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"Should a potential holder of public office be automatically disqualified because he supports a traditional Christian view on sexual ethics, as the United Methodist Church does?" -- Executive Director of UMAction Mark Tooley
Contact: Loralei Coyle, 202-905-6852 cell, lcoyle@TheIRD.org; Radio Interviews: Jeff Walton, 202-413-5639 cell, jwalton@TheIRD.org; both with the Institute on Religion and Democracy
FT. WORTH, Texas, May 2 /Christian
Newswire/ -- After the United Methodist Church reaffirmed its support
for traditional marriage this week, UMAction defended U.S. Surgeon General
Nominee Jim Holsinger's views on marriage and sexuality. Dr. Holsinger's
nomination by President Bush as U.S. Surgeon General has been on hold since last
summer because he has publicly defended his denomination's stance on
homosexuality.
Specifically, Dr. Holsinger's critics have cited his comments during and
resignation from a United Methodist Task Force on Homosexuality in the early
1990's. He resigned from that committee when it was clearly going to oppose the
church's teaching, a stance that was reaffirmed by the church's 1992 General
Conference.
Critics of Dr. Holsinger have also pointed to his leadership over the last 8
years in the United Methodist Church's Judicial Council, which has enforced the
church's prohibition against actively homosexual clergy and same-sex unions.
This week, delegates from around the world met in Fort Worth for United
Methodism's governing General Conference. By strong margins, they reaffirmed the
church's position that homosexual practice is "incompatible" with Christian
teaching.
The United Methodist Church has 7.9 million members in the U.S. and is America's
third largest religious group.
Mark Tooley, Executive Director of IRD's UMAction Committee, commented:
"Should a potential holder of public office be automatically disqualified
because he supports a traditional Christian view on sexual ethics, as the United
Methodist Church does?
"If members of the U.S. Senate oppose Dr. Holsinger based on his qualifications,
then they should say so. But it is grossly unfair to stall and attempt to kill
his nomination primarily because he supports the historic views of his own
denomination."
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