CLOSED HEARTS, CLOSED MINDS, 

CLOSED DOORS

The United Methodist special conference voted today adopting the Traditional Plan by a vote of 438 to 384. This affirms the church's ban on "practicing" gays in the clergy and on same-sex marriages in the church. The conservatives were well-prepared and railroaded the vote through.

The old motto of the Methodists must now be revised. It is no longer Open hearts, open minds, open doors. Methodst message to gays---we do not want you. We do not respect your human rights. 

This is a sad day in the history of the long struggle for freedom, justice, and equality.  

Prejudice and discrimination are not Christian values. All human beings are created by God in the image of God. It is our job to care for all of creation. The Methodists will eventually do the right thing but only after doing the wrong thing and inflicting hurt on others along the way.