'Traditional Marriage' Declaration Seeks More Christian Signatures

By Bruce Nolan
Religion News Service

NEW ORLEANS (RNS) Nearly 200 pastors, policymakers and other New Orleans-area Christians were urged to sign a declaration circulating nationally in support of traditional marriage, protection of life and freedom of religious conscience, three values said to be under threat in American culture.

The so-called Manhattan Declaration, unveiled in late 2009, is an ecumenical manifesto in support of those principles, endorsed by Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox religious leaders.

It has gathered almost half a million online signatures, and gathering more was part of the reason for the conference Tuesday (Aug. 2) at Celebration Church, jointly sponsored by the Louisiana Family Forum, the American Legislative Exchange Council, an association of conservative legislators, and the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, a new enterprise for the evangelical thinker and writer Chuck Colson.

Robert George, a Catholic conservative intellectual, and Timothy George, the evangelical academic, appeared live while Colson participated by Skype. Their program in New Orleans on behalf of the declaration was one of several they have held, including sessions in Denver, Minneapolis and Birmingham.

Their themes, generally, were that in debates over abortion, assisted suicide, same-sex marriage and related issues, the culture is becoming unmoored from values that protect the weakest individuals and nourish the family, the basic structure of civil society.

Robert George noted that New York recently became the sixth and largest state to approve same-sex marriage, which he said is being redefined to mean only a "sexualized romantic relationship."

(Bruce Nolan writes for The Times-Picayune in New Orleans.)

Comments

[truth be told again]

12:20 PM on 08/09/2011

Ya know, I support tradtitional marriage, but I do not support only traditional marriage exclusively. Since same-gender marriages do not affect opposite-gender marriages in the least, why can both not happily co-exist?

I have been married for more than 7 years, and not a single heterosexual couple has been refused the right/freedom to marry. Not a single heterosexula couple's marriage has fallenapart because of my same-gender marriage. In fact, one of my three sisters entered into her THIRD "traditional marriage" well after my husband and I married,so I know that same-gender marriages arre NOT this "threat" to "traditional marriages" - at all.

What's the problem here?

[tlee47ftw]

06:15 PM on 08/06/2011

Traditional marriage, huh? Well, let's see, even though they chatted with "the big guy" personally, Adam and Eve never got married but they did have children. Cain had children too, but there was only one woman so figure that one out for yourself. Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Guiliani and Gingrich both had 3 wives, so far. Half of all heterosexual marriages fail.
So now tell me, what is "traditional marriage"?
I think it is two loving adults that wish to legally and publicly profess thier love and desire of being together for always. And there is absolutley nothing wrong with that. And if that's not what "traditional marriage" is, it is certainly what it ought to be.

[PrairieGayCompanion]

02:16 PM on 08/06/2011

Shouldn't "Christian" also be in quotes.

[Ioan Lightoller]

09:16 PM on 08/05/2011

Wow, What a brave bunch. They want to limit rights of other, tax-paying citizens and yet want to keep it secret. More like cowards. And they are "protecting"nothing except their (mis) perceived "right" to control the lives of those who have done them no harm.

[Ms NYC]

07:15 PM on 08/05/2011

When will they give up? All the time and money wasted on hate. I'll never understand it. They must be miserable people. If they were in happy loving marriages, like mine, they would want everyone to have the opportunity. Instead they want to try to make everyone as miserable as they are. Don't let them do it. DOMA will be repealed. Love will win over hate. I just wish it wasn't taking so long.

[Ioan Lightoller]

07:22 PM on 08/05/2011

I love my husband and am very happy with him. I hope that one day soon every loving consenting couple that wishes to marry will be allowed to do so as well!!

[Puro Purepechas]

06:37 PM on 08/05/2011

I'm a Guadalupana Catholic and unlike the "conservative" Catholic "Robert George" (read fake Catholic) I'm not signing this petition or any other against gay marriage. The true calling of Catholics and also its priest is to poverty and living in true community with impoverished people the world over.

[Ioan Lightoller]

07:20 PM on 08/05/2011

Fanned and faved. Thank you for seeingf to the heart of the matter, unlike some "Christians".

[Bert Dodson]

06:16 PM on 08/06/2011

As a pratical Catholic I agree with you.

[JonW]

05:21 PM on 08/05/2011

Why do so many little minds worry about what 10% of the population do with their personal lives?
Chuck Colson, the Nixon white house felon and epithanyist, doesn't do anything for their questionable cause and motives!

[Ioan Lightoller]

05:24 PM on 08/05/2011

Hey, the fact that old Chuckie backed this is good enough reason to "just say no" to this.

[nc28766]

06:08 PM on 08/05/2011

Why do 5%(not 10%), want to force me to accept their phony "marriages"? I refuse.

[Since59]

06:40 PM on 08/05/2011

We’re not asking you to accept anything. We are demanding (and achieving) equal rights. How you feel about it is irrelevant. And it's doesn't matter if we are 0.0005% of the population. We're still U.S. citizens and entitled to equality regardless of your acceptance. Don't like it? Too bad.

[Ioan Lightoller]

07:31 PM on 08/05/2011

What is it with your ilk and "the numbers" game? If we we were 1/1,000,000 we should not be denied the same rights you enjoy. And what and how you feel is irrelevant. Don't accept our marriages (which will then be valid under US law once marriage equality goes nationwide). Sit and be self-righteous. Whatever.

[Ioan Lightoller]

05:08 PM on 08/05/2011

The Manhattan Declaration is nothing more than the stated desire of the signers to control the lives of those who have never harmed the signers of declaration nor would the right of same sex-couples to legally marry affect the lives of the signers in the least. This is nothing more than more of the fundamentalist Christian desire to control the lives of others. Pay attention to YOUR OWN souls! This Declaration to "protect marriage" is a crock since it does NOTHING to "protect marriage". Not one fundamentalist posting on here can (or is willing to) answer two questions:

How have GLBT people ever harmed you? How would the right of same sex couples to legal marriage affect YOUR life?

[nc28766]

06:10 PM on 08/05/2011

GLBT people have harmed me by my having to encounter them. They have harmed me by forcing me to oppose them. They have harmed me by their trying to pervert the definition of marriage. And I could go on.

[Ioan Lightoller]

06:30 PM on 08/05/2011

In other words, you'd prefer that they didn't exist. How sad for you that you have to encounter them. Wow, you had to get off your butt and participate in the political process. How tragic for you that we exist and want the same rights you enjoy--how absolutely heartbreaking. And your definition of marriage is not that of everyone else. Who says we should have to do without legal marriage when my religion says that being gay is NOT a sin and that marriage for same sex couples is fine with them? How about you mind your own business and live your own life? Is that so hard for you to understand?


You've yet to explain how your life would be affected if GLBT people were allowed to marry legally. You certainly have not proven harm.

[Rev David Huber]

07:06 PM on 08/05/2011

They've harmed you? Seriously? You're so weak and pathetic that you are harmed simply by their existence?

And how have they "forced" you to oppose them? I've never heard of gays going out and forcing people to oppose them. Do they hold a gun to your head? Threaten to beat you up? How is this coercion taking place? And why haven't you called the police about it? The only way they can *force* you to do something is if they are doing something illegal.

They've harmed you by TRYING to pervert the definition of marriage? Their mere TRYING is enough to cause you harm?

Are you Samuel L. Jackson from Unbreakable?

Maybe you need to see a doctor about your incredible ability to be harmed at a distance by non-physical things.

I was run over by a semi, and was harmed in actuality, and didn't wallow in the self-pity cry-baby woe-is-me obnoxiousness that you seem to have defined your life by. Grow up.

[LeeAlex]

04:59 PM on 08/05/2011

I think heads would explode if these signers got a good look at some of the gay couples I know, some in very long term relationships. Some are even (gasp!) raising children, some of whom were thrown away by their "traditional" parents. That to me says 1) committed couple and 2) family unit built on love. What is wrong with that?

This whole thing about traditional family values is demeaning and cruel. I will continue to welcome these couples every Sunday as full partners in Christian fellowship, as beloved members of my church family, and in full recognition of their relationships. Wouldn't I want them to do the same for me? I guess I'm exercising my own freedom of religious conscience!

I'm for civil marriage for all couples and then they can choose whether to have a religious ceremony or not. You can easily find which churches will perform ceremonies by Googling it, because Lord knows we don't get any press. Personally, as a minister I'd run the other way if someone asked me to sign this trad marriage petition. I can't tell my congregation to do so, but I get the feeling most of them would be running with me and probably outstripping me, especially my gay Christian brothers and sisters!

[Ioan Lightoller]

05:23 PM on 08/05/2011

AMEN! This petition does nothing to "protect" marriage". Only the couple can do that by remaining monogamous and working on problems within the marriage. My same-sex marriage is not affected by any other marriage. It is up to me and my husband to "make or break" our marriage.

[nc28766]

06:14 PM on 08/05/2011

You need to leave any organization that has "Christian" associated with it. YOU are NOT a Christian. You are harming those in your so-called "church" by teaching them heresy and saying it is truth.

[Ioan Lightoller]

06:34 PM on 08/05/2011

Bigots like you are why I am Pagan. My God and Goddess love and accept GLBT people. BUT there are a number of Christian denominations which do not share your prejudices. The Episcpalians, the United Church of Christ and the Metropolitan Community Churches are but three of these greoups.

[Since59]

07:21 PM on 08/05/2011

Your form of "christianity" has noting to do with the teachings of Jesus Christ. Your form of "christianity" provokes quotes like this... "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Mahatma Gandi

I am not a Christian but my Christian friends are praying for you.

[Watching rock grow]

04:48 PM on 08/05/2011

"The so-called Manhattan Declaration, unveiled in late 2009, is an ecumenical manifesto in support of those principles, endorsed by Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox religious leaders.
It has gathered almost half a million online signatures...."

If, this is true I would say after 2 years and 1/2 million online signatures it is a lost issue.

[Since59]

04:57 PM on 08/05/2011

But wait, dgr indicated below he signed up as well so hey, 500,001.

[ceeenbee]

03:56 PM on 08/05/2011

You know, Chuck Colson...Divorced Chuck Colson...convicted Watergate felon Chuck Colson.

[Seven Teenatheart]

04:11 PM on 08/05/2011

Yep - this guy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Colson

[dgr]

03:25 PM on 08/05/2011

Thanks to Huffpost for advertising the declaration. I was glad to sign it.

[LoyalBob]

03:30 PM on 08/05/2011

Thank you for announcing your ignorance and bigotry. Proud of yourself?

[TXanimal]

03:39 PM on 08/05/2011

Sleep through your history & government classes, did you?

Thankfully, those who share your opinion and lack of respect for the Constitution are now in the minority.

[JeremiahA]

03:03 PM on 08/05/2011

I truly wonder how many commenting here have actually read the "Manhattan Declaration"?

I wonder if the extremist organization, with the misnomer title of truth triumphing in the end, actually read the declaration before using a petition site to campaign for the removal of this document's app from Apple's App Store. Any view/argument/evidence that does not fit their paradigm is labeled "hate," ridiculed, addressed with curses, and/or removed from their site, so while they are not extremist in action, they are extremist in their two core beliefs. One, they have knowledge that no former heterosexual or former homosexual has ever existed. And two, any form of treatment, counseling, advice, medication, and procedures sought by homosexuals with unwanted same sex attraction is always harmful.

People may disagree with the Manhattan Declaration but they should demonstrate that the document's writers were motivated by hate before they make any such claim.

[Concerned Citizen in CA]

03:39 PM on 08/05/2011

I have read the Manhattan Declaration. As I see it, the writers are so blinded by their faith that either they cannot or just plain refuse to see that others that do not believe as they do in a religious sense. Those in the LGBT community do not believe that they are wayward or engaging in immoral conduct by being homosexual. As someone that is not of the Christian faith, I can see this clearly, while those within it may not be able to see what is obvious to those outside of Christianity.
Rather than trying to understand, tolerate, or just stay the heck out of the lives of the LGBT community, they feel that they have to make this declaration, which to me is a hateful act. It is hateful to fight to deny rights to others. Rights that they enjoy. It is judgmental and really has no effect on their own lives. If a couple on the other side of your town, whom you will never meet, is non-Christian, how does this effect you? It doesn't. It is a similar situation with same sex marriage. They do not effect you.
What these religious fundamentalists fail to understand is that it is not about them. It is a simple matter of equal rights under the law. Something that they now enjoy. Something that others are still fighting for.

[JeremiahA]

12:43 PM on 08/06/2011

Well, I will just make two points and then let you have the last word.

The question is not how will same-sex marriage personally affect someone. The question is how will same-sex marriage affect society which in turns affects every member of that society. This is the question that supporters of marriage are addressing, and, in this case, through the Manhattan Declaration. You stated that it is hateful to fight to deny rights. Well, what is a right? It is a just claim, so you are going to have to argue that a just claim is being denied before you make the charge of hate.

Secondly, every citizen shares the same rights and restrictions of state-sanctioned marriage equally, so this has never been a civil rights issue.

[KenKo]

03:01 PM on 08/05/2011

Marriage has now been defined as a "sexualized romantic relationship"??? Wasn't that the definition for the last two centuries, after it succeeded from a sexualized pairing between domineer and dominated? These people need to get laid.

[TXanimal]

04:43 PM on 08/05/2011

It's like, they'll have to recognize that gay people are human beings with emotions or something if they believe otherwise.

Reminds me of my brother when he was in grade school...if my mom tried to talk to him about something he didn't want to hear, he just put his hands over his ears and shouted "lalalalalalalala!!!"

[aviandonn]

04:47 PM on 08/05/2011

No, They don't accept that you are gay. They don't anyone is gay. We are all just heterosexuals behaving badly. They just don't believe that you can't stop being so self indulgent, and just marry someone of the opposite sex if you wanted to.

[Ioan Lightoller]

11:23 PM on 08/05/2011

It's like a homphobe I knew who rented "Torch Song Trilogy"...after he saw it, it dawned on him that GLBT people have emotions--joy, happiness, love, commitment...like everyone else. I haven't been in contact with him for over 15 years now, but I hope maybe it led him on a journey towards tolerance.

[Bob Wood]

02:19 PM on 08/05/2011

One thing is certain concerning the Manhattan Declaration...there's not one fact in it. There's no reason to deny same-sex couples their right to marriage. Millions will benefit...not one will be harmed. Robert George may be a conservative Catholic intellectual...and Timothy George may be an academic...but neither are exercising what Hercule Poirot used to call " the little grey cells ". Anytime millions of people benefit and no one...not even the pair of Georges...are harmed...then it is the right thing to do. It's time for reason to reign...not superstitions. My wife and I have been happily married for better than 30 years...same-sex marriage does not threaten our marriage...nor does it threaten anyone elses. The Manhattan Declaration is just emotional...and mean spirited. It can't be supported by reason. It's wrong and it's signatories are wrong. Enough emotion. Do the right thing...just because it's right...exercise the " little grey cells "...(sigh)