The Splitting Of The United Methodist Church (Hemant Mehta and Jessica Bluemke, The Friendly Athiest podast #303)

— Some potentially interesting personal news from Hemant… (1:00)
— A whole bunch of Congress members want the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. (15:45)
— The United Methodist Church is breaking up over the issue of whether love matters. (30:06)
— Pope Francis smacked a woman’s hand and we can’t even complain about it. (38:40)
— Massachusetts may drop its requirement for minors to get permission before an abortion. (42:04)
— Christian “coach” Dave Daubenmire has a new reason to oppose interracial marriage: He went to a zoo. (45:38)
— One reason white evangelicals love Trump? They’re as opposed to immigration as he is. (49:42)
— Conservative Dennis Prager doesn’t care about anything Anne Frank wrote because he doesn’t get his wisdom from teenagers. Or anyone else for that matter. (58:19)
Interview:
https://soundcloud.com/friendly-atheist-podcast/ep-303-the-splitting-of-the-united-methodist-church

1,000 toys displayed at a Michigan church take aim at US immigration policy - USA TODAY

The dolls and stuffed animals at First United Methodist Church is meant to convey "the enormity" of family separation policies, the organizer said.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/05/13/michigan-church-stuffed-animals-protest-immigration-policy/1187704001/

Methodist teens reject confirmations to protest church's anti-LGBT policies - The Hill

A groups of teens have refused to become members of the United Methodist Church in protest of its anti-LGBTQ policies, despite spending a year preparing for their confirmation...
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/442022-methodist-teens-reject-their-confirmations-to-the-church-to

Jeff Sessions could be expelled from the Methodist Church over migrant policies - Vox

More than 600 United Methodist Church clergy and members have brought up charges against the attorney general. ....
https://www.vox.com/2018/6/19/17479232/united-methodist-church-charges-expel-jeff-sessions-migrant

United Methodist Church Takes 'Historic Action' Toward LGBT Equality

The United Methodist Church (UMC) took a major step toward a possible reorganization on Wednesday, creating a commission to decide whether the largest American mainline Christian denomination should restructure so it can ordain LGBT people and allow pastors to officiate same-sex marriages.

The announcement came as thousands of Methodists gathered in Portland, Oregon for the UMC’s General Conference, an event held every four years where leaders debate and vote on matters of church governance. This year the most anticipated topic of discussion has been LGBT issues — a massive point of contention for the church, whose official Book of Discipline currently condemns homosexuality and prohibits the ordination of “self-avowed practicing homosexuals.”...
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2016/05/18/3779705/united-methodist-church-has-a-new-method/