Annual Council Votes

[Gregory Matthews]

As I post this, the Annual Council is voting whether or not to send the Unity Document back to committee.   President Ted has stated that if the vote is to send the document back, the issue will not come back again until 2018.

 

[Gregory Matthews]

The vote is in:  184 persons voted to send the Unity Document back to Committee.  114 persons voted not to send the document back to committee.  The Unity Document is dead in the water for this year.  As to 2018,  The GC has been taught a lesson.  If they want to pass in 2018, they will need to do their homework and present a document that has wide acceptance.  

It was clear from the discussion that the majority of the delegates, regardless of whether or not they supported the ordination of women, did not support this document and the manner in which it was presented.  Delegate after delegate complained about the process.  This became the issue.

 

[Gregory Matthews]

President Ted has stated that this issue will be on the agenda at the 2018 Annual Council in Battle Creek.

For those interested, here is the 14 page Unity Document that attempts were made to  keep secret prior to the discussion and the vote:

https://www.scribd.com/document/361134365/Procedures-for-Reconciliation-and-Adherence-to-Church-Governance#

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Quote

"It is obvious that in matters of conscience that members are not to be forced against their will, however, the principles provided in the Spirit of Prophecy indicate that when the world church in session makes a decision it should be respected and human opinion should be submitted to the world church's decision."

Quote

"The statement to be signed by each General Conference Executive Committee member is as follows:

...

1. I agree to respect church structure and abide by the General Conference Working Policy which has been voted by worldwide representation.

2. Within my sphere of influence, I will work with appropriate Church leadership to correct any non-compliance situations within my jurisdiction.

.....

The above quotes are from the Procedures for Reconciliation and Adherence to Church Governance.

The very first thing that those quotes brought to my mind was a quote from a well-known author:

Quote

"It does not matter how much the individual component man or woman in these masses knows or what he or she is, so long as willingness is present to subordinate to the instinct of common 'self-presevation', i.e., organization for the conquest of whatever is necessary to extend the sway of the folk as a whole."

the above was written by Adolf Hitler in Mein Kampf

 

Addendum:  I'm in no way saying that the GC or any of the administrators thereof are comparable to Hitler.  

[Gregory Matthews]

Pam:  Person after person objected to the document.  Jan Paulsen was one who strongly objected to the section of the document that you cited.