DIVINE JUDGEMENT: 600 UNITED METHODISTS AND CLERGY FILE FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST JEFF SESSIONS FOR VIOLATIONS OF CHRIST’S TEACHINGS AND CHURCH RULES – CHARGES INCUDE: “CHILD ABUSE, IMMORALITY, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, & DISSEMINATION OF DOCTRINES CONTRARY TO THE STANDARDS OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH!” — “Outing False Christianity!”

Monday, July 18, 2018
Dear Rev. Boykin and Rev. Wines,

We, the undersigned laity and clergy of the United Methodist Church, issue a formal complaint against fellow United Methodist layperson Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, by our understanding a lay member of Ashland Place United Methodist Church, in Mobile, AL, and an active participant in Clarendon United Methodist Church, Arlington, VA. While we are reticent to bring a formal complaint against a layperson, Mr. Sessions’ unique combination of tremendous social/political power, his leading role as a Sunday School teacher and former delegate to General Conference, and the severe and ongoing impact of several of his public, professional actions demand that we, as his siblings in the United Methodist denomination, call for some degree of accountability.

We write to you, Mr. Sessions’ pastors, copying his District Superintendents and Bishops, in the hopes that you will, as members of our connectional system, dig deeply into Mr. Sessions’ advocacy and actions that have led to harm against thousands of vulnerable humans. As members of the United Methodist Church, we deeply hope for a reconciling process that will help this long-time member of our connection step back from his harmful actions and work to repair the damage he is currently causing to immigrants, particularly children and families.

Pursuant to Paragraph 2702.3 of the 2016 United Methodist Book of Discipline, we hereby charge Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, Attorney General of the United States, a professing member and/or active participant of Ashland Place United Methodist Church (Mobile, Alabama) and Clarendon United Methodist Church (Alexandria, Virginia), with the chargeable offenses of:

• Child Abuse (examples: advocacy for and implementation of documented practices that indefinitely separate thousands of young children from their parents; holding thousands of children in mass incarceration facilities with little to no structured educational or socio-emotional support)
• Immorality (examples: the use of violence against children to deter immigration; advocating and supporting the separation of children from their families; refusal of refugee/asylee status to those fleeing gang or sexual violence; oppression of those seeking asylum or attempting to enter the United States with refugee status; directing employees and staff members to kidnap children from their parents)
• Racial discrimination (examples: stopping investigations of police departments charged with racial discrimination; attempting to criminalize Black Lives Matter and other racial justice activist groups; targeting incarceration for those engaged in undocumented border crossings as well as those who present with requests for asylum, with a particular focus on those perceived as Muslim or LatinX)
• Dissemination of doctrines contrary to the standards of doctrine of the United Methodist Church (examples: the misuse of Romans 13 to indicate the necessity of obedience to secular law, which is in stark contrast to Disciplinary commitments to supporting freedom of conscience and resistance to unjust laws)

While other individuals and areas of the federal government are implicated in each of these examples, Mr. Sessions – as a long-term United Methodist in a tremendously powerful, public position – is particularly accountable to us, his church. He is ours, and we are his. As his denomination, we have an ethical obligation to speak boldly when one of our members is engaged in causing significant harm in matters contrary to the Discipline on the global stage. Several Bishops and other denominational leaders have spoken out about this matter, urging Methodists to contact Mr. Sessions and for these policies to change, but we believe that the severity of his actions and the harm he is causing to immigrants, migrants, refugees, and asylees calls for his church to step into a process to directly engage with him as a part of our community.

We look forward to entering into the just resolution process with Mr. Sessions as we seek to journey with him towards reconciliation and faithful living into the gospel.

In the community of Jesus, the Liberator and Redeemer,

1. Rev. Dave Wright, Pacific Northwest Conference
2. Rev. Kelly Dalhman-Oeth, Pacific Northwest Conference
3. Rev. Terri Stewart, Pacific Northwest Conference
4. Elaine Marston, Pacific Northwest Conference
5. Becca Brazell, Pacific Northwest Conference
6. Rev. Stephen Tarr, Pacific Northwest Conference
7. Rev. JoDene Romeijn-Stout, Pacific Northwest Conference
8. Rev. Paul Mitchell, Pacific Northwest Conference
9. Rev. Katie Stickney, Pacific Northwest Conference
10. Rev. Dr. Joanne Carlson Brown, Pacific Northwest Conference
11. Rev. Nico Romeijn-Stout, Pacific Northwest Conference
12. Rev. Sharon Moe, Pacific Northwest Conference
13. Rev. Eric Stone, Detroit Conference
14. Celeste Blay, PNW Conference
15. Rev. Hilary Marchbanks, Rio Texas Conference
16. Adam Richards, North Texas Conference
17. Rev. Jan Bolerjack, Pacific Northwest Conference
18. Rev. Ryan Russel, Iowa Conference
19. Rev. Kristin Hawes Joyner, Pacific Northwest Conference
20. Rev. Lyda Pierce, Pacific Northwest Conference
21. Rev. J. Cody Nielsen, Iowa Conference
22. Rev. Dr. Israel I. Alvaran, Philippines Annual Conference
23. Aaron Taylor Pazan, Pacific Northwest Conference
24. Rev. Austin Adkinson, Pacific Northwest Conference
25. Margo Gislain, Northern Illinois Conference
26. Robyn Gislain, Northern Illinois Conference
27. Rev. Nestor Santiago Gerente, California Pacific Conference
28. Rev. Anna Voinovich, Northern Illinois Conference

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The names of the rest of the 640 signers of this letter can be found here:

A_Complaint_regarding_Jefferson_Sessions

AMEN

As a United Methodist myself, I was wondering when someone would bring up the mind boggling disconnect between the kind, forgiving, self-sacrificing, generous, honor and assist the poor, eschew cruelty and arrogance teachings of Jesus Christ that are the subject of our services every week and the horrible totally un-Christian life and dispicable lack of values preached and advocated by Jeff Sessions. The thought of Sessions teaching a Sunday School class based on his ignorant, arrogant, mis-interpretation of Christian doctrine, particularly as it relates to social justice and equality, is simply appalling. Just ask the Jesuit Fathers down at Georgetown University, where I teach.

To state the obvious, Jesus Christ was not a shill for the secular state. He was actually put to death unfairly by a corrupt judge under the “rule of law” of the secular state of Rome.

Christ was a rabble rouser not a booster of the “status quo” or the “powers that be” (that’s why he was executed). He was a supporter of the poor, the foreign, the condemned, women, and the despised of society. An arrogant, bigoted individual like Sessions would have been the absolute last guy that Christ would have “hung out” with, in the absence of some showing of contrition, remorse, and genuine request for forgiveness for his many horrible sins against the human race.

And, I doubt that there would be much room in Christ’s Kingdom for unrepentant supporters of the vile “MAGA Movement” that elevates things like pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed, and sloth to “national values” embodied in an idolatrous and godless ruler. Yeah, Old Testament rulers like David had some big time problems — but they did have a few redeeming virtues of which our current king and his sycophantic worshipper/followers like Sessions have none whatsoever.

Here’s a repeat of my comments on one of my recent posts reacting to Sessions’s appalling attempt to justify his criminal child abuse with a quotation from Romans.

A NOTE TO MY WAYWARD CHILD, JEFF

I am very concerned about our relationship, Jeff.

For I was hungry Jeff, and you gave me nothing to eat.

I was thirsty, Jeff, and you gave me nothing to drink. 

I was a stranger seeking refuge, Jeff, and you did not invite me in.

I needed clothes, Jeff, and you clothed me only in the orange jumpsuit of a prisoner.

I was sick and in a foul prison you called “detention,” Jeff, and you mocked me and did not look after me.

I said “suffer the children to come unto me,” Jeff, and you made my children suffer.

In your arrogant ignorance, Jeff, you might ask when did I see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

But, Jeff, I was right there before you, in a caravan with my poor sisters, brothers, and children, having traveled far, seeking shelter and refuge from mistreatment and expecting mercy and justice under your laws. But, in your prejudice and ignorance, Jeff, you did not see me because I did not look like one of you. For you see, Jeff, as you did not show love, mercy, forgiveness, kindness, and human compassion for the least of my children, you did not do for me.

And so, Jeff, unless you repent of your wasted life of sins, selfishness, meanness, taking my name and teachings in vain, and mistaking your often flawed view of man’s laws for my Father’s will, you must go away to eternal punishment. But, the poor, the vulnerable, the abused, and the children who travel with me and those who give us aid, compassion, justice, and mercy will accompany me to eternal life.

For in truth, Jeff, although you yourself might be immoral, none of God’s children is ever “illegal” to  Him. Each time you spout such nonsense, you once again mock me and my Father by taking our names, teachings, and values in vain.

Wise up, Jeff, before it’s too late.

Your Lord & Would Be Savior,

J.C.