Interview: Mark Tooley of the IRD

Mark Tooley has graciously agreed to answer questions about the work of UM Action and his views on the upcoming "Hearts of Fire" conference at Lake Junaluska. Yesterday, he was interviewed by Dean Snyder at Untied Methodist.

1. Here, UMC blogger and GBCS member Beth Quick accuses you of dishonest reporting. How do you respond?

You can find my article about Church and Society’s boycott aimed at Kraft foods at http://www.goodnewsmag.org/news/Accountability_04_03_01.htm. Readers can judge for themselves. I quoted several evangelical members of the Board of Church and Society who opposed the boycott and who, as a minority on the board, often are ignored by official church reporting sources. Though they are a minority on that church agency board, their concerns are often those of a majority of United Methodists.

2. In your recent letter to supporters (copied here), you describe Reconciling Ministries Network as an advocate for transgenderism. Could you describe in detail RMN's involvement in advocating this lifestyle?

Here is a description of one event from the upcoming “Hearts on Fire.” Swenson is a Presbyterian minister who had a sex change operation, going from male to female. The concept that gender is an artificial social construct that can be changed at will is the latest fad in these circles. “Omnigender” by Virginia Ramey Mollenkott outlines this mode of thought.


Deconstructing Stereotypes, Constructing Identities: Transgender Spirituality in the 21st Century
Friday, Sept 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
F acilitated by Erin Swenson and Ann Thompson Cook.In this forum we will explore the development of transgender and gender queer spirituality through the use of stories, both our own and from our heritage. Participants should come with a robust interest in all things gender, whether or not they themselves are gender non-normative. We will explore the sources of gendering from ancient times to our own, looking for the development of new themes of gendered experience that will help us move hopefully into our future. Register with Sue Laurie at sue@rmnetwork.org

3. In a recent interview with Untied Methodist, you said, "I have attended RMN-endorsed events and read RMN-endorsed publications that endorsed polyamory." Could you describe in greater detail the unusual sexual practicies advocated by RMN?

Two examples of advocacy of polyamory by RMN-endorsed events come to mind. The 2003 WOW conference, organized by the RMN and other similar groups from mainline churches, featured a workshop by Debra Kolodny on bisexuality. She spoke quite favorably about polyamory, or sexual relationships among many different consenting partners. Here is a link to my article about that: http://www.layman.org/layman/news/2003-news-articles/some-gay-activists.htm. The second example is an article from Open Hands magazine, the then official magazine of RMN and other similar caucus groups. This article of 7 years ago told of the pleasures of swapping sexual partners. A more recent, shorter article in Open Hands magazine from 2003 also cites the growing popularity of polyamory. Here is a link to that: www.rmnetwork.org/ohlast/Vol17_No4.pdf .

4. Should all groups that oppose a part of our Discipline be denied use of Lake Junaluska or is sexual orientation a special case? How should Lake Junaluska decide what is a serious enough disagreement to bar use?

I think Lake Junaluska’s current standard of renting to groups that uphold the mission of the United Methodist Church is a good one, if they chose to abide by it. Preferably, Lake Junaluska would rent to Christian groups that uphold historic Christian beliefs. If the facility is going to rent to groups that advocate homosexual practice, then it should simply be willing to rent to any group that can pay the rent and set aside any pretense of being a Christian conference center.

5. Is it true IRD has taken Coors money? If so, does UMAction have any concern about being funded by money made selling alcohol?

Yes, IRD has received several grants from a foundation founded by members of the Coors family. One of United Methodism’s great universities and seminaries, Duke, was created with tobacco money. No, I have no objection to that, but I wish the church would emphasize more strongly once again its historic teachings about alcohol and tobacco use. The Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic components of IRD tend to have a different stance towards alcohol than we Methodists do!