So I was cruising down The High Road yesterday morning, and what should I find but this...
WHEREAS: The United Methodist Church has a long history of support for gun control legislation. The Social Principles 164 F states the position on the use of violence. Furthermore, the Bible discusses the following imperatives;
1) The Sixth Commandment, “Thou Shall not kill,” not only forbids killing; it also implies that we are obligated to prevent harm and to preserve life and the well-being of human life;
2) The book of Isaiah (1:17) encourages us to seek justice, Isaiah (65:29) speaks of a time when man will neither harm or destroy.
3) Micah 6:8 NRSV “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
4) In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus calls us to be peacemakers by saying “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Children of God”; (Matthew 5:9 NSRV)
WHEREAS: An increase in the incidence of handgun violence has occurred in recent years, with the attendant result of increased deaths. According to Law Enforcement’s Uniform Crime Reports, in the year 2007 in the Central Pa. Conference the murder rate (expressed in per 100,000) in some of 8
our larger cities is as follows: Harrisburg 21.0, York 3.07, Williamsport 3.3, and Columbia 6.31 and, The overall rate for Pennsylvania is 6.2; and
WHEREAS: The Commonwealth’s existing gun laws make multiple handgun purchases easy and cheap encouraging the illegal trade in handguns. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the enabling factor in the illegal handgun distribution system in our Commonwealth is “straw purchasing” of handguns in bulk by eligible individuals who are, in fact, stand-ins for
prohibited felons who traffic in guns. They then sell to drug dealers, violent teens, and gang members; and
WHEREAS: Statistics provided by the (ATF) Crime Gun Trace Analysis indicate that 76% of the guns used in the commission of a crime in Philadelphia were originally legally purchased within the Commonwealth. However, nearly 87% of that total were not at the time of the commission of the crime in the hands of the original legal purchaser of that weapon; and
WHEREAS: By limiting purchases to no more than one handgun in a 30-day period, legislation would disrupt straw purchases and seriously decrease the number of handguns available to the criminal element for use in violent criminal purposes. Reducing the supply would also reduce the incidence of handgun injury and death within the Central Pa. Conference. Substantial evidence shows that these laws effectively reduce illegal handgun trafficking without negative impact on lawful gun commerce.
WHEREAS: a recent survey, by Greenberg Research, demonstrated that most Pennsylvanians (70%) support enactment of a One Handgun A Month law, and almost all Pennsylvanians (96%) support a law to require the reporting of lost or stolen handguns.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the congregations in the Central Pa. Conference call upon the House and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairs as well as Governor Rendell to enact and sign legislation to place limits on the purchase of handguns by individuals; require reporting of lost or stolen handguns and track registrations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Board of Church and Society request that the Conference Secretary communicate this resolution to Governor Rendell and Judiciary Chairs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Board of Church and Society be empowered to form a fully-diverse taskforce to work in coordination with other groups vigorously and continually towards enactment of the aforesaid One-Handgun-a-Month legislation until such time as it is signed into law;
AND FINALLY, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Eastern Pa. Conference of The United Methodist Church encourage the aforementioned taskforce to provide educational materials and resources to congregations in its jurisdiction. These materials should provide information on 1.) the gun violence epidemic, 2.) the causes and affects of readily accessible guns, 3.) how the One-Handgun-a-Month legislation will reduce the supply and the number of handgun deaths, 4.) and finally, afford them a mechanism to use their voices to seek enactment of said legislation, corporately and individually.
Person Responsible for Presenting Resolution: Rev. David Tatgenhorst
It's only been recently, as in the last few months, that I've observed the lobbying of various and sundry churches -- both individual churches and denominations -- for more gun control in various manners, whether it be in resolutions such as this or protests such as the one Michael Pfleger organized in front of an Illinois gun shop. And quite an interesting thought found its way into my head.
I have a pretty good idea of how the religious leftists would react to their tax-exempt status being pulled because of shenanigans like this -- but what about those on the so-called "Religious Right"? I've heard it contended a few times that the Methodist Church has been corrupted beyond belief in the last couple of decades by leftist ideologies, but of course there are still more than a few members of the church who would not agree with the so-called "social justice" strategies, such as this one from Pennsylvania. I wonder what those on the "Religious Right" would say if the tax-exempt status of the UMC was revoked because of the measures they take in advocacy of gun control. It'd make for a hell of a litmus test to find out just where their loyalties lie. Personally, considering the fact UMC was the principal founder of the Coalition To Stop Gun Violence -- which has more or less been advocating federal disarmament of the citizenry since it was founded -- I think their tax-exempt status should have been revoked 35 years ago. (Incidentally, that thread at THR seems to be a pretty good primer on the UMC's anti-gun advocacy.)
Whatever the case may be, it's really quite sickening. I am reminded of an incident from a few years back in Colorado. From the story:
Something extraordinary took place the evening of Wednesday, June 21 in the chambers of the Boulder City Council. 71 speakers rose to argue the philosophy, history, and consequences of civil arms. The administrative hearing started at 6 pm and lasted well past 10:00. Over 50 of those who spoke supported civil arms. Most of the nearly 200 members of the crowd provided moral support, with some wearing "Tyranny Response Team" T-shirts. Bob Glass and others wore Stars of David to symbolize the feeling that gun owners are increasingly being treated as second-class citizens and persecuted with arbitrary, hysterical legislation.It seems the leftists at the Anti-Defamation League did not think much of the group's tactics and they wrote a letter to Mr. Glass asking him to "refrain from using the Nazi Genocide as a political tool again in the future." Mr. Glass responded (at the same link). You absolutely owe it to yourself to read the entire letter, but here are a couple of choice excerpts:
The TRT is most certainly not trying to "advance its position" by "exploiting" the Holocaust. I am outraged and deeply offended that you would accuse me and the TRT, of such a thing....
If the ADL was truly concerned about protecting Jews, like it purports to be, rather than getting into bed, and sharing the spoils of power with the Democratic Party, it would be the most militant and outspoken defender of the Second Amendment. But no, the ADL has chosen to bow before the Gods of political correctness, so it can keep those contributions rolling in, even at the risk of endangering Jewish lives....
Oh, and by the way, nice going, Bobbie, now you have given the 140 million American gun owners, yet one more good reason to hate Jews....
Before I go back to my own central point, I should say that Mr. Glass pointed out he was not trying to justify anyone's hatred of the Jews but merely pointing out the ADL's dangerous attempt to link leftist issues with Jewish issues. But one could very easily substitute "the United Methodist Church" for "Jews" in Mr. Glass' commentary to the ADL, because the Methodist Church is doing the exact same thing the ADL is doing. No, it isn't right to paint all the Methodists (or any other denomination) with such a broad brush -- but when such a large group undertakes such actions as the UMC has undertaken time and time again, just what else is to be expected? Of course, to be fair, I will point out that the Presbyterians are just as bad. And from what I understand, so is the United Church of Christ, and I am sure there are more. I thought of a pretty apt slogan for the media vis-a-vis how they feel about the right to arms, but the more I read, the more I think it could just as well include the church.
"The mainstream media and organized religion: Using the First Amendment to shit all over the Second since the late 1960s."
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