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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodists together |
February 2006 |
Letters to the Editor
A new hope
A kidney cancer diagnosis serves as a certain death sentence. The American Cancer Society estimates that yearly some 32,000 U.S. citizens become diagnosed with cancer of the kidney(s). This insidious disease produces few symptoms until its metastasis to the lungs. brain, tunes and other organs.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration this past December approved a new generation anti tumor agent named Nexavar (sorafenib tosylate). Judy Peres reported in the Dec. 21, 2005, issue of the Chicago Tribune that molecular biologists at the University of Chicago developed this cutting edge medication in tablet form. "Nexavar, by contrast, generally spares the body's healthy cells . and produces few side effects." This "silver bullet" drug targets specific enzymes in tumor cells and starves the blood vessels that feed them.
Scientists originally developed Nexavar to treat colon cancer. Oncologists in the drug's two-year clinical test trials began enrolling their other patients (900+) with various types of tumors. Surprisingly, they discovered most of their kidney patients responded favorably to their treatment protocol. A majority of subjects in the test programs now feel well enough to perform their normal activities.
In fall 2005, my wife Sue., a kidney cancer patient, underwent the current two immune therapies at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital. She began treatment in January with Nexavar.
Prayerfully, we trust this new promising drug, manufactured by Bayer and Onyx Pharmaceuticals. Inc., will also inhibit the growth of many types of tumors. Nexavar gives cancer patients a new hope.
Phil Isgrigg
Bartlett, Ill.
Divorce rate not in dream
Bishop Coyner, your 2016 dream report in "Together" (Jan. 2006) was rightfully upbeat and optimistic.
I am very glad your leadership challenged our Indiana churches, families and individuals to tithe. Not only should tithing be a top priority because of cut backs in but for better stewardship of all our resources. In nine out of ten divorces, financial mismanagement, debt, overspending and credit cards have been the chief causes of conflict. When will the church touch families and congregations to make this top priority? People must be taught and can learn "how to manage money" outside the tithe.
I was very disappointed once again that reducing divorce rates did not appear in your dream. There is a vast sea of suffering within families of the church and congregations resulting from failure to get modern concepts, biblically based, on how to save and strengthen marriages. In all its compassion and reaching out, the church seems to be failing to minister to dysfunctional marriages.
Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott have recently published their book, The Complete Guide to Marriage Mentoring. I believe, as they state, "the marriage mentoring movement is the sleeping giant in the church."
Think what would happen if churches in Indiana would make healing the hurts in its own members among the top values, reaching out to couples with children who are in process of divorce, contemplating divorce or anticipating marriage. I believe the walls of churches would be exploding - no sweat to reach your 300,000 (member) goal - but over the million mark. The misery in marriage is so great.
As I see it, the Indiana United Methodist conferences do not seem to envision this great opportunity. Their members are seeking answers to suffering in family relationships outside the church. We do have the power, spiritual and human resources to make loving, harmonious families the mark of a Christian family. In the song, "We are one in the spirit, we are one in the Lord, . and they will know we are Christians by our love."
The 50 percent divorce rate in Christian families can be reduced to less than five percent. United Methodist churches should not accept, stay silent and inert on this issue.
Again, I am glad for your leadership.
E.L. Hollenberg M.D.
Winamac, Ind.
Membership
The letter from the Rev. Kent Millard of Indianapolis (Together, Nov.-Dec. 2005) along with a Pastoral Letter to the People of The United Methodist Church from our bishops (page 9), broke my heart and brought tears to my eyes.
Both letters seem to say that now each United Methodist minister is expected to receive practicing homosexuals into full membership without any change of lifestyles. If this is true and it holds, one of the greatest denominations the United States has ever had, our own United Methodist, is on its way to extinction.
Why would I dare say such a thing? Because even though Jesus never used the word "homosexual," He did uphold the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, and He did bless little children.
As for the Rev. Millard's statements, about pastors refusing membership on the basis of divorce or color is just plain silly. I grew up in the South and in my first appointment in 1947, I was faced with a decision to save a black man's life and lose my pulpit or let him die in jail with a bullet in his hear and "save" my pulpit. Well, I lost my pulpit, but the black man got to live 18 more years.
As for marrying divorced people, I have done that many times on the basis of Jesus own words in Matthew, chapter 19. But there is no comparison between a man or a woman who has been divorced getting married, and the Church of Jesus Christ approving or even accepting into membership people whose lifestyles are contrary to nature and natural law, Romans, chapter 2.
Yes, I have in the past had homosexuals come to me to share their pain and inward struggle, and each time I asked each one why they had come to me. Their answers were always the same - "I was told you were a Methodist minister I could talk with and not be condemned."
Yes, every human being, even the unborn and the homosexuals "are of sacred worth,
and yes, all Christians are sinners saved by grace, and we must be inclusive in our love, but the issue here goes much deeper, it is a matter of right and wrong on the basis of natural law, again Romans, chapter 2, and of the survival of civilization, not just Methodism.
Raymond Pierson
Crossville, Tenn.
Last updated on 25 Apr 2008