More to the point, I am encouraged to seek the answers to deep questions not in doctrine, but instead through my own ability to reason, using my experience, tradition, and, most important, the Bible as a guide. That’s not to say that I closet myself with the Bible and try to work out life’s mysteries. No, United Methodists are a talking bunch, and we engage in discussions, even arguments sometimes, about the weightier stuff, like homosexuality. We don't all agree, for sure, but all of us can speak our minds.
What’s great about this is that my opinion does not dictate whether or not I continue to be welcome in the Church. How wonderful to be part of a religious group that promotes discussion and doesn’t require that I (or anyone else) agree with everything! One of our church leaders, Bishop Bruce Blake, made this point crystal clear: "United Methodists are never expected to agree with the church 100% because every United Methodist has a brain and is encouraged to use it."
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