53% Reject Homosexual Liberalization at Tampa World Methodist Conference

Photo from the Good News web site from Wednesday's floor demonstaltion at the General Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Just in from the Confessing Movement web site:

Thursday, May 3 – Day 9 of General Conference

Update, 10:45 am:

The full petition regarding human sexuality has been defeated with 368 votes in favor and 572 votes against.  As delegates prepared to take a brief break, once again the supporters of GLBT entered the restricted area.

Update, 9:56 am:

Adam Hamilton’s amendment was defeated with 439 votes in favor and 531 votes against.

UPDATE, 9:20 am:

At 9:20 am the debate on homosexuality began.

A number of people wearing rainbow stoles representing gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual individuals are standing around the area just outside the area restricted for delegates and officials.

Adam Hamilton has presented his motion to add language to the Discipline to indicate United Methodists agree to disagree on issues related to homosexuality.

Dr. Maxie Dunnam, Confessing Movement board member, has spoken against the motion  The debate continues.

6:45 am.  – Today is a very important day at General Conference.

All of the sexuality issues are on the agenda.

The first petition to be considered deals with homosexuality.

Adam Hamilton, pastor at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, asked yesterday to have his amendment printed for today’s agenda.

His petition would add language to the Discipline that would say we agree to disagree on homosexuality.

That language makes other church language essentially void.

Maxie Dunnam, Eddie Fox, and others will oppose the Hamilton amendment.

However, the presiding bishop must recognize an individual before they can speak.

Please pray for General Conference on this National Day of Prayer.

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Mark Tooley of the Institute for Religion and Democracy has this to say about the debate and vote:

“This morning at about 10 am the United Methodist General Conference defeated a motion from Kansas minister Adam Hamilton to acknowledge that United Methodists disagree on homosexuality.

“The motion, co-originated with Ohio minister Mike Slaughter, was defeated by about 53 percent to 47 percent.

“Nearly 30 percent of delegates are from Africa, where United Methodism is solidly conservative theologically.

“Nearly 10 percent come from elsewhere overseas, mostly Europe and the Philippines.

“Of the 60 percent of delegates who are from the U.S., about one-third are believed to be evangelical.

“The vote revealed a majority coalition of Africans, U.S. evangelicals, and some other overseas delegates.

“The Adam Hamilton motion was considered the strongest attempt to dilute the United Methodist Church’s current stance that homosexual practice is “incompatible with Christian teaching.”

“The church prohibits same-sex unions and precludes actively homosexual clergy, expecting all clergy to be celibate if single and monogamous if in a marriage between man and woman. Legislative committees last week recommended retaining these current stances.

“Almost certainly, after the defeat of Hamilton’s motion, the full General Conference will reaffirm its current teachings on

  • marriage,
  • sexual ethics and
  • homosexuality.

“The growth of United Methodism in Africa, where there are now over 4 million church members, has helped to ensure that the denomination has not followed other U.S. denominations in liberalizing their sexual standards.”

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Comments

53% Reject Homosexual Liberalization at Tampa World Methodist Conference — 5 Comments

  1. Thank you for standing up for what is Biblical and morally right.

    Gays can certainly have their relationships, if that is what they want, but it is not Biblical to call that marriage.

    Marriage is the foundation of society and is God’s plan for mankind.

    If gay marriage is validated by society, what is next…incest? beasteology???

    Truth is still truth.

  2. i believe we are here on these earth to please God only, we cannot serve 2 masters…for us who love the lord continue to live Holy in the sight of God.

    We must stand strong, I can not support something that deep within me i know its wrong!…because I want to please someone…im here to please God and look forward for his return!

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