With 33 pages of statements on nearly every conceivable issue the UM Social Principles offer more choices than a Vegas Buffet. And it seems that people pick and choose as freely.
One person favors government run health care and thus quotes these lines;
Providing the care needed to maintain health, prevent disease, and restore health after injury or illness is a responsibility each person owes others and government owes to all. para. 162V
The same person who favors homosexual marriage and thus passes over these words;
We support laws in civil society that define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. para. 161B
Another person opposes genetic enegineering and pulls out these words:
We oppose the cloning of humans and the genetic manipulation of the gender of an unborn child. para. 162O
This same person who likes a beer with their hotdog at a baseball game overlooks these words:
We affirm our long-standing support of abstinence from alcohol as a faithful witness to God's liberating and redeeming love for persons. para 162L
Now I'm not in the position to point fingers because I must confess I've been just as choosy. But I wonder if people can pick and choose which of our Principles they endorse and which they reject, how much real power do these Principles have?
My answer is "not much." My bet is that the majority of United Methodist don't even know there is such a thing as the Social Principles and that even fewer have actually read them or studied them. I realize I may be wrong about this since the Social Principles are the bedrock document for a number of United Methodist clergy. But it's been my experience that even these individuals emphasis some and ignore others. Something tells me it just shouldn't work that way.
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