Petition Text: 22789-HE-NonDis-O

Understanding Petition Numbers

___________________________________________________

I respectfully petition the General Conference of The United Methodist Church to revoke the policy of the Division of Chaplains and Related Ministries that forbids clergy under their endorsement to bear arms under any circumstances. I do so because I believe that the policy:

*is a denial of the basic right to choose a course of action according to one's conscience, which includes the choice of self-defense and defense of the sick and wounded in their care;

*is based on significant errors of fact; for one, contrary to policy assertions, neither the Geneva Convention nor the armed forces have ever had a prohibition against chaplains bearing arms;

*is a violation of the Geneva Convention, the Hague Rules, and the United Nations Charter, which confer the "inherent right" of self-defense and prohibit any restriction of such right;

*is contrary to the spirit of a historic Church of conscience, when administrators of one of its agencies can impose their personal theology on all who come under their jurisdiction.

The conscientious choice of a course of action by chaplains in such matters of life and/or death is a choice that only they have a right to make. This policy denies that right.

___________________________________________________

General Conference Index | PETS Index | Petition Information Index

General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn

Petition Text: 22789-HE-NonDis-O
1996 United Methodist General Conference