The Methodist Bishops Go After Bush and Cheney

A report and comment on religious trends and events being covered by the media.  This week’s item is from the Associated Press, June 16, 2001 with a headline: “Methodists Oppose Missile Shield Plan.”The bishops of the UnitedMethodistChurch at a recent meeting offered special prayers for two of their best known members, President George W. Bush and Vice President Cheney.Nevertheless, they issued a resolution opposing the Bush administration’s national defense system.The bishops said at the meeting that the American Missile Defense is illusory, unnecessary, and wasteful and urged their 8.4 million members to oppose it.The bishops also called on the United States to take the following actions: use all available measures including a funding cut off to Israel to stop human rights violations and new Jewish settlements on the West Bank, halt all military exercises in the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, and help unify the two Koreas.

Tom:

Dave, here we have—this is like the church council.The bishops have gotten together.

Dave:

Right.

Tom:

—And they are addressing some issues here.Are these church issues?Are these?

Dave:

I don’t think so.

Tom:

Well it seems to me that this is more fitting to some political caucus here.Whether it be the Democratic or Republican, this is probably more Democratic since they are taking a Republican president and vice president to task.Praying for them yes, but should they get into these kinds of issues?

Dave:

Tom, I don’t really know.I don’t want to be too critical of them for that.

Tom:

Now remember these are bishops.This is a council here.

Dave:

Right.On the other hand, I don’t know what bishops know about missile defense.I don’t know how they can say it’s illusory, unnecessary, and wasteful.I don’t think they are experts, they are relying on someone, but there are people on both sides, therefore I think they would be better to stay out of this, in my opinion.Now what is my opinion about it?Maybe we are not even supposed to voice that, but—

Tom:

No, well not necessarily.

Dave:

I would be concerned not to have a missile defense system.You have people out there that have missiles.Are we going to trust them?But they say well this will only escalate it.Then they are going to get more missiles that will penetrate the missile defense system, well okay, let’s try to keep ahead of them with our technology.We’re not attacking anyone, but there are some aggressors out there, and furthermore we have small nations now and we have terrorists who are able to put together these missiles and could bomb some of our cities, you know with missiles, you know?I think it is a prudent thing.But I’m not an expert.

Tom:

But that’s your opinion and you are a man on the street.We didn’t gather here together as the Berean Call staff and issue a press release.

Dave:

Right.

Tom:

And see this is what I am getting at.There are issues with regard to the Methodist church which are moral issues, which are issues with regard to just how they are encouraging their flock and you would think according to God’s Word, but not necessarily the case.

Dave:

Well Tom, they are probably dealing with those as well.This is a news article and they are focusing on the political things.Now the next one Tom, I would have stronger feelings about.“Use all available measures including a funding cutoff to Israel to stop human rights violations and new Jewish settlements on the West Bank.” Human rights violations?I cannot fathom it Tom.Why don’t they say something about cutting off funds to Arafat until he stops the terrorism?Why don’t they ever complain—I never find it in the news—very, very seldom?They are continually attacking—Katyusha rocket attacks on Israeli settlements, shooting up a bus load of school children, shooting at just tourists driving along, blowing themselves up on a bus.The guy walks deliberately into a group of school kids, you remember, recently and then sets off his explosion to blow himself up among civilians.Why don’t we hear some criticism about that?Where do you find it?But if the Israelis then retaliate and try to defend themselves, there is criticism.I think there is a tremendous bias out there.Remember the United Nations has condemned Israel 375 times for defending themselves.They have never attacked.They have been attacked.They have never engaged in terrorism.I don’t know of Israelis that go out and blow themselves up in Muslim countries, but the Muslims are doing this.Why don’t we cut off funding to them?Why don’t we criticize Saudi Arabia for example, where it is the death penalty for a Muslim to become a Christian, or Buddhist, or Hindu or anything?They enforce it!You can’t walk on the street carrying a Bible.Why don’t we criticize them for their lack of fundamental human rights?There’s no freedom of conscience, there’s no freedom of religion, there’s no freedom of the press.There’s not a democracy in any of these Muslim countries.Let’s have a little criticism for that from these bishops of the Methodist church.And furthermore, I don’t like this name West Bank.This was the land of Israel.God gave this land.If these bishops know the Bible, they know that God specifically chose these people and gave this land to them and it is His land in fact.Leviticus:25:23The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.
See All... says, “This is my land, it will not be sold forever.”So I think they’ve stepped out on the wrong side here in my opinion.

Tom:

Yes, and well you are giving your opinion and you are supporting some of the—especially with regard to Israel, you are giving your opinion with support from the scripture.It goes on in the article, “…halt all military exercises in the Puerto Rican island of Vieques and help to unify the two Koreas.”Now Dave, here’s my question.Who speaks for God here?I mean these are bishops.Are people who are reading this saying, oh well they have God on their side, these are bishops?You’ve given your opinion and you’ve supported it.They are giving theirs, but we are not saying here, oh believe Dave because this is his opinion and he speaks for God.That’s the problem for me in all of this.

Dave:

Right.Well I think some of the things help to unify the two Koreas.President Bush could do that?I don’t think so.That’s a bigger problem.As for our military exercises in the Vieques, I don’t know what military exercises are going on and I don’t know why and so forth, so I wouldn’t be able to come up with an opinion.I think all military exercises ought to be halted everywhere.That would be great.But we live in a fallen world.It’s like saying pull all the police off.No, we have criminals out there.We’ve got some bad nations, aggressors and I think we need to defend ourselves.That’s my opinion.

Tom:

Okay and you can see where my problem is.Who speaks for God here? If people think that this is “thus saith the Lord,” they’ve got some real problems.