Reader's Viewpoints

What do YOU think?

The Hoosier United Methodist News welcomes all letters to the editor. In order to be considered for publication, letters must be signed and should include the name of your local church along with a daytime phone number for verification purposes. All letters may be subject to editing for clarity or length. Deadline for each upcoming issue is the 15th of the month.

Our wish is to provide a forum wherein all voices and points of view have an equal opportunity to be heard.

Send to Editor, Hoosier UM News, 1100 W. 42nd St., Suite 210, Indianapolis, IN. 46208; fax: 317.924.4859; e-mail: editor

LBGT supporter does not represent 'us'

Ref.: letter, May edition , "A Solidarity Event on Inclusion of Gays," Brother Dick Royal states he hopes he "represented us well" at a celebration of solidarity in New Mexico. Attending, he reported, were several from major religious organizations, and several from cults; i.e. Unitarians, Christian Scientists, and wiccans (wiccans are not only a cult, but are of the occult, witchcraft).

Mr. Royal spoke of the St. Bede's church support of LBGT's [lesbians, bisexuals, gays, transsexuals]. Now, sir, we love and nurture a people, race, color, creed, etc., but not all behaviors. Some behaviors such as homosexuality, lesbianism, pedophia and necrophilia are, according to God's Holy Word, sinful and to him an "abomination." (His word)! Do you read the same Bible?

We love, nurture and pray for healing for people in these sins, but cannot condone marriage or so-called same-sex unions for people of the same gender, nor do we condone ordination into our Methodist faith for the same. And we cannot condone such things as the scurrilous, unwarranted, vicious attacks on the honorable organization of the Boy Scouts of America. Homosexual "males" in charge, in precious positions of influence, guidance, training and nurturing of our precious young men of future America? Not my boys, grandboys, nephews or church youth, you don't! Don't attempt to represent "us," brother Royal. We are light-years apart in theology and belief!

Charlie K. and Pam Brown
Morton Memorial UMC, Clarksville

The demons within us in a climate of violence

Tim McVeigh is certainly not the person I would use to argue against the imposition of the death penalty. He is not a minority and has not been denied the best legal counsel in his defense. The worst terrorist in American history evokes feelings of anger, hate, revenge and nausea within me. These feelings are so intense at times that they actually frighten me. It is then that I am able to recognize their source as being demonic rather than of God.

For years as a child and young adult growing up within the church I was taught to have faith "in" Jesus Christ to experience salvation from sin and guilt and find wholeness and redemption. In later years I have come to see that the faith "of" Jesus is equally important in my personal spiritual maturation. It is far more difficult to acquire and particularly vexing when applied to practices such as state-sanctioned capital punishment.

In Matthew 5: 38-42 Jesus specifically repudiates the practice of "an eye for an eye â€¦ " In John 8 he stops the stoning of a woman caught in adultery. These instances argue against capital punishment from a Christian perspective.

Tim McVeigh bombed the Murrah federal building in retaliation for violence enacted by our government at Ruby Ridge and Waco. What further terrorist act may be committed in the future as revenge for McVeigh's execution? Why plant the seed for further tragedy in the name of "justice" when incarceration for life without parole can eliminate his elevation to martyrdom?

By acquiescing in the state-sanctioned execution of Tim McVeigh, we demonstrate that we are motivated by the same delusional thinking as he; i.e., the idea that a subsequent act of violence somehow atones for a prior act of violence. Our difference from McVeigh is then underscored as being only one of degree and not kind.

The Social Principles of the United Methodist Church state our denominational opposition to capital punishment and our desire for its elimination from all criminal codes. Our Book of Resolutions says "The United Methodist Church cannot accept retribution or social vengeance as a reason for taking human life. It violates our deepest belief in God as the Creator arid Redeemer of humankind. . In the long run, the use of the death penalty by the state will increase the acceptance of revenge in our society and will give official sanction to a climate of violence."

Another of our resolutions states, "The death penalty . denies Christ's power to transform and restore all human beings."

The only way violence will be stopped is if we break the cycle. Fear of the death penalty did not deter McVeigh from committing his atrocious act. Courage to have the nonviolent faith "of" Jesus will ensure that violence is not glorified.

Joseph Smith, Pastor,
Kentland Trinity UMC
Chairperson,
NIC Board of Church and Society

McVeigh facing his own guilt vs. martyrdom

The Conference Board of Church and Society for the South Indiana Conference opposes the execution of Timothy McVeigh that is set to take place this month. The board protests this judgment for the following reasons.

1. The Social Principles in the Book of Discipline states:

"In the love of Christ, who came to save those who are lost and vulnerable, we urge the creation of genuinely new systems for the care and support of the victims of crime and for rehabilitation that will restore, preserve and nurture the humanity of the imprisoned."

2. Timothy McVeigh does not want to face the consequences and face his own guilt. If he did this he would have to admit his action was morally wrong, which he does not want to admit. McVeigh should be imprisoned for the rest of his life to be able to eventually face his guilt and ask forgiveness.

3. Timothy McVeigh also wants to be made a martyr for the "cause" through his execution. Making a terrorist a martyr sets the stage for future Timothy McVeigh's to carry out similar terrorist activity not only against the federal government but to take the lives of more people.

The Conference Board of Church Society, from a morally, ethically and theologically grounding, support the argument for not executing as opposed to carrying out capital punishment. Capital punishment in this case is not a deterrent but may be argued as the catalyst for McVeigh's dying as martyr for his cause.

Perry Richards, Pastor,
Alquina UMC, Connersville
Chairperson of the SIC
Board of Church and Society

Last updated on 01/14/2004

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