Reply #28: Comments from IRD's Mark Tooley on the decision...

[DTinAZ]

From an email sent out to supporters of the Institute on Religion and Democracy by Mark Tooley, Director of their ultra-conservative "UMAction" division:

"Do not be alarmed! Yes, the liberal-dominated Northeast Jurisdictional Appeals Committee of the United Methodist Church, as expected, overturned the conviction of lesbian United Methodist minister Beth Stroud. And yes, their strained rationales for doing so were absurd. But the United Methodist Church's Judicial Council will almost certainly overturn this irresponsible ruling. When it meets this Fall, the Judicial Council will assuredly issue a ruling that will strongly reaffirm our church's teachings about marriage and sex. And the ruling will have church-wide application, setting back the pro-homosexuality forces even further. Meanwhile, Stroud has said she will not resume her ordained status until the judicial process is completed. Please read our news release (http://www.ird-renew.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=fv... ) about this. And please be in prayer for our Judicial Council, for Beth Stroud, and for the poor, confused members of the NEJ Appeals Committee!

Mark Tooley
Director, UMAction"

David T.
http://umaction.org
(not to be confused with the IRD's UMAction)