Catholic Revelation

Dear Friends in Christ,

Manhattan Declaration

Members of various Christian communities; Catholic, Evangelical, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican, are banding together and signing a very important document known as the Manhattan Declaration. I urge every Christian to sign this document. This document is a courageous statement affirming our right as citizens to proclaim, in the public square, our faith based beliefs regarding the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception to natural death, and marriage as the bond between a man and a woman. We hope to send a message to all political leaders that we will not be silenced.

Recently, in the Denver Catholic Register, Archbishop Chaput published a hateful and intolerant e-mail he received from an anti-Catholic person who would like nothing more than to see freedom of speech for all Christians disappear. This person wrote, “What the hell don’t you understand about separation of Church and State?” Unfortunately, this type of ignorance regarding our constitutional rights, as well as hateful intolerance of all Christians is a gaining power and momentum in our culture today, and our Christian liberties are under attack. I think the archbishop Of Denver has some useful things to say in regard to the attack Christians suffer against their freedoms.

“Let’s remember that the founders encouraged an active role for religion in the nation’s public life. Let’s recall that freedom of speech for Catholics, their leaders and their Church is constitutionally protected, just as it is for all citizens. Let’s also finally remember that Catholic baiting is one of America’s oldest and most favored forms of hatred. The irony is that some of today’s ugliest bigots posture themselves as socially ‘progressive’ and work in politics or the mass media, or both.”

Unfortunately, it appears that many Catholics themselves buy into the notion that they need to keep their faith beliefs private and away from their political decisions. We have heard politicians like John Kerry claim that though he is Catholic, he has no right to force his faith beliefs such as those regarding abortion on others. We have heard other politicians like Nancy Pelosi who claims she is Catholic make false statements regarding the Catholic Church’s positions on matters such as abortion solely for the purpose of maintaining a healthy political career. It is incredibly foolish and blind to believe that one can love Christ and at the same time, separate this love from the decisions he or she makes regarding his or her duties and rights as a citizen of the United States.

As Christians, we must speak up and defend our faith, proudly proclaiming our rights to hold fast to the beliefs that we possess and vote with our Christian consciences. Our constitution does not state that beliefs must come from a source other than one’s faith in order to be worthy of a voice. Our constitution protects our right to maintain the beliefs and values that we hold as Christians.

How can we be proud of our Christian convictions and ashamed to proclaim them in public at the same time? This is impossible, yet, this is what many of our politicians not only tell us to do, but try to do themselves.

The author of the Book of Ecclesiastes tells us that life without God is life with no purpose.

There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun; riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, and those riches were lost in a bad venture; and he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil, which he may carry away in his hand. This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go; and what gain has he that he toiled for the wind, and spent all his days in darkness and grief, in much vexation and sickness and resentment? Ecclesiastes 5:13-17.

In the end, our faith is the only thing that can truly sustain us for all eternity. Catholics and all Christians need to transcend the ‘under the sun’ perspective of the world and our life, and become a united force in defense of Christ and His Church.

We do not truly love God if we refuse to defend His Church when it is under attack. We do not put God first if we can so easily separate our faith based beliefs from how we conduct ourselves in public. This is true for the political leader with some power giving a speech, or just the ordinary citizen exercising his or her right to vote or speak out on a particular issue regarding our government.

Signing the Manhattan Declaration is something we can all do in defense of our religious liberties and it is easy. Simply sign onto ManhattanDeclaration.org and choose the appropriate option.