Wisconsin's Rev. DeLong is No Hero

So let me get this straight. Rev. DeLong has been in a Lesbian relationship for 16 years, and been a pastor for 14 years. Therefore knowing the doctrinal standards of the UMC she was ordained under the pretense of a lie. She comes out and confesses her situation after 14 years, now faces a trial, is apologized to by the authorities in Wisconsin, is presented as a courageous hero, and the UMC doctrine and those who support the teaching of scripture as the villain. This of course prompts 33 retired bishops to write a letter protesting our present clear stance on the practice of homosexuality as incompatible with scripture, at the same time the Judicial Council due to possible loopholes will hear yet again the case on whether a pastor can determine readiness for membership (all based on the sexual orientation issue is why it keeps showing up) all this at a time of incredible struggle and frustration by people within the UMC over its tendency to be more concerned about political philosophy than theological orthodoxy. Is that right? Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different outcome?

33 UMC Bishops Doing Much Harm

The 33 retired United Methodist Bishops who are calling for the removal of the language in the Book of Discipline (BOD) that homosexual behavior is incompatible with the teaching of Scripture have once again failed to serve both God and the UMC.  These are the same "leaders" who during their tenure of leadership led the UMC to the biggest decline in the history of the denomination.  The leadership claims that due to their "experiences" the rest of the denomination should ignore its long practiced standard of declaring doctrine to be formulated from scripture, tradition, experience and reason.  How absurd to declare that their experience should trump everything else, including the experiences of all those that have voted for decades to uphold the Biblical and orthodox teaching that the General Conference has upheld since the inception of the denomination.

Bishop Donald Ott declared, "that there was a time when the language was not", and that he felt that we should go back to no language, a kind of don't ask, don't tell policy.  How convenient that Bishop Ott failed to mention that at one time the language did not need to exist because no one questioned the obvious Biblcial teaching on the subject.  Mr. Wesley surely would not have accepted these Bishops into membership let alone leadership. 

But the greater question is what do these Bishops really want?  A number of them already penned a similar request prior to the last General Conference.  They have made their opinion known in the past, so what do they want?  Whatever it is, all they are doing is causing more pain, more divisiveness and more hardship in the UMC.

Given the lack of their effectiveness as leaders and their total lack of theological support for their communication, it would be nice if they would just be quiet and let some healing take place in the UMC.  Their stance at this point is neither courageous nor prudent.  I believe John Wesley once taught a great disciplined principle that Christians need to apply ... the rule began with "First, do no harm".  It might be nice for these leaders to take that to heart just for once.