Conservative Christian Leaders Issue Declaration Affirming Opposition To Abortion Rights, Other Issues

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs;  Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 24 Nov 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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Around 150 Christian leaders, mostly conservative evangelicals and traditionalist Roman Catholics, issued a joint declaration on Friday renewing their opposition to abortion rights, same-sex marriage and other issues, the AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The document -- called The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience -- is signed by 15 Roman Catholic bishops, as well as Focus on the Family founder James Dobson and National Association of Evangelicals President Leith Anderson.

The declaration states that President Obama's desire to reduce the need for abortion is "a commendable goal" but that his proposals are likely to increase the number of abortions. The document states, "The present administration is led and staffed by those who want to make abortions legal at any stage of fetal development, and who want to provide abortions at taxpayer expense." The declaration also discusses threats to health care workers' "rights of conscience" (AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/20). It says, "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."

According to the New York Times, the declaration is an effort to reinvigorate the political alliance of conservative Catholics and evangelicals that greatly influenced religious debate during the administration of President George W. Bush (Goodstein, New York Times, 11/20).

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