UNITED METHODIST CHURCH SEEKS TO "DISCIPLINE" JEFF SESSIONS FOR ENFORCING IMMIGRATION LAW
SEE: http://pulpitandpen.org/2018/06/20/united-methodist-church-seeks-to-discipline-jeff-sessions-for-enforcing-the-law/; republished below in full unedited for informational, educational and research purposes:
Attorney General Jeff Sessions quoted Paul in his defense of enforcing laws and consequences. Hillary Clinton quoted Jesus to support the violation of laws and repudiation of consequences. Albert Mohler, Russell Moore, and the United Methodist Church all have one thing in common. They all ignored Clinton’s butchering of Matthew 19:14 (as though “suffer not the little children” has anything to do with immigration policy) and instead all chose to rebuff Session’s use of Romans 13 (even though it’s perfectly applicable to immigration law). Most absurdly, Sessions may face “discipline charges” from the United Methodist Church. This may denote the first time in…well, ever, that the United Methodist Church has seen someone’s supposed sin rise to the level of discipline.
OPEN MINDS. OPEN HEARTS. OPEN BORDERS?
More than 600 United Methodists have signed a petition asking the church to discipline Sessions for enforcing United States Immigration Law passed by the U.S. Congress and interpreted by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. That law requires United States border patrol to separate children from their criminal parents, in the event their illicit actions require detainment and due process. The accusation against Sessions was made to pastors of Sessions’ home church in Mobile, Alabama, and his attending church in Arlington, Virginia, both of which belong to the United Methodist denomination.
Quoting Paragraph 2702.3 of the 2016 United Methodist Book of Discipline, the complaint accuses Sessions of child abuse, immorality, racial discrimination, and dissemination of doctrines contrary to those of the UMC. You can read the formal complaints of these UMC clergy-members and laypeople here.
It reads:
While other individuals and areas of the federal government are implicated in each of these examples, Mr. Sessions – as a long-term United Methodist in a tremendously powerful, public position – is particularly accountable to us, his church. He is ours, and we are his. As his denomination, we have an ethical obligation to speak boldly when one of our members is engaged in causing significant harm in matters contrary to the Discipline on the global stage. Several Bishops and other denominational leaders have spoken out about this matter, urging Methodists to contact Mr. Sessions and for these policies to change, but we believe that the severity of his actions and the harm he is causing to immigrants, migrants, refugees, and asylees calls for his church to step into a process to directly engage with him as a part of our community
In the meantime, Democratic presidential candidate, former United States Senator, and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has enjoyed a lifelong relationship with the United Methodist Church and has received no such charges of church discipline for genocide, infanticide, gratuitous bearing false witness, or any other reasonable complaint regarding her personal behavior and her crimes against humanity and the unborn.
In fact, discipline in the United Methodist Church on account of sin is almost unheard of.
I attended a United Methodist Church in Helena, Montana on Saturday. It was an “anointing ceremony” for the Big Sky Pride Parade, and included several homosexual ministers. The following is a video of a transvestite leading the congregation in a communion hymn (as performed by the Sidewalk Prophets, called, “Come to the Table”) with the words changed from, “Come join the sinners who have been redeemed” to “Come join the lovers who do not judge.”
It’s safe to say that no discipline charges will be brought against this United Methodist church or any other for such gross departures from Christian orthodoxy.
