It is official: we will not speak with each other at General Conference. We will only speak at each other. And we will do so in three-minute increments, limited to only three arguments for and three against.
Yes, we will “decide” extraordinarily complex issues with an archaic method utterly unsuited to the way humans actually enter into life-changing dialogue with each other.
But that is the decision of the “United” Methodist Church. Or rather, in my extremely cynical moment, the decision of some expert political moves by a certain well-funded group of “orthodox Wesleyans” who set out at all costs to defeat Rule 44, a proposed alternative way of dealing with complex and sensitive issues.
They won. We are composed of winners, the “we’s” if you happen to be on the “right” side and losers, the “they’s”. Shades of Donald Trump here. “LOSER!” Trump screams. Does Jesus say, “I was one of those losers?”
The “I” that would speak to “Thou” as another child of God, infinitely valuable, infinitely loved, infinitely complex may not as it will disrupt the now officially-approved (after all, the “body” has spoken!) process.
Except we are the church. We are supposed to do things differently. Aren’t we? Am I such an idealist that I refuse to look at practicalities?
Yeah. So was Jesus. Don’t get me wrong–I don’t think I’m a present day Jesus–I’ve not got it in me to die for my enemies as he did.
I was thinking about that this morning in worship. The worship leaders led in singing a song that said we want to be “more like Jesus.” Sorry, I don’t know the name of the piece–I’m terminally bad at music. But I was thinking as I was listening to others sing (I have too much integrity to sing these words), “Do they really want to be like Jesus? Do they really want to take upon themselves all the pain and betrayal of the world and then offer free forgiveness to others?”
I’m not that good. I’m not that holy. I am in need of continued redemption, continued transformation, continued perfecting in love.
And I can’t formulate my thoughts about issues that are life or death to many in three-minute, utterly logical, sound bites.
Sorry.
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