Unfortunately, the conference was disrupted by a group that supported petitions that were not approved.  The people who disrupted General Conference should face consequences.  At a minimum, they should not be allowed to attend future Annual or General Conferences.

One of the more controversial issues discussed at General Conference related to paragraph 161F of the Book of Discipline which says, “The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching.”

Speeches were given in favor of changing that language, and in opposition.  Both sides had their say.  A vote was taken on the plenary floor.  The body voted not to change the language.

Rather than being disappointed but accepting the results of the vote, a group of gay advocates chose to disrupt the conference.

Becca Clark, a Vermont pastor and one of the protesters, described it this way on her blog: "We stayed at the table when the session attempted to reconvene. Unable to get the delegates back to their seats and the visitors off the floor– indeed unable to even to get people to stop singing, the Bishop had no choice but to call for an early lunch."

She says, "We were told that the police were called. They never came.  For the next three hours we sat, stood, prayed, sang (okay, I didn’t), and waited. I stayed on the floor".  She continues, "We also had conversation with the bishops and it was decided that no further votes on human sexuality would be taken that day, in an effort to do no harm. Hey! Protest making legislative change!  Awesome."

No, not awesome.  Disgraceful.

General Conference is the top policymaking body of the worldwide Church.  We simply cannot have every group that loses a vote holding their breath until the grownups give in.  We cannot have extremists holding General Conference hostage every four years.

The appearance of Bishops agreeing to kill legislation so that delegates will stop protesting is not a good precedent for future conferences.  It cannot be tolerated.

The protesters see themselves as freedom fighters conducting acts of civil disobedience ala Martin Luther King.  They are not.  They are petulant adolescents who had their say, were voted down, and threw a tantrum.

If we are to have any semblance of civility in future conferences, the Bishops must reprimand clergy who behaved in this way.  Can you imagine an employee of any other organization in the world acting out this way at their company’s conference?  They would be fired on the spot.

No organization can operate this way.  For the sake of future General Conferences, the Bishops must hold these people accountable.