TransAdvocate

According to UM Action:

Washington, DC—The Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church is deliberating this week over a series of controversial issues, among them the recent re-appointment of a transsexual to be pastor of a church in Baltimore. The Judicial Council is meeting in San Francisco to consider 19 different docket items, several dealing with sex and gender identity. The Judicial Council is the highest court in the United Methodist Church, which has 7.9 million members in the United States.

Among the groups present during the Judicial Council meeting, Reconciling Witness, a caucus advocating “full inclusion” of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transsexual persons, is planning a series of events to oppose church teachings.

There is no specific mention of transsexuality or sex change operations in the United Methodist Book of Discipline, the church’s lawbook. However, the United Methodist Church officially does not ordain into the ministry practicing homosexuals or others who are sexually active outside of marriage. United Methodism affirms God’s love and civil rights for all people, while also affirming marriage as the lifelong union of man and woman.

Outside of the steeple this kind of tactic is called “bait and switch.” I’ve seen no mention of the Pastor being sexually active outside of marriage.

The press release continues:

IRD Director of UMAction Mark Tooley responded:Christian teaching across the centuries has upheld the sacred nature of God’s gift of maleness and femaleness.

Christianity’s traditions strongly argue against any affirmation of transsexuality or sex change procedures.

Even if the Judicial Council cannot decisively rule on the Baltimore transsexual case, we expect the General Conference in 2008 will address it.

Really? I guess Mr Tooley’s never read:

Matthew 19:11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given 12 For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

or:

Isaiah 56:3 Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say,
“The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.”
And let not any eunuch complain,
“I am only a dry tree.”

4 For this is what the LORD says:
“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose what pleases me
and hold fast to my covenant-

5 to them I will give within my temple and its walls
a memorial and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that will not be cut off.

or the fact that Early church father Origen, Saint Ignatius , or the author of the Gospel of Matthew were all eunuchs. Christian historian Tertullian even stated that Christ himself was a eunuch.

For the Lord himself opened the Kingdom of heaven to eunuchs, He himself being a eunuch.

I shouldn’t really be shocked, considering that UM Action has shown support for the war in Iraq. I guess Christ meant to turn the other cheek and love thy enemy at the point of a gun.

I keep going back to the same passage over and over again:

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:16-20

Read their statements and apply the biblical texts I’ve shown here. Their fruit is quite obvious.

Sour grapes anyone?