The United Methodist Church:
Abortion
Part 17
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The United Methodist Church has come to accept abortion, the killing of innocent babies.
Sadly, the increasingly liberal Methodist church has opened the door to the evil, cruel, and heartless practice of abortion. One report says that conservatives were “disturbed” by the “General Conference’s 1970 resolution favoring legalized abortion and sterilization as a partial solution to the population crisis.”[i]
The issue of abortion has been compromised. The denomination is reluctant to give total approval to abortion under all circumstances (especially “partial-birth” abortion), and for this we are thankful.[ii] However, it gives some approval to this barbarous and inhumane practice. We read the following in the Methodist Discipline:
Our belief in the sanctity of unborn human life makes us reluctant to approve abortion. But we are equally bound to respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother, for whom devastating damage may result from an unacceptable pregnancy. In continuity with past Christian teaching, we recognize tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion, and in such cases we support the legal option of abortion under proper medical procedures. We cannot affirm abortion as an acceptable means of birth control, and we unconditionally reject it as a means of gender selection.[iii]
It appears that many Methodist women are fully committed to the ungodly “women’s choice” movement that is pro-abortion (i.e., pro-murder):
WHEREAS, the General Board of Church and Society and the Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries are currently members of the Religious Coalition, along with national organizations from 14 denominations, including the Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ, Unitarian Universalism, Reform and Conservative Judaism, and
WHEREAS, these Coalition member organizations hold a wide variety of views regarding policies relating to specific issues of reproductive choice such as when life and personhood begins but, nevertheless, share common religious values, have official pro-choice policies, and are committed to working together to ensure reproductive choice for all persons through the moral power of religious communities, and
WHEREAS, the Religious Coalition supports the right of all persons to have access to a wide range of reproductive health services including sexuality education, family planning services, contraception, abortion services, affordable and quality health and child care, and
WHEREAS, the Religious Coalition’s All Options Clergy Counseling program trains clergy of many faiths to assist women in discerning the course of action that they believe is best in a case of unintended pregnancy, and
WHEREAS, internationally, the Religious Coalition is an accredited non-governmental organization with the United Nations Department of Public Information which supports international family planning services in such areas as South Africa where the Coalition works with churches on HIV/AIDS education and prevention, and
WHEREAS, the Coalition’s efforts help counter attempts to enact restrictive legislation that would impose specific religious views about abortion and reproductive health on persons of all faiths, and
WHEREAS, factions within the United Methodist Church whose stated goal is to have the General Conference go on record in opposition to all abortions regardless of the reason are working towards the goal of severing all United Methodist ties with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice;
Therefore, be it resolved, that the United Methodist 2004 General Conference go on record in support of the work of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, and
Be it further resolved, that the 2004 General Conference affirm the continued membership of the General Board of Church and Society and the Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries in the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
ADOPTED 2004[iv]
Those who respect life (whether part of an official “pro life” organization or not) will recognize that killing innocent babies is an exercise in killing. While the UMC approves the “pro choice” of the mother (the right to kill her unborn and helpless son or daughter), apparently it hasn’t considered whether the baby himself or herself would like the choice to live!
Let’s be plain: this is murder, whether we are speaking about the doctor who literally takes the life of the unborn child, or the nurse who assists in this barbarous act, or the mother who gives her body to commit this evil deed, or the father who approves or even arranges for this act. It is an unacceptable alternative for anyone, including the United Methodist Church. Scripture is clear that “no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15). God’s word says that “murder” is a sin “worthy of death” (Romans 1:29, 32). Plainly, “murderers” will have “their part” in “the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).[v]
You may wish to check out the United Methodist further:
[i] Arthur C. Piepkorn, Profiles in Belief, Volume 2, p. 595.
[ii] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Methodist_Church
[iii] The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church (2004); archives.umc.org/interior.asp?mid=1932.
[iv] archives.umc.org/interior.asp?ptid =4&mid=9239.
[v] Randy Alcorn, Why Pro-Life? (Sandy, OR: Eternal Perspective Ministries, 2004).