understood what was happening and his only comment was, "They're trying to soften you up for what's coming."

[TheBigB]

"Imagine 400 bombs a day. They're talking about knocking Baghdad, in the first six hours, back into the dark ages. They will knock out all power, all water, all human resources."

In other words, "fighting a war."

[Loyalist]

"A foundation of Christian belief is in the words of Jesus Christ: There is no greater love than to lay down your life for another."

Watch out, Rev. Boyle! You may be called upon any day now to defend your interpretation of Our Lord's word before Him.

[Preech1]

I too left the Methodist church 8 1/2 years ago because of their rampant liberal agenda and the fact that the UMC bears absolutely no resemblance to the ideas originally present in John Wesley's methodist movement.

[nmh]

"... to force Americans to realize their bombs will kill human beings."

Duh! Personally I think it's goog for them to be a human shield. We'll convice others that bombs kills tha bad guys/gals and have no more trouble fromthem in the future. To defend sadaam insane is to align with sadaam insane. Too bad these folks don't read their Bible. If they did then they'd KNOWW that God allows and uses wars to get His way.

[Preech1]

Hmmm...was it "Pope Urban Warfare"???

[nmh]

"A foundation of Christian belief is in the words of Jesus Christ: There is no greater love than to lay down your life for another."

Misapplied here. Sucide is against God's will. Our service men and women ARE laying down their lives to free others from evil. Now this will please God.

[Conservative Iowan]

He says he wants to go to Bagdad next week. He better hurry or it may be over before he gets there.

[Question_Assumptions]

I just joined a Methodist Church. I figured they needed me.

There are pockets of traditional groups within the methodist church but that eventually fails when a bright young liberal thing fresh out of getting their Divinity degree decides to shake things up. My cousin's congregation (before he left the Methodist church) was very traditional (none of the PC nonsense) and I'm happy that my wife and I were married there (my cousin was the minister, by the way). He told me about what happened when they brough in a new young minister and how betrayed the older members of the congregation felt when the new minister changed everything.

Of course I can talk about the woman minister that the church I attended as a child got who decided to spend the Christmas service talking about God as Mother and the nasty grungy reality of giving birth in with the animals in the first century. Yeah, that's what people go to Christmas service to hear...