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Featured Listener Comments Section: Contents List |
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Listener: Methodist official
Category: General
Date: 02 May 2008
Time: 19:26:17 -0700
Remote Name: 68.91.16.225
Dear Mr. Pratt,
My name is Eddie Allsup & I am the Director of Mission & Administration for the
Northwest Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. I am writing to point
out what I assume is merely an unintentional error in your reporting on the vote
regarding the presidential library & SMU. You erroneously reported that the
General Conference has overwhelmingly voted to reject locating the library on
the campus of SMU. In fact, the vote which took place was ONLY an overwhelming
recommendation to allow the South Central Jurisdictional Conference (which meets
in July) to hear petition 80089, which was a recommendation, submitted by ONE
individual, to reject the presidential library. This vote should NOT be taken as
a vote against the library (& is in fact not one) but rather as a vote of
confidence in the legislative body charged with this issue.
In fact, the petition itself is not a political statement so much as it is a
statement against becoming a political church, as indicated by the rationale
provided with the petition (linked here: http://calms.umc.org/2008/Menu.aspx?type=Petition&mode=Single&number=89
).
UNITED METHODISTS LOVE TEXAS & OUR GREAT COUNTRY, and the South Central
Jurisdictional Mission Council (the body which owns & controls SMU), of which I
am a member, has ALREADY voted to allow SMU to negotiate a lease of the
applicable property for the location of the library. While there are of course
legislative processes which could overturn the negotiations ALREADY under way,
it is unlikely that this will happen.
As for your assertions that we Methodists are "liberal" & "stupid", I speak
confidently for the 207 Methodist churches in Northwest Texas (attended by good
Texans) when I say that while our denomination (as many others) is constantly
striving with the issues of the day, we are OVERWHELMINGLY, FIRMLY COMMITTED TO
OUR BIBLICALLY CONSERVATIVE FOUNDATIONS... As evidenced by NUMEROUS other votes
on contentious social issues at this year's General Conference. While we do not
pretend to squelch debate over the real-life issues affecting Christians today,
that debate should not be mistaken for agreement with the liberal ideology of
some within the national church.
I respectfully request that you correct the error in your reporting and allow
the reality of conservative United Methodist faith (not simply a stereotype) in
west Texas to inform your statements regarding Methodists in general. Thank you.
Pratt responds:
Mr. Allsup,
What I read was what was reported in the
Dallas media word for word. I
understood it to be as you describe in your missive so I see no need to revisit
the issue.
The "political church" argument is a red herring, as the University already
teaches political science and has long involved itself in all types of ways in
the wider political community.
I've read hundreds of the postings and dozens of emails from the group leading
the opposition to the Presidential Library being located at SMU as I've been on
their email list for a two years. Most everything I've read was blatantly
political, American-hating, patriot-mocking, Bush-despising, leftist-loving,
shallow non-intellectual rot.
Also you should listen more closely as I never made any statement that all
Methodists are anything. I singled out these left-loving individuals and they
are "liberal" and "stupid", in my opinion - likely they think similar of me. The
posts I read from Methodist clergy and others about the Bush Library used far
meaner invectives about Bush and our country.
Earlier in the week I pointed out that it gives me, and other Episcopalians, a
bit of warmth to know that we are not alone with left-wingers overtaking our
church. They are doing so for the opposite of the non-political idea you posit.
It is being done for the express purpose of turning the Church into a political
instrument to push leftist ideas and to secularize religious belief - so that it
conforms to our wants instead of we conforming to God's wants.
I'm sorry that you are offended. Maybe if your Conference had been more
responsive when I officially complained, as chairman of the Lubbock Co.
Republican Party, to the Bishop about the pastor of FUMC in Lubbock using his
name, church name, and title in radio and television political advertisements in
a Lubbock GOP Primary election four years ago, backing a particular person for
County Commissioner, I could take your offense more seriously.
I will post your email, with my reply, in the Listener Email section of my
website.
Sincerely,
Robert W. Pratt
Pratt on Texas
P.S. Below is the actual language of the petition. The language about not being political was in the "rationale" or explanation part but NOT in the actual resolution.
"SMU Bush Presidential Library Rejection (80089-MH-NonDis)
"I hereby petition the UMC General Conference to prevent leasing, selling, or otherwise participating in or supporting the presidential library for George W. Bush at Southern Methodist University. "
This was adopted in a vote of 844 For; 20 Against.
Received later:
Thanks for responding to my e-mail. Both the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star Telegram printed retractions according to my contact person at United Methodist Communications. I know you reported what you had received, but it was incorrect.
I’d be happy to visit with you more if you would like.
I have no knowledge of your complaint against the pastor of FUMC, so I cannot respond to it.
Eddie Allsup
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