So there seems to be the expectation within my praticular faith community, that if you support women’s ordination, believe drums are okay, and didn’t like the tone of the Presidential sermon at our General Conference Session back in June/July of 2010 then you are also against the General Conference Presidency of Ted Wilson.
Why?
What bothers me most about this expectation is that it so deeply reflects the politics of our culture! I’m pro-life, “Oh so you’re a Republican.” I’m anti-guns, anti-death penalty, “Oh so you’re a Democrat.” But wait, what if you’re all of those then what are you?
We have become a nation that tries to force people into boxes and against specific individuals based on a select few issues. And it seems the church is trying to do the same, which is unfortunate because when the church mimics the world it looks a lot less like Jesus and a lot more like the devil!
So yes, Elder Wilson and I disagree on women’s ordination, I haven’t agreed with several of his comments on music, I wasn’t particularly thrilled with his opening speech, and YES, I’m glad he is our General Conference President!
Why shouldn’t I be? Because of those issues?
I struggle with a certain wing of our church, many of whom are my friends, that are always sounding the cry for tolerance and yet the language used towards Ted Wilson and the open support and hope of his removal from office show absolute intolerance!
Y’all we are not Washington D.C. We are a church. A church that NO ONE is forced to be a part of! A church that if a person is a part of, hopefully it is because they believe Jesus is leading the church.
And if we are truly a church then should we not take the same position as David whom though Saul was pursuing him for his very life, David felt guilty about even harming the fabric of Saul’s robe. (That is not a comparison of Ted Wilson to Saul. Ted Wilson is a good & kind man!)
Shame on us if we have become so like the world and the world’s politics we fail to accept our leadership, which God has established, based on a few varying points of view.
I pray our Spectrum of tolerance grows us into acting more like a church and less like a political party!