Posted on 01/25/2015 3:13:56 PM PST by Morgana
Bill Mefford, Director of Civil and Human Rights at the UMC’s Washington office, used the March for Life last week to mock the event with a sign, and picture he posted on Twitter, saying “I march for sandwiches.” Many are upset a church leader used a solemn event to liken an unborn baby to a sandwich.
The next day, UMC Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe General Secretary General Board of Church & Society, issued a statement about Mefford’s “march”:
“Affirming human dignity is central to the witness of Jesus Christ. Christians are called to watch over with care the lives of all persons and creation. We must strive to lead by example through our words and actions. We seek Christian compassion when we fall short in our actions with one another.
“A recent action involving a staff member of GBCS did not reflect our culture of respect, openness and hospitality. Appropriate conversations and action have been taken. We at GBCS recognize the special responsibility we have to cultivate respect, trust and hospitality among those who hold a variety of opinions on social issues.”
However, Henry-Crowe is speaking out of both sides of her mouth when she insists the UMC affirms human dignity while likewise having a culture of “openness.” It’s so open, in fact, that it is open to abortion.
The UMC is a longstanding member of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), which is, put simply, is Planned Parenthood with a twist of God. rcrc.orgPhoto via rcrc.org
The UMC General Board of Church and Society, Henry-Crowe’s office, is the very branch of the UMC that participates on the frontlines with the RCRC. Her statement neglects to note that they give money to and support the RCRC which vocally and blatantly advocates for abortion right and Roe V. Wade being upheld.
Lest anyone believe that’s just a fringe belief of a few in the UMC, it only takes a look at the official church document, to see the advocacy of abortion is clear. The UMC’s Book of Discipline actually says that life and death are in our hands, and abortion is permitted. The same document is copied to the UMC page where it lists its stance on various social issues:
“The beginning of life and the ending of life are the God-given boundaries of human existence. While individuals have always had some degree of control over when they would die, they now have the awesome power to determine when and even whether new individuals will be born.
“But we are equally bound to respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother and the unborn child.
“We recognize tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion, and in such cases we support the legal option of abortion under proper medical procedures by certified medical providers.”
No words of regret for abortion can be counteracted by statements that say we are able to decide life and death. The UMC has never pretended to be pro-life. In fact, in Texas, “the healthcare group affiliated with the UMC, the Methodist Healthcare Ministries gave Planned Parenthood $443.000.
Thus, to see a leader in the denomination making a joke of death, hosting a sarcastic sign and pretending it was all in good fun, is not really a surprise.
It is, however, a shame. As one story notes:
“A great proportion of the pro-life marchers are young people. They are volunteers, unpaid and untrained. Mefford, on the other hand, is a grown man, one whose actual job is to represent Christians in the public square. How is it, then, that if we compare Mefford and the young marchers, the adolescents are the ones who come out looking like adults?”
Mefford apologized and insisted it was a joke and part of his sense of humor, that he meant no harm. But one reader , David Fischer, responded:
“Ask yourself this: how would you have responded if the marchers in Ferguson or New York this past fall had been met with mockery? I suspect you would not have appreciated it. Even if one disagreed with them, the seriousness of the situation demanded respect. Same with the March for Life.”
Rod Derher adds:
“If he had mocked the marchers at either of those places, Mefford probably would have been fired.”
But he wasn’t because his organization stands with him. Mefford may have deleted his Twitter account, but this isn’t the cause of one random joke gone bad. It was a statement of the UMC on the issue of abortion, which only allows for the rights of the woman, but not the child.
Aborted babies do not make contributions to the Church. Parents and Grandparents of knocked up teens do. The Church just wants everyone to feel good about themselves. Doing otherwise might cut off the flow of cash.
all in “good “ “fun”////
depending upon ones perspective or lack of any...
Washington DC is the center of the Empire. Just like Rome, politics, the state and money corrupt nearly everyone there - even so-called Christian churches
Mefford had one job. One job, and he screwed it up. Crowe had one job. One job, and she screwed it up.
I could argue that high school mean girls got that way after girls switched to playing with Barbie and dumped their baby dolls.
And, Directors of Civil and Human Rights became insensitive to dead baby jokes while they ate their lunch.
He does NOT speak for the church. The United Methodist Church does have liberals under its large umbrella. But, I am part of a clergy only UMC group which has roundly criticized his comments by both liberals & conservatives. The General Board of Church & Society [is typically more liberal] but issued this statement:
“Cultivating a Culture of Respect
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 23, 2015
The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) welcomed LifeWatch into The United Methodist Building prior to the Right to Life March. Rev. Paul Stallsworth serves as the President. I participated in a meaningful service of worship. I appreciate the convictions and public witness of our brothers and sisters.
Affirming human dignity is central to the witness of Jesus Christ. Christians are called to watch over with care the lives of all persons and creation. We must strive to lead by example through our words and actions. We seek Christian compassion when we fall short in our actions with one another.
A recent action involving a staff member of GBCS did not reflect our culture of respect, openness and hospitality. Appropriate conversations and action have been taken. We at GBCS recognize the special responsibility we have to cultivate respect, trust and hospitality among those who hold a variety of opinions on social issues.
One of the marks of United Methodism is a spirit of openness and dialogue. We seek to continually encourage open dialogue through hospitality and respect. These are principles that we intend and foster with all persons who seek to live out their Christian faith and convictions through social action.
“We commit ourselves to stand united in declaring our faith that God’s grace is available to all, that nothing can separate us from the love of God. In that confidence, we pledge to continue to be in respectful dialogue with those with whom we disagree, to explore the sources of our differences, to honor the sacred worth of all persons, and to tell the truth about our divisions as we continue to seek the mind of Christ and to do the will of God in all things.”
Preamble Social Principles of The United Methodist Church
I remember being mocked years ago for telling people the left was invading all the major christian denominations.
The UMC response is pure BS. I sat in Annual Conference in June 2013 and watched in disgust as a Methodist pastor stood up to argue against a resolution to merely suggest an ultrasound prior to an abortion where he said, “No one really knows when life begins, so...”
He received a thunderous applause from the majority of the delegates at the conference.
They showed me that cannot be simultaneously be Progressive and Christian, which we already knew from Matthew 6:24. Yes, I know that 6:24 specifically mentions money as the second master, but look at the Progressive agenda: wealth redistribution, use of taxation policies to change behavior, abortion as a tool to keep women from the financial burden of having babies, wealth envy, accusations of everyone else being greedy by people who always have their hands in other people’s cookie jars, etc.
Bill Mefford, you damn hypocrite, GO POUND SAND!
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now tell us what you really think.
The sappy Methodists were the first to fall prey to the “I’m OK, you’re OK” philosphy of life...ignoring the fact that there are capital sins. The primary one is a disregard for human life at all stages.
Your first sentence is profound.
“When you okay the killing of babies your heart turns to stone.”
I will remember that, hopefully forever.
Right on!
Perhaps St. Matthew wasn't familiar with the term "narcissistic supply."
I think I read somewhere, something to the effect that God will not be mocked. If you think you can then have at it but I would not want to be you when you stand before the judgement seat of Christ.
I am ordained a United Methodist minister. I was a NICU nurse in Detroit, Michigan. I am very Pro-Life. I do not want to die, but I would stand in front of a firing squad if it would stop every abortion. BTW, there are MANY pro-life United Methodists.
...that being said.
This man was HEAVILY criticized in the clergy group byboth liberals & conservative.. which DID surprise me. Now I hope they won’t kick me out of this group! LOL
It’s not unreasonable to ask, then, why are these two bigots still employed?
No, we have NOT fallen for “I’m OK/ you’re OK”.
The UMC is a major protestant denomination that does not ordain homosexual clergy and does not perform same sex marriages. The Bishops that tried were brought up on charges within the judiciary branch of UMC.
The UMC & Presbyterian Church (World Council of Churches) sold their souls to satan way back.
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