#46 - Letters to the Church THREE - The Manhattan Declaration

[from Stan: As I have stated previous, as Christian, I believe that we have a responsibility before God, as stewards of this great country that we are privileged to be citizens, to stand up when evil threatens it. Twenty years ago this past spring, I spent four days in jail with over 600 others for blocking an abortion clinic as an act of civil disobedience, something I did in response to a clear call from God. Last year, a pastor in Scandanavia was jailed for preaching about homosexuality according to the teaching of Scriptures under hate crimes legislation similar to that recently signed into law by our President. (I called this bill to your attention this spring. Knowing they could not have it passed any other way, the Democrats in Congress attached it to a defense appropriations bill to make it almost impossible for conservative Republicans to oppose it.) Recently in Florida, “Michelle Winkler's life as a school administrative assistant dramatically changed the day the ACLU brought CONTEMPT charges against her for asking her husband to pray over a meal at a privately-sponsored employee banquet being held in a neighboring county. The ACLU attorneys had the audacity to ask the court to force Michelle to pay them over $30,000 in attorney's fees!” (For more information on this, I encourage you to check out LiberyCounsel.org where I learned of this.)
The document was recently signed by Christians across denominational and political persuasions asks Christians to get serious about whether or not we will stand up against evil policies that are infecting our society. If you go the appropriate website, ManhattanDeclaratioin.org, you will find the entire document to read and sign. Although it came to 7 pages when I downloaded it, it is a document worth your time reading, having, and signing, which I encourage you and your friends to do. Friend, we must ask ourselves the question: If we say we really care about what is happening morally in our country, are we willing to stand up to say so, even if one day it might mean committing acts of civil disobedience as that pastor in Scandanavia and Christians persecuted throughout the world our doing every day for even more egregious wrongs? I believe that it is sin before God to do any less.]

Manhattan Declaration Hits Almost 200,000 Signatures by Kim Trobee, editor

Statement on Christian beliefs is a clarion call to reach out to the poor and suffering.

The Manhattan Declaration was unveiled at a press conference Nov. 20. Now, more than 200,000 people have signed the document that outlines Christian teaching on abortion, marriage and rights of conscience. Chuck Colson, founder of The Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, said on his daily Breakpoint commentary that the declaration was a proclamation that Christians will protect the tenets of their faith.

"There, in front of all those cameras and lights, Christian leaders lovingly, winsomely and firmly took a stand," he said. "I will never forget the picture. I stood between Archbishop Wuerl of Washington and Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia. I looked over at Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, Jim Daly of Focus on the Family, and Ron Sider, president of Evangelicals for Social Action. It was a foretaste of what we're all going to see in heaven."
Other Christian leaders signing included Bishop Harry Jackson, senior pastor of Hope Christian Church, the Rev. Chad Hatfield, chancellor and CEO of St. Vladimir's Seminary, Robbie George, director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, and Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List.

Just four days after launching the Manhattan Declaration Web site, nearly 100,000 people had signed their support for the document, and that number continues to climb. Jim Daly, president and CEO of Focus on the Family, said it's the kind of communication that captures the spirit of the Christian faith. "Inviting and answering questions, engaging in civil discourse, acknowledging where we've fallen short and investing more energy in doing the right things for other to see," he said. "It's the language of cultural change." Opponents have called the document a political tool to resurrect the "religious right." Colson said that couldn't be further from the truth. "This document is a clarion call to reach out to the poor and the suffering," he said. "It is, in fact, a form of catechism for the foundational truths of the faith. It underscores human rights, and calls on everyone to protect human dignity at every stage of life. The Manhattan Declaration was written for the common good and for justice."


TAKE ACTION
Sign the Manhattan Declaration.