General Conference getting even more political?

Tuesday night I received a heads-up that anyone phoning from Conquest Communications to survey me as a General Conference delegate had not been asked to do so by the United Methodist Church. We were told that a press release would be forthcoming for clarification.

Wednesday, the Reporter office received the press release. Not a whole lot of information--it didn't list the survey organization's name--but enough facts to let delegates know that something odd was afoot.

Thursday, we received the transmission of Rich Peck's UMNS story. And then, over at the Methoblog, Jay Voorhees confirmed that I wasn't the only one thinking that it might be a push poll (scroll down to "Political push polls" at that link to read a famous example). I'd already shot my mouth off to that effect, but wasn't sure anyone else thought it was plausible.

Nobody's saying who initiated this exercise, but regardless of who's behind it, the very idea of the UMC getting this politicized is disgusting.

Tomorrow I'm going to an event focusing on Holy Conferencing. I pray it'll get the bad taste out of my mouth, at least for a while.