On homosexuality

The United Methodist Church holds an "ecumenical council" every four years called General Conference. What makes it special is that any individual may petition them to change our book of church law which we call The Book of Discipline. We are also allowed to present resolutions on any subject which could become a working policy eventually.

Below is one such resolution. It seeks to establish a paradigm with which our church may put to rest the divisive arguments over homosexuality. In another blog, I will discuss the chances of resolution within our denomination. Hopefully, some person among the upper eschelons of our hierarchy will see this and will make it his/her own and someday it will be spoken by said person and our Church will move forward.

In the meantime, I prepared this resolution so that it would be offered to our denominational state meeting in mid June. If it passes there, maybe that will give it a little more support at General Conference in 2008. If it does not pass, then I will be glad to have some others reading and thinking about my resolution and I'll forward it myself to General Conference. - I love our current system for presenting petitions and resolutions!

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Resolution to the 2008 General Conference
Re: Homosexuality
Financial implications: None

Resolution:
Be it resolved that the General Conference of the United Methodist Church affirm that homosexuality is on a continuum of sexuality with heterosexuality and therefore be seen in the natural God-made way for human life;

Be it further resolved that the General Conference also affirm that some people anywhere along that continuum of sexual behavior may stray into behaviors that are not true for them as individuals and therefore need help and patience to find their own true sexual nature,

And be it further resolved that, rather than be against one kind of natural sexuality as opposed to another kind, we focus on challenging those behaviors that are untrue to that individual, or are exploitative, violent, or otherwise cause harm to any other individuals.

Rationale:
Whereas the debate in the church over homosexuality derives primarily from use of Scripture to support a personal preference or a prejudice on both “sides“ of the debate;

Whereas human knowledge and experience shows that all of us have elements of the heterosexual and homosexual, more or less, in our own natures;

Whereas medicine has identified genetic and hormonal differences that are a part of the natural course of human birthing, and not therefore different from the nature of being red-haired or left handed;

Therefore I present the resolution as a means of ending the partisan scuffling over whether all homosexuals are natural or an abomination to God. As Jesus said of eunuchs (see Matthew 19:12), some are God-made and some are man-made. So it is with all of us! And only the harmful treatment of ourselves and each other needs to be addressed.

Respectfully submitted:

Rev. Jerry Eckert, retired clergy member, WI AC