Methodist youth organization defends its homosexuality stance
The National Youth Ministry Organization of the United Methodist Church has taken issue with the denomination's conservative
wing for suggesting the youth were manipulated by adults when they urged the denomination to drop its proscriptions against
homosexuality.
Delegates to the organization's biennial meeting, held in Nashville July 29-Aug. 2, 1997 passed a resolution that declared, "Youth can and do think for themselves. Youth are not easily influenced by adults."
The group had been criticized in an article of Good News magazine for requesting at its 1995 assembly that the denomination
change its stand on homosexuality. Good News is an independent caucus of evangelicals within the United Methodist Church.
The resolution was proposed in response to the magazine article, which appeared in early 1996, and was passed
overwhelmingly, reported the United Methodist News Service.
The approved statement concluded that "the youth, as full members of the United Methodist Church, are a vital part of the
church today and their word should be trusted and regarded as should the words of any other members or groups of the United
Methodist Church."
from uniting sexuality and faith