Pro-Gun United Methodists.

[ArmedProgrammer]

I am a clergy person in this denomination. I would rather redeem it than abandon it to the progressives.

I am not of your denomination, sir - but I wish you well in your endeavor.

 

[6mm Shoot]

Good for you mcafeesd. You need to talk with the upper crust of your denomination and explain to them your concerns. As well as explaining to them how they are going against the Bible. I do suggest that you have a long line of people standing behind you thinking the same way you do or they will just brush you off. Good luck. I think you will find it will be easier to just start your own church of like minded people.

 

[glockednlocked]

UMC has been at times the 1# "corporate" sponsor of handgun control inc./brady bunch. They are super anti 2A and unapologetic in their "no room for discussion" stance. I have no interest in putting money in a collection plate just so some lily liver soft soap new age "Christian" can use my resources to take away my rights. Religion is a very personal issue and I respect everyone's right to worship how they want, but these folks running UMC now make it clear day after day they want to be a social service PAC that may or may not be rooted if some sort of "faith based initiative"

 

[HoughMade]

I am a clergy person in this denomination. I would rather redeem it than abandon it to the progressives.

That's a great attitude. I commend you and hope you are successful.

 

[chezuki]

IBTL.

I also posted here.

 

[ISP 5353]

Their anti gun position is one reason my wife and I no longer attend UMC.

 

[Kagnew]

Just another reason to be glad that I'm a member of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod: "A part of me wishes the LCMS would take a stand on gun rights, but the more I think about it, I prefer not. The issue is not Biblical, and to take a position would simply be to enter the political arena and become like just about every other "Protestant" church on Earth." (And "every other protestant church" includes the ELCA, which is "LINO" - Lutheran In Name Only.)

 

[TTravis]

I am a United Methodist also. I think the Methodist's have the same mix of passionate pro and anti gun people as any other large group. I don't think this is a big issue with the Methodists. If I were to hear strong anti-gun sermons, I would find myself another place to worship but that has never happened. I do think it is important for us pro-2A Methodists to share our views with our ministers and ask their opinions. One of my best friends is a UMC minister. We like to hunt, fish, and drink beer together. I know he has at least one pistol for home defence along with his hunting guns. He knows I carry and we have been in situations where he was glad I do.

 

[BuckCreek]

I am a clergy person in this denomination. I would rather redeem it than abandon it to the progressives.

I fear you have an uphill battle against a Goliath, but I wish you well and hope you persevere. I would think a great many in the UMC congregations don't know of this stance, and that they would not be happy that their offerings help fund the likes of the Brady bunch. A good place to start might be to let those in the UMC congregations know about this policy and where the money they offer the church is going.

 

[Cool Breeze]

This?

Gun Violence

...but I'm a Southern Baptist, so we're more likely to argue about our particular choice of gun than anything else in this arena.

I'm SB as well- wouldn't we need a potluck/carry in dinner to have that discussion?

Sounds like we need to start a Christian shooting team.

How about named - "Shoot for Christ"
We could use devil targets.

I'm actually serious.

At my church our club is called "The [church name] Baptist Bible Beaters and Pistol Packers." We'll have shirts this summer.

I was going to mention this also. Jesus was clearly not against self defense. He also warned that those who live by the sword would perish by it (Matt 26:52). So I think Jesus spoke both to the legitimacy of self-defense, and the danger for those who choose a life of violence.

To the OP, maybe you need to consider the direction your church is heading in light of scripture. Just my

In Bible school I had a Prof who had a pretty good justification for war. He was formerly a Marine Sargeant, and from Mississippi, so in a high pitched southern accent: "Class, Jesus says that if we are struck on one cheek, that we are to turn the other cheek. But class, if we are struck on that cheek, what has just occured? You just ran out of cheeks!"

 

[Flash-hider]

United Church of Christ has an anti-gun resolution too. In fact ucc position on a lot of things gets pretty interesting. What I have found out is that the local church's usually play it pretty much straight down the middle. Now when you move up into the parent organization that is where all the zealots are.

 

[Alamo]

I am a clergy person in this denomination. I would rather redeem it than abandon it to the progressives.

You may find of interest the blog and person of Donald Sensing: Sense of Events. He is a pro2A Methodist preacher in Tennessee. Was career military first (Army), then took up preachin' and bloggin'.

Maybe between you and him you can sort out the church hierarchy. It really doesn't matter how pro2A or indifferent the congregations are if they are still throwing money in the plate for the church leaders to use trying to suppress guns and the right to self-defense. UMC is on the wrong side of this, politically and morally.

Good luck with your mission.

 

[mcafeesd]

You may find of interest the blog and person of Donald Sensing: Sense of Events. He is a pro2A Methodist preacher in Tennessee. Was career military first (Army), then took up preachin' and bloggin'.

Thanks for the site.

 

[bakeman]

the methodist church isnt what it used to be. I dont know much about the methodists, but i know i have heard alot of good messages from old methodist preachers on our radio station. Maybe its time that you left the methodist church and found an independent baptist church to serve in? I believe the doctrine of salvation is the same. I guess that is not the right answer for fixing the united methodist church though. I hope they quit meddling in political stuff.

This is why i like independent churches. each church can practice how the local assembly sees fit. no one telling the church what to do.

 

[Expat]

I belong to a PCUSA church. Our denomination is a little further down the left wing track than UMC at this point. I think for the most part, the local congregations remain blissfully ignorant of the positions being taken in their name. But the Presbyterians have done a really good job of purging folks that disagree with the liberal tack they are on. Most of the more conservative churches and pastors left the denomination leaving it even more liberal leaning.

 

[mcolford]

UM has been anti gun as long as I can remember (had clergy in fam).
Never really pushy on it, just a statement and move along kinda thing.
Dunno what they've been trying to spin the last decade or so.

Thats weird, a good friend of mine who is a preacher in the UMC is VERY PRO 2A, and has a few choice firearms I would love to own.

 

[HoughMade]

I'm SB as well- wouldn't we need a potluck/carry in dinner to have that discussion?....

I'm getting out the crock pots as I type this.

 

[JettaKnight]

This?

Gun Violence

...but I'm a Southern Baptist, so we're more likely to argue about our particular choice of gun than anything else in this arena.

Ha!

I'm a Regular Baptist so my main debate is whether my SD ammo is effective for all bad guys or only the bad guys I shoot.


(back to the topic)

call upon the federal and state governments to provide significant assistance to victims of gun violence and their families;

I glad to see the church is depending on big government to solve our problems.

ADOPTED 2000

Wait, so this a 14 year old discussion?

 

[JettaKnight]

I really like the slogan at the top of their website... "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors"

Seems they lost track of the Open Minds part. Didn't see much scripture in there to support the position.

Good point. I see no references.

Whatever happened to Sola Scriptura?

 

[Rhoadmar]

This?

Gun Violence

...but I'm a Southern Baptist, so we're more likely to argue about our particular choice of gun than anything else in this arena.

Wow. Number 6 in that list is at least honest.
6) call upon all governments of the world in which there is a United Methodist presence to establish national bans on ownership by the general public of handguns, assault weapons, automatic weapon conversion kits, and weapons that cannot be detected by traditionally used metal-detection devices;