Saturday, August 2, 2008

Methodist Repent Support of Eugenics

In their closing statement, the United Methodist Church has adopted by a vote of 836 for and 28 against, for their book of resolutions, their statement titled Repentance for Support of Eugenics. The resolution passed at their General Conference on April 30,2008. this makes the United Methodist Church the first denominational church in the U.S. to openly repent of their support of or involvement in the early eugenic movement in the U.S.

Here’s how they wrapped up their 9 page resolution:

"Repentance for Support of EugenicsThe United Methodist General Conference formally apologizes for Methodist leaders and Methodist bodies who in the past supported eugenics as sound science and sound theology. We lament the ways eugenics was used to justify the sterilization of persons deemed less worthy. We lament that Methodist support of eugenics policies was used to keep persons of different races from marrying and forming legally recognized families. We are especially grieved that the politics of eugenics led to the extermination of millions of people by the Nazi government and continues today as 'ethnic cleansing' around the world.”

Source: Bioethics.com

No comments: