"Pedophiles are persons of sacred worth"
Submitted by Heather on November 25 1999 at 22:36:10
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I ran across the Letter to the Editor below while doing a Web search. It's amazing to see a statement like this in print; now if only the author could understand that the word "pedophile" refers to a sexual identity rather than to specific behavior. Heather My heart broke along with Bishop Fritz Mutti of the United Methodist Church and his wife, Etta Mae, when I read of the AIDS-related deaths of their two sons. As the father of two sons, I cannot imagine the anguish of burying one's own children. A point of clarification must be made, however. Uhlenhuth asserts that "The United Methodist Church's policy manual, the Book of Discipline, calls Tim and Fred (the Mutti's sons) and all gay people 'incompatible with Christian faith.' '' This is simply not an accurate reflection of the United Methodist position on homosexuality. The Book of Discipline says "Homosexual persons no less than heterosexual persons are individuals of sacred worth. ... Although we do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching, we affirm that God's grace is available to all. We commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons.'' The Christian faith as received and taught by the United Methodist Church never suggests that people, e.g., Tim and Fred and all gay people, are incompatible with Christian faith. All human beings are valued as persons of sacred worth, whatever their orientation. However, there are practices that are incompatible with Christian faith. Alcoholics and drug addicts are people of sacred worth, but the self-destruction of their lifestyle is not compatible with Christian faith. Adulterers are persons of sacred worth, but infidelity to their covenant is not compatible with Christian faith. Pedophiles are persons of sacred worth, but their behavior is not compatible with Christian faith. The distinction is between being and doing. The Rev. Tom Letchworth General evangelist, United Methodist Church Wilmore [Kentucky] |