Are there any United Methodists Left Here?

Methodized

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I see just a few posts here from United Methodists. I wonder if it has to do with the quite conservative slant of much of the rest of the larger forum. There are a lot of us I no longer see post here.
 

BobRyan

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I see just a few posts here from United Methodists. I wonder if it has to do with the quite conservative slant of much of the rest of the larger forum. There are a lot of us I no longer see post here.

I would like to know more about Unite Methodist. I understand that they formed in 1968 but I don't know why since there was already a Methodist church then.
 
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Basil the Great

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The Methodist Church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren Church to form the United Methodist Church. As I recall, the E.U.B. group had about a million members and the Methodist Church about 10 million at the time of the merger. The E.U.B. denomination was referred to by some as "German Methodists", since they were against using alcohol in Holy Communion, as has been the case with the Methodists for a long time, and most of their members descended from German immigrants. However, the term "Evangelical" for them did mean something, as they placed more emphasis upon a literal interpretation of Scripture and the need to evangelize, as compared to the former Methodist Church. At least this was my experience growing up when we had an E.U.B. Church right across the street from my Methodist Church. I do recall that after the merger, apparently some in the former E.U.B. Church were not happy campers with the merger, as they refused at first to use the new United Methodist Church Sunday School material, as I guess that it was not "Evangelical enough" for them. I suspect that this practice did not last very long.
 
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BobRyan

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The Methodist Church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren Church to form the United Methodist Church. As I recall, the E.U.B. group had about a million members and the Methodist Church about 10 million at the time of the merger. The E.U.B. denomination was referred to by some as "German Methodists", since they were against using alcohol in Holy Communion, as has been the case with the Methodists for a long time, and most of their members descended from German immigrants. However, the term "Evangelical" for them did mean something, as they placed more emphasis upon a literal interpretation of Scripture and the need to evangelize, as compared to the former Methodist Church. At least this was my experience growing up when we had an E.U.B. Church right across the street from my Methodist Church. I do recall that after the merger, apparently some in the former E.U.B. Church were not happy campers with the merger, as they refused at first to use the new United Methodist Church Sunday School material, as I guess that it was not "Evangelical enough" for them. I suspect that this practice did not last very long.

Much appreciated.

I assume that United Methodists consider themselves "evangelical" from your statement above. (I don't have any opinion on this just trying to clarify for my understanding)
 
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Basil the Great

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Much appreciated.

I assume that United Methodists consider themselves "evangelical" from your statement above. (I don't have any opinion on this just trying to clarify for my understanding)
No doubt in the South and in the rural Midwest/Plains states/Rocky Mountain states, many of them could be considered "Evangelical". However, I doubt that such could accurately be applied to many on the two coasts and in the urban/suburban parts of the Midwest. If there a split in the UMC, we may well see it happen based upon geography. However, there are no doubt exceptions to what I have laid out and so who knows what might happen?
 
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seeking.IAM

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I used to be a poster here when I joined CF, but I left the church for reasons unrelated to the present controversy. I have great affection for my Methodist past and wish them well.
 
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Methodized

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No doubt in the South and in the rural Midwest/Plains states/Rocky Mountain states, many of them could be considered "Evangelical". However, I doubt that such could accurately be applied to many on the two coasts and in the urban/suburban parts of the Midwest. If there a split in the UMC, we may well see it happen based upon geography. However, there are no doubt exceptions to what I have laid out and so who knows what might happen?

The Midwest over all is more progressive than the south and South East. But we have quite a mix of progressive, moderate and conservative United Methodists in the Midwest and upper Midwest.
 
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bekkilyn

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I'm still around, but have been taking a break from the forums for the most part. It gets tiresome remaining for too long in an environment where misogyny is the default "Christian" perspective and so is allowed (and sometimes even encouraged) to fester here on the forums because it's "in the bible." And continuous arguments with religious fundamentalists (of any variety) is also usually not very fruitful or healthy when one is not in the right mindset to enter into such verbal exchanges. (I hesitate to call it conversation because it usually deteriorates very rapidly.)
 
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Methodized

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I'm still around, but have been taking a break from the forums for the most part. It gets tiresome remaining for too long in an environment where misogyny is the default "Christian" perspective and so is allowed (and sometimes even encouraged) to fester here on the forums because it's "in the bible." And continuous arguments with religious fundamentalists (of any variety) is also usually not very fruitful or healthy when one is not in the right mindset to enter into such verbal exchanges. (I hesitate to call it conversation because it usually deteriorates very rapidly.)

I am not on this forum often because the overall leaning of Christian Forum is very conservative. I was not pleased to log in today to find out that now the powers that be have determined that only Christians can enter this section of the forums. That's pretty disturbing. And it is antithetical to United Methodism.

I only check here on occasion in case someone posts a question about Methodism that maybe I can help with. But the overall fundamentalism of these forums really hampers its usefulness from mainstream moderate and progressive Christians.
 
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bekkilyn

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I am not on this forum often because the overall leaning of Christian Forum is very conservative. I was not pleased to log in today to find out that now the powers that be have determined that only Christians can enter this section of the forums. That's pretty disturbing. And it is antithetical to United Methodism.

I only check here on occasion in case someone posts a question about Methodism that maybe I can help with. But the overall fundamentalism of these forums really hampers its usefulness from mainstream moderate and progressive Christians.

I think the Christian-only requirement has been in place now for a few months as it's affected many other sections of the site as well, which has been unfortunate for most as it's severely limited some of the quality discussions that used to go on there, especially when it came to Seekers and others who were curious and/or thinking about becoming Christians themselves.
 
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Methodized

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I think the Christian-only requirement has been in place now for a few months as it's affected many other sections of the site as well, which has been unfortunate for most as it's severely limited some of the quality discussions that used to go on there, especially when it came to Seekers and others who were curious and/or thinking about becoming Christians themselves.

I don't honestly get the need for Christians to isolate themselves from discussions with non-Christians.
 
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bekkilyn

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I don't honestly get the need for Christians to isolate themselves from discussions with non-Christians.

Oh come now, you have to know it's because we have to have thread after thread of "Who is the real Christian" but all passive-aggressive in a way that suggests it without actually saying it so that no one is technically breaking TOS, or the never-ending threads of whether women are allowed to have short hair or wear pants or ____________, or which bible translation is the best, KJV or KJV or KJV? :D

But seriously, I don't really get it either. I would think that more Christians would need to get out of the "Christian bubble" than remain in one.
 
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The Liturgist

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Just so you know @Methodized , one of my best friends on the forum, @Paidiske , is a female priest in the Anglican Church of Australia, and there are several liberal members I am friends with including @hedrick and @pescador .

There are several Methodist members on the forum. Recently, one of my Methodist friends joined a Lutheran church for reasons of convenience.

A very large number of the senior forum staff are women, in fact, I think between a third and half, and there is a constant need for more volunteers.

As far as the impending schism is concerned, I don’t know how many Methodist members will wind up in the two churches.
 
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riesie

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I'm still around, but have been taking a break from the forums for the most part. It gets tiresome remaining for too long in an environment where misogyny is the default "Christian" perspective and so is allowed (and sometimes even encouraged) to fester here on the forums because it's "in the bible." And continuous arguments with religious fundamentalists (of any variety) is also usually not very fruitful or healthy when one is not in the right mindset to enter into such verbal exchanges. (I hesitate to call it conversation because it usually deteriorates very rapidly.)
I'm sorry to hear this. Treating you like this is not right. This is not what Jesus wants us to do!
May God bless you!
 
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