LGBT POV

Watch out. Former Watergate felon and now Religious Right point person Chuck Colson is at it again. This time with a “Manhattan Declaration” of so-called Christian principles delivered at the National Press Club today with all the splash of a Hollywood PR campaign.

You can read the entire “declaration” at the Family Research Council (whose president, Tony Perkins is pictured here with Church Colson).

Here’s Chuck Colson’s tease:

Here are some excerpts. Part of the summary:

“Because [their ‘truths’] are increasingly under assault from powerful forces in our culture, we are compelled today to speak out forcefully in their defense, and to commit ourselves to honoring them fully no matter what pressures are brought upon us and our institutions to abandon or compromise them. We make this commitment not as partisans of any political group but as followers of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

The section on marriage:

“Marriage

The institution of marriage, already wounded by promiscuity, infidelity and divorce, is at risk of being redefined and thus subverted. Marriage is the original and most important institution for sustaining the health, education, and welfare of all. Where marriage erodes, social pathologies rise. The impulse to redefine marriage is a symptom, rather than the cause, of the erosion of the marriage culture. It reflects a loss of understanding of the meaning of marriage as embodied in our civil law as well as our religious traditions. Yet it is critical that the impulse be resisted, for yielding to it would mean abandoning the possibility of restoring a sound understanding of marriage and, with it, the hope of rebuilding a healthy marriage culture. It would lock into place the false and destructive belief that marriage is all about romance and other adult satisfactions, and not, in any intrinsic way, about the unique character and value of acts and relationships whose meaning is shaped by their aptness for the generation, promotion and protection of life. Marriage is not a “social construction,” but is rather an objective reality “the covenantal union of husband and wife” that it is the duty of the law to recognize, honor, and protect.”

And what they pledge to do:

“Therefore, let it be known that we will not comply with any edict that compels us or the institutions we lead to participate in or facilitate abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide, euthanasia, or any other act that violates the principle of the profound, inherent, and equal dignity of every member of the human family.

Further, let it be known that we will not bend to any rule forcing us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality, marriage, and the family.

Further, let it be known that we will not be intimidated into silence or acquiescence or the violation of our consciences by any power on earth, be it cultural or political, regardless of the consequences to ourselves.

We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God’s.

Sign the Declaration below, read the full declaration here [PDF], and for more information, visit ManhattanDeclartion.org. The effort’s goal is to have one million combined signatures by December 1st, to which we’ll add your name.”

One million signatures by World AIDS Day – there’s something sickeningly reminiscent here.

FRC’s Tony Perkins was overjoyed, as he said in an email to followers:

“Led by Chuck Colson, the Manhattan Declaration is a public commitment to promote a culture of life, the sanctity of marriage, and religious liberty–no matter what rogue judges or politicians might say or do. More than 150 leaders have signed the document as a bold signal that the church will not retreat from the public square.”

Jeremy over at Good As You had the story first and has some additional audio from Colson.

And the New York Times reported on it:

“Citing the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s call to civil disobedience, 145 evangelical, Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian leaders have signed a declaration saying they will not cooperate with laws that they say could be used to compel their institutions to participate in abortions, or to bless or in any way recognize same-sex couples…..

They want to signal to the Obama administration and to Congress that they are still a formidable force that will not compromise on abortion, stem-cell research or gay marriage. They hope to influence current debates over health care reform, the same-sex marriage bill in Washington, D.C., and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.

They say they also want to speak to younger Christians who have become engaged in issues like climate change and global poverty, and who are more accepting of homosexuality than their elders. They say they want to remind them that abortion, homosexuality and religious freedom are still paramount issues.”

The Human Rights Campaign responded quickly both on their blog and in a press release. Harry Knox, director of the Human Rights Campaign’s Religion & Faith Program, said:

“This declaration simply perpetuates the fallacy that equality and religious liberty are incompatible and that every step toward fairness for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community is another burden on religious people.  In reality, non-discrimination laws are working all over this country, where religious freedom is existing side-by-side with equal opportunity. Advocates of LGBT equality have taken great pains in their legislative efforts to ensure that the rights of religious organizations and people under the First Amendment are protected.  It is deeply cynical for the authors of this document to paint themselves as victims because they cannot have a free hand to discriminate, including with taxpayer dollars.”

Rabbi Denise Eger, member of the HRC’s Religion Council and the founder of Congregation Kol Ami in West Hollywood, said:

“As a rabbi I am offended that this group of Catholics, Orthodox Christian and evangelical Christians are once again trying to foist their theology on government. They already have the religious freedom to discriminate against gay people in their churches. But if they take government funds for social services then they must abide by the rules of equality that are a foundation of our Constitution.”

Knox also raised the tax issue:

“These organizations must decide if they are in the charitable business for charitable reasons or for political reasons.  Governments representing entire communities must not be held hostage by any group that puts its own desire to discriminate above the needs of the larger community.”

Wayne Besen of Truth Wins Out also raises some good points:

“In naming this manifesto, the far right makes great use of symbolism. We believe they have chosen to co-opt the ‘Manhattan Project’ and the ‘Declaration of Independence’. We must pay attention when a powerful group of clerics plans to ‘go nuclear’ on American values, spending significant political and financial capital to impose their narrow religious beliefs on society.”

The fact that this may not get much traction in the media outlets that progressives watch and read doesn’t mean it won’t get out there. These are many of the same arguments and funders of the antigay marriage movement and other initiatives and remember they’ve won. Their outreach to youth and their intense global outreach should also raise more concerns than raised eyebrows when sophisticated LGBTs chuckle at the prospect of the return of Chuck Colson.