Christian Right Wingers Obsessed With Appropriating MLK

Two days ago Glenn Beck held his "Restoring Honor" Rally in Washington D.C. on the anniversary of Martin Luther King's historic "I Have a Dream" speech. Turns out he's not the only one trying to equate right wing ideology with the civil rights leader. The "Manhattan Declaration", which was released on November 20th 2009, is boasting nearly 500,000 signatures supporting it (Manhattan because it was presented in the borough to Christian leaders last September), and now one of its drafters just released a video haranguing people into supporting the morally questionable declaration.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Declaration, a major tenet is "civil disobedience" towards any government edicts relating to abortion, stem cell research, euthanasia, or same-sex marriage. The website says "The signatories to the Manhattan Declaration side with Socrates in saying that it is better to suffer a wrong than to do it. Like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, we affirm that where one refuses to comply with an unjust law, one must do it 'openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty.'" Call it a gut feeling, but we're not sure that MLK would be too ecstatic about denying anybody civil liberties. [via Joe My God]

From their Declaration, here are the group's full views on Civil Disobedience:

Christianity has taught that civil disobedience is not only permitted, but sometimes required. There is no more eloquent defense of the rights and duties of religious conscience than the one offered by Martin Luther King, Jr., in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail. Writing from an explicitly Christian perspective, and citing Christian writers such as Augustine and Aquinas, King taught that just laws elevate and ennoble human beings because they are rooted in the moral law whose ultimate source is God Himself. Unjust laws degrade human beings. Inasmuch as they can claim no authority beyond sheer human will, they lack any power to bind in conscience. King's willingness to go to jail, rather than comply with legal injustice, was exemplary and inspiring.
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; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force 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 and immorality and marriage and the family. 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.

You can read the entire Manhattan Declaration here.

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By Bilal Khan in News on August 30, 2010 3:02 PM

Comments [rss]

Mordicai

Civil disobedience towards abortion, stem cell research, euthanasia, or same-sex marriage?

I for one will support their rights not to have abortions, not to be treated for cancer, Type 1 diabetes mellitus, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Celiac Disease, cardiac failure, muscle damage & neurological disorders et al., to not be euthanized & not get married to someone of the same sex. They are welcome to practice their personal right to sustain from those civil rights.

ANGRYGOD11

In Martin Luther King's historic "I Have a Dream" speech, he said he may not not be around to see the dream. He wasn't being prophetic, but realistic about his chances.

Thats the most annoying thing about these idiots who wouldn't risk a broken fingernail for their beliefs daring to compare themselves to a man who knew he was probably going to die and leave a widow with children behind, but kept going.

Sketto

Amazing how conservatives can twist "we refuse to bless their unions" into "we will actively do all we can to deny them the same rights".

Jen S

Also amazing: "Unjust laws degrade human beings." Uh, exactly?

Kojak

Ahh but didn't Confucius once say that a man who sleeps with an itchy asshole will wake up with smelly finger?

I rest my case.

GoldenRuler

As a gay person, I am relieved that these people will no longer taint same-sex marriage with their disgusting ways. For too long, heterosexual people have married their gender.

I look forward to the conservative men actively disobeying their choice to abort.

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nicemarmot

What would be really awesome is if they encouraged some sort of mass exodus out of the country. We could cheer and throw parades to honor their exit!

GoldenRuler

As a gay person, I am relieved that these people will no longer taint same-sex marriage with their disgusting ways. For too long, heterosexual people have married their gender.

I look forward to the conservative men actively disobeying their choice to abort.

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TimSPC

How do you practice civil disobedience against same-sex marriage?

nicemarmot

Um...mass straight marriages? Burning gay people in the streets? Burning down the marriage registrar's office?

I know that's not actually civil disobedience, but I doubt these idiots do.