Methodism's Moral Jihad

The smoke had barely cleared from the horrible Aurora, Colorado theater shootings when the Capitol Hill-based United Methodist lobby office issued its perfunctory call for gun control.

Citing United Methodism's official support for a "ban on all handguns," the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society also took its own metaphorical shots at a favorite nemesis. "Equal to our sadness at this tragic loss of life is our disappointment at Congress' inability to place public safety above the interests of the National Rifle Assn.," declared the lobby officials. "Our society can no longer afford to allow the power of the gun lobby in its efforts to ensure ownership without responsibility to keep Congress mute on this pressing public-safety issue."

Since at least 1972, the United Methodist Church, which then had over 10 million members, has backed the elimination of private handgun ownership, among other gun control measures. Having lost 3 million members in the U.S. since then, the denomination is finding that its political lobbying, which never reflected most of the membership, is now even less heeded.

But the denomination's faith in laws to eliminate evil dates back a century to an era when Methodism was one of America's most potent political forces. Daniel Okrent's 2010 Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, upon which the 2011 PBS series on the history of Prohibition was based, largely credited Methodist and Baptist clergy for leading the successful campaign. Actually it was mostly Methodism, then America's largest Protestant force, and whose hierarchy made it more conducive to waging a national struggle.

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Wesley

the author of this has no real understanding to Methodism's true beliefs. the author takes misunderstandings of the meaning of Christian Perfection and entire sanctification. the author seems to forget all the good that the early Methodist revivals did to awaken the Anglican Church which took a church that did not care for the poor, the oppressed, and could care less about the evils of society and slavery and brought the Spirit of God into every aspect of life and ended the British slave trade. the overall church in America is like the early 18th century Anglican church today that is in the same spiritual malaise that the Anglican Church had experienced. the church needs to get back to the transforming power of the gospel not just of the individual but also of society instead of focusing on an antichrist that is in our mind and looking for signs to events that took place 1950 years ago in a small very small portion of the Roman Empire. the Church of Jesus Christ was able to take over the influence of the Roman Empire and it can return to the center-point of American today.
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Neal-Avery/100003816547114 Neal Avery
  
  Well, maybe. But maybe Emperor Constantine took over the Christian Church and added some paganism to keep control.
  - UF Gator
    
    Excellent point Neal Avery, and that was the tip of the scales held by Lady Justice that has never found it's balance since, except for "that [philosophy] which engendered the roots of the U. S. Constitution." It it up to the people to decide what attempts at its restoration, if any, can/will be made in November. God help us.
- UF Gator
  
  I am skeptical of any but that which engenerdered the roots of the U. S. Constitution and it was not the Anglican Church!
http://www.facebook.com/jimjih Jim Holbrook

Outlawing handguns would be about as effective as the Constitutional Amendment which outlawed the manufacture and selling of alcoholic beverages in the 1920s. We have all kinds of laws against dangerous narcotics, but one of the biggest industries in the world is illegal drugs, and none of the proceeds get taxed. Outlawing handguns is not the answer. Society has been changed so much that I doubt that people will ever be like they were before about 1960. What caused the change? I don't know, but I think a lot of what is wrong with our society can be traced to a few powerful organizations in this country as well as our court system. I really think the problem started when the teaching of the Bible was taken out of high schools.
UF Gator

President Obama said "a mentally unbalanced individual should not be able to get his hands on a gun so easily," adding that these measures, "shouldn't be controversial, they should be common sense.” Video here. http://vlt.tc/e03
Chev James

Well, Wesley, the Methodist Church has strayed far from its roots. In Canada, it is in the forefront of the gay movement. I find it so incongruous that the Methodist Church has this irrational, visceral hatred for handguns, but is all in favor of the gay lifestyle which kills as many or more people with AIDS than are killed by guns. It's a shame when churches leave the path of the Gospel to become embroiled in controversial secular issues. The Apostle Paul was undoubtedly opposed to slavery, but he didn't divert Christianity to "social justice" with so many unsaved souls out there. And, just for the record, I'm Anglican–but I do not support gay marriage or gay clergy.
- Wesley
  
  you are talking mostly about different liberal leaders of North American United Methodist churches who are basically Methodists in name only. the United Methodist church in North America started straying from its roots when it stopped preaching against slavery in North America. there are still Methodist in America who are still true to their Methodist roots. study the Bible, getting involved helping improve society, and most importantly sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ that not only changes a person but can transform society.
- mallen11
  
  And…
  
  Luke 11:21 When a strong man, fully
  armed, guards his own homestead, his possessions are undisturbed.
  
  Luke 22:36 Then said he unto them … he
  that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
  
  NOTE:
  Jesus did not tell His disciples to
  register their swords with the government.
  
  Matthew 24:43 …if the head of the house
  had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on
  the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
  
  Jesus
  commanded His disciples to purchase weapons:
Douglas

Political Correctness and the failings in psychiatry not the lack of gun laws is at fault.
Infiltration into the church by non-believers are like termites.
The Constitution is to bind the government. When the government becomes oppressive; the citizens need to have a way to defend ones self or change the government. Peacefully.
The church that has no foundation in the Holy Bible and 100 percent in Jesus Christ The Redeemer needs to be avoided. Enablers and those who refuse to see the issue are destroying from within.
RonMar

The UMC has no authority to abrogate the rights and freedoms granted by God and guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. Since the UMC in violation of God's Holy Word – the Holy Bible – ordains practicing homosexual men and lesbian women the lack of authority of the UMC also includes any moral authority.
far2right

The right to keep and bear arms is not a man-granted right. It is an unalienable right to all free and responsible men from their Creator. The 2nd Amendment guarantees that no tyrannical government can take away that God-given right.

These liberal ungodly Methodists are walking contrary to the One they claim to be in subjection to. They have only proven what great hypocrites they are. They are ministers of Satan himself pretending to be ministers of righteousness.
They promote a god of their own imagination and despise the God of Scripture.
Like many self-righteous religious people, they are on the broad road which leads to destruction.
aceituna

Christians are charged with caring for their own first and keeping them safe. That includes self-defense. To defend ourselves in this society guns can be a useful tool. Because of the entrance of sin into our world at the time of Adam and Eve. the world has been always full of violence. The Bible recounts many times of violence and many stories of courage. Also many stories of remorse and feeling downcast. God has not promised us a continual peaceful existence. Jesus told us to expect a constant state of warfare, both physical and spiritual. Our first weapon of defense is God's Word, also a weapon of offense to strike against evil. He expects us to defend out own. That is why we need both the ballot box and the right to obtain and use weapons (in other words the right to bare arms) to defend ourselves.
LouiseCA

We live in what used to be a quiet country area. It is now infested with thieves. I never, ever thought it would be possible to see this much crime in this area. Nothing is sacred. Everyone we know, including ourselves, has been broken into, most of us, several times. I know many people who now are finding it necessary to obtain Concealed Carry permits. It is not that easy to get one. By the time they have educated themselves on guns, practiced and practiced, and passed the tests..they absolutely know how to handle guns safely. If any one of them had been in that theater with their weapon, the ending of that terrible story would have been much different. Guns are not the problem. The deterioration of our society is the problem. Our turning from God is the problem. Our falling into a moral abyss from which this country may possibly never recover is the problem. Liberal, bleeding-heart, politicians who care more about their jobs than they do about the country is the the problem. Our Biblically-illiterate society is the problem. Socialist teachers and professors are the problem. Schools where Jesus' Name can't be mentioned except in cursing is the problem. And liberal churches who have strayed from the truth are a huge problem……We have sown to the wind and we are reaping the whirlwind..
Charles Giles

It seems to me that the ""United Methodist Church"", should be concerned about the lack of their representation for the true gospel, in truth they are just another 501c3 church working for the elitist plans to control the population of the country by taking away the peoples absolute right to protect themselves from tyranny,("especially that tyranny of the planned elitist takeover, and the corporate organization known as the US government") the United Methodist Church hierarchy is nothing but a shill supposedly acting on the behalf of the betterment of man,supposedly speaking for their members, well I confess that I was once one of their members,"But They Surely Do Not Speak For Me", and they surely do not stress Jesus,nor the scriptures, nor any of the instructions of our Father in heaven, they spout the same slogan as the elitists, {" Never let a true tragedy go to waste, Make hay while the sun is still shining on the catastrophe"}. The United Methodist Church, is a fine example of a Corporate, Communist, Socialist, Oligarchical, Nicolaitan Hierarchy, a organization that does not deserve to counted among those who aspire Christian principles. John Wesley is in a continual spinning motion in his grave, after founding that church, and the way that the so called church has gone. It is to bad that corporations can not be convicted of a crime, this one has surely cheated justice.
Wayne

I saw a perfect analogy given by another writer recently. He said,(paraphrasing) "It is like having a problem with kids speeding at 90 mph in a residential district with a speed limit of 35. Government decides to get things under control by reducing the speed limit to 30." In gun control, we already have laws in place. Do you expect the criminals who already do not follow the laws to follow new laws? The problem is not the law abiding folks, it will always be the disregard for all law by scofflaws.
ounbbl

How can we prevent criminal gun-slingers going on killing spree? By making gun-ownership illegal? Where does this moronic idea coming even into the brains of so-called Christians? Obviously they cannot be Christians – they are just a part of power-mongers.

The only country I know that not only it's illegal to own guns but it's impossible to own guns is North Korea. Guns are in the hands of Red Army and Police and Secret police. USA is trying to emulate North Korea? Gun never kills people; its mind set of people.

When did M.C. become to stand at the front place of fashionable socialist liberation theology – with liberating from everything decent human traditions carried on – including enrolling into 'Gay Church for married-gay only', following the great tradition after King Henry of their parent-brother Anglicans-Episcopals.
Evermyrtle

For a long, long time the Methodist church has been very liberal.
- Elder
  
  That is a broad, sweeping statement Evermyrtle. It also is not accurate when placed in a larger context. There are areas in the country, generally out west and in the north-east that are liberal – true. The south-central and south-eastern Methodists (the great majority of the membership in U.S. Methodism) are generally very orthodox. Methodists in Africa and Asia are very conservative. Methodism is going through major changes right now and it is upholding the Gospel – read about our recent General Conference in Tampa. We are embracing orthodoxy as a denomination and have loud pockets of small, liberal voices.
- Pastor Dwayne
  
  When I went to the Methodist church in my teen years, I went to six weeks of catichism(SP) confessed the Lord Jesus Christ , Got my head sprinkled with water, and was told my name was written down in the Lamb's book of Life,,,,WHAT A LIE, I was at the age of 27 Born Again , and 3.5 months later Baptized in / with the Holy Ghost, with evidence of speaking in tounges , and not going to a Pentecostal type church to git er done ,,,,,,Praise GOD
  - Winston
    
    Exactly! I grew up in the Episcopal church and followed a similar lie, but in my earlier years the Episcopalians were pretty conservative but in my middle years the liberals had "wormed" their way into the church by letting homosexuals and women in the priesthood… and their theological colleges allowed it to happen. When a church or denomination becomes errant and apostate to Biblical teachings it's time to close down the church. Jesus' teachings indicate clearly to his apostles (and us) to "go into the world to preach the gospel and save sinners", and NOT bring the world into the church…which is what has happened today.
American Gram

Yes, Evermyrtle, we have become very liberal. I'm 85 and trapped. That is, too old to leave my old friends, many of whom also shake their old grey heads over what our church has become. But, I can hold my stance and beliefs. At Bible study I am often looked at patiently as old people don't know what they are talking about. When the minister is a Socialist ???? (and says so). When I was a child and teen, Methodists didn't smoke, drink, dance, play cards, or whatever. We surely turned 180 degrees.
Winston

Apparently the Methodists do not read nor study the Bible. It is God's Word which tells us in Joel 3:10 "Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, “I am a warrior.” And in Revelation Jesus is shown as our "Warrior King". So were do these weak spirited Methodists come off in being wimps. I know..those apostate Pastors get their training at liberally and socialist minded schools of theology and brainwash the blind sheep from the pulpit. I didn't give three years of my life to serve voluntarily in the U.S. Army to have errant pseudo-righteous Methodists (and other ignoramuses) to abandon our Constitutional freedom and liberty to bear arms for personal and national defense.
http://www.facebook.com/people/David-B-Severy/557985964 David B Severy

If christians were effective in preaching and teaching, if they were effective at making disciples of all Jesus taught the 12 apostles, our society would experience far less violence. When Jesus came to the Last Supper He was walking into the pre-ordained death (and resurrection) that would redeem all who would TRUST in Him. Jesus laid down His life without any struggle to defend it!

If I can lead someone to faith in Christ, their lives are safe in a way that guns cannot threaten. Yet the greatest defense we can have personally is being born again !!! This is at the heart of why we treasure freedom, or it ought to be. Nonetheless defending others is something we should do. And guns are necessary to do this today.

The question is, am I an American Patriot because I want religious freedom and Christ's salvation for others? Or am I just desiring the "American Dream?" Dreams end when you wake up. When we die we wake up before God for assignment to heaven or hell. Some how the issue of gun ownership must be considered in the light of Jesus and His Plan for me, you and all men.