wfn.org | [UMNS-ALL-NEWS] UMNS# 626-Church's leaders urge Bush to provide plan

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Church's leaders urge Bush to provide plan for Iraq withdrawal

Nov. 7, 2005

NOTE: Photographs and related coverage are available at
http://umns.umc.org.

By Tim Tanton*

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (UMNS) - The United Methodist Church's bishops are
calling on President George Bush to draw up a plan and timeline for
withdrawing all U.S. forces from Iraq.

The resolution, adopted Nov. 4, updates a statement that the Council of
Bishops issued in May 2004. During the final session of the council's
weeklong fall meeting, no bishops voted in opposition to the resolution,
though some abstained from voting.

In a poignant moment, Bishop Charlene Kammerer of Virginia told the
council about her son, Chris, who is serving in the Navy in the Persian
Gulf.

"I know the pain of totally loving and supporting your child in the
military and at the same time faithfully challenging the policies of the
United States government," she said.

"Our son has absolutely no problem with our stance," she said. "He has
been formed and shaped by the United Methodist Church. We are very proud
of him for his service, and yet he and many, many, many others in the
military are questioning why we are there. I cannot do anything but
support this resolution as a parent of Chris."

Other bishops also spoke in favor of the resolution, submitted by
retired Bishop Marshall "Jack" Meadors Jr. of Atlanta.

"Nothing could be more global than this war," said Bishop Sally Dyck of
Minnesota, "and we need to bear in mind that the world is waiting for us
to make a moral statement about the war."

Though the council had adopted a statement on Iraq a year and a half
ago, several bishops stressed the importance of speaking again on the
issue. Bishop Melvin Talbert noted that when something is important, the
message needs to be said over and over again. "Repetition is helpful at
times."

Meadors noted that more than 2,000 U.S. soldiers and an estimated 26,000
Iraqi civilians had been killed since the war began. Though some say
it's unpatriotic to challenge the war, the bishop said, it was not
unpatriotic to question a war that began with a pre-emptive strike based
on "flawed and manipulated" information.

"Now is the time to take a stand as peacemakers who are followers of
Jesus Christ," he said.

In the "Resolution on the War in Iraq," the bishops noted that
"peacemaking is a sacred calling of the Lord Jesus Christ," and that the
denomination's Book of Discipline declares war "incompatible with the
teachings and example of Christ."

The resolution stated that "the continuing loss of Iraqi civilian lives,
especially children, and the increasing death toll among United States
and coalition military, grieves the heart of God." The bishops said the
U.S. government's reasons for war - "the presumption of weapons of mass
destruction and alleged connection between al-Qaida and Iraq" - have not
been verified, and that the violence in Iraq has created a context for
"gross violations of human rights of prisoners of war."

The bishops said they:

*	Lament the continued warfare by U.S. and coalition forces and
the insurgents.
*	Pray for military personnel and their families and for a swift
end to the violence.
*	Support a congressional resolution "stating that it is the sense
of the Congress that it be the policy of the United States to withdraw
all U.S. military troops and bases from Iraq."
*	Call on the president "to immediately draw up and present to the
Congress and the American people a plan and timeline for the withdrawal
of all U.S. forces from Iraq."
*	Call for the United Nations to appoint an envoy to encourage
peace talks and explore a political settlement.
*	Call for the rebuilding of Iraq and other Middle East nations
"through a multinational development plan that honors the participation
of the peoples of the region."
*	Call on United Methodists to pray for peace and advocate "for
public policies that promote peace, justice and reconciliation among all
nations."

The council, with offices in Washington, comprises the top clergy
leaders of the nearly 11 million-member United Methodist Church in the
United States, Africa, Europe and Asia.

*Tanton is managing editor of United Methodist News Service.

News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org

----------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this group, go to UMCom.org, log in to your account,
click on the My Resources link and select the Leave option on the list(s)
from which you wish to unsubscribe. If you have problems or questions, please
write to websupport@umcom.org.

Powered by United Methodist Communications http://www.UMCom.org