Los Angeles Times Attacks Pro-Life Manhattan Declaration Signers as "Dangerous"
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
December 1, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The signers of the new Manhattan Declaration put pen to paper to articulate their concerns about conscience issues for medical professionals. What they regard as a right — making sure doctors and nurses aren’t forced to participate in abortions — the Los Angeles Times is calling "dangerous."
More than 150 Christian leaders, both evangelicals and Catholics,signed onto the Manhattan Declaration.
The 4,700-word declaration issues a clarion call to Christians to adhere to their convictions and informs civil authorities that the signers will not-under any circumstance-abandon their Christian consciences when it comes to pro-life issues.
"Because we honor justice and the common good, we will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act," it says.
In a recent editorial titled, "Christian leaders’ stance on civil disobedience is dangerous," the Times says they are "going too far when they declare they will break laws on abortion."
Ironically, the Times undermines its own argument by beginning the editorial with an acknowledgement that "Few today would criticize civil rights activists, including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., for participating in or condoning the violation of laws that perpetuated white supremacy."
But breaking laws for a higher purpose is something the Times regards as an "exception" that should only be used with a "cautious approach."
The newspaper claims that has been "thrown to the wind" by the signers of the Manhattan Declaration and its supporters.
"Strong words, but also irresponsible and dangerous ones," the Times says of the signers, adding that the day would never come when someone would be forced to do an abortion.
"The strange land described in this statement is one in which a sinister secularist government is determined to force Christians to betray their principles about abortion or the belief," it said. "This apocalyptic argument for lawbreaking is disingenuous, but it is also dangerous."
Tony Perkins, the head of the Family Research Council, shook his head at the Times’ editorial.
"I joined a diverse group of Evangelical, Catholic, and Orthodox leaders in releasing what is one of the most important statements of Christian doctrine issued in decades–the Manhattan Declaration," he said. "The nine-page document articulates 2,000 years of Christian moral and social teaching on the dignity of human life .. and the imperative of religious liberty in a just society."
"The interest that the statement has generated underscores the need for such a clarion call to Christian orthodoxy," he told LifeNews.com.
"I find it amazing that the media has seized on this one area of the Declaration. Who will Christians ultimately submit to–God or the government of man?" Perkins asked. "Our hope is that America follows the historic tradition of submitting to both God and government."
"Unfortunately, the agenda that the Left is pushing has set a course for moral conflict, and it will all unravel if millions of Americans will not blindly follow," he concluded.
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