What I Think of Rush

Some people have been asking me what I think of Rush Limbaugh and his comments about a law student who testified before congress regarding prescription contraception coverage. Others have asked if the church has a position on his comments. Well here goes.

1. The General Conference is the only body that can speak officially for the United Methodist Church. That gathering takes place in about a month and last I checked, his name is not on the agenda. However, the church has spoken about the roles of women and men and about the rights of women in society. Here is what we say:

Women and Men—We affirm with Scripture the common humanity of male and female, both having equal worth in the eyes of God. We reject the erroneous notion that one gender is superior to another, that one gender must strive against another, and that members of one gender may receive love, power, and esteem only at the expense of another. We especially reject the idea that God made individuals as incomplete fragments, made whole only in union with another. We call upon women and men alike to share power and control, to learn to give freely and to receive freely, to be complete and to respect the wholeness of others. We seek for every individual opportunities and freedom to love and be loved, to seek and receive justice, and to practice ethical self-determination. We understand our gender diversity to be a gift from God, intended to add to the rich variety of human experience and perspective; and we guard against attitudes and traditions that would use this good gift to leave members of one sex more vulnerable in relationships than members of another. (BOD 2008 para. 161 E)

Further in terms of the rights of women we say: We affirm women and men to be equal in every aspect of their common life. We therefore urge that every effort be made to eliminate sex-role stereotypes in activity and portrayal of family life and in all aspects of voluntary and compensatory participation in the Church and society. We affirm the right of women to equal treatment in employment, responsibility, promotion, and compensation. We affirm the importance of women in decision-making positions at all levels of Church and society and urge such bodies to guarantee their presence through policies of employment and recruitment... We affirm the right of women to live free from violence and abuse and urge governments to enact policies that protect women against all forms of violence and discrimination in any sector of society.

2. So with all that said, in the manner that the Apostle Paul has stated, I offer my own opinion based on such. I fail to see how Rush's comments about this woman being addicted sex, and calling on her to make a sex tape for everyone to see, if she or any woman is to get contraceptive coverage, is respecting the equal role of women in society. I fail to see how that is treating her as a whole and complete person made in the image of God. I fail to see how how his comments can be construed as anything other than an act of violence and verbal abuse, and intimidation, directed at someone who was offering their opinion to members of congress, which is the right of every citizen of this nation.

Further I fail to see, how followers of Jesus Christ cannot condemn these comments and simply write them off as a poor choice of words, when they were made not in one segment of his show, but over the course of 3 days.

Again these opinions are my own, but I base them on the stance of the United Methodist Church which I serve, and on the Holy Scripture for which they are based. I pray one day that we will get beyond these gender and racial issues that divide our politics and this nation and truly be a people who serve the poor, work to eradicate poverty, combat disease, and build the true kingdom of God. That is a place where all are truly created and viewed as equals, made in the image of God.