By: Moses M. Tokpah| Contributor
Ahead of the United Methodist general convention Minnesota, the United States of America this year (2021), the Bishop of the Liberia area of the United Methodist Church, the Liberia Annual Conference; Samuel J. Quire, Jr. has strongly opposed what he termed as “same gender relationship” in the Church.
Bishop Quire in an interview with Liberia Public Radio at the 23rd annual assembly of the Weala District Conference of the United Methodist Church held in Bong Mine, Bong County recently, said he wants to support what God has written in his words as such he will not support same “gender relationship”.
He stated that they as traditionalists believe that the word of God is true and it must be supported and they should stand up for what they believe.
The Bishop asserted that same sex relationship is unbiblical, unchristian and besides; it is not the culture of Methodists who are in Africa as they do not subscribe to those kinds of ways of life.
He pointed out that Methodists believe that same sex relationship was not God plan for humanity adding that if people of the same sex get marry they cannot multiply.
Bishop Quire said “God told male and female to be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth thereby asking as to how same gender can replenish the earth”.
‘Licensing members for hell’
The Methodist prelate intoned that before assuming the position of a Bishop, as one of the delegates to the general conference in 2012 he stood on the conference’s floor and said the Church cannot license people to go to hell.
He believes that people who practice same gender relationship are “committing sin” before God noting that even people who are strays commit adultery and fornication describing gender relationship is a ‘sexual defiance’ and is incompatible with the Christian teaching.
Quire added that Methodist Bishops across Africa have always said same gender relationship is not their culture and they will not support such.
He said in 2019 they had a special session of their general conference where African Bishops stood firm against the idea.
Worldwide Spilt in Methodist church
Bishop Quire maintained said there will be split in the United Methodist Church Worldwide as some of the evangelical churches have already started pulling out of the United Methodist Church thus becoming independent.
He recounts that at the 2021 general conference in Minnesota the issue will be high on the agenda.
The Methodist Bishop is admonishing African Methodists most especially those in Liberia to begin raising their own fund in order to support the Church.
He mentioned that it is now time for them to own the United Methodist Church.
Meanwhile, Bishop Quire said the issue of human sexuality has been a long-standing issue being discussed in the denomination Worldwide.
The Liberian Cleric disclosed that the church started discussing the issue of gay at its general conference in 1972.
The united Methodist Church is one of the leading denominations in Liberia with several churches as well as several educational establishments.
To date, the Methodist church in Liberia has over 15 congregations and over 3,000 members.
Many African countries are yet to recognize same sex marriage especially saying it contradicts their culture and believes.
Several African bishops in the United Methodist Church have been opposing the introduction of same Sex marriage in the church since it was announced few years ago.
