The House passed Resolution 232, the Manhattan Declaration, with a 45 member vote (mostly Republican, which included Lexington’s anti-gay Representative Stan Lee, and Northern Kentucky’s anti-gay Representative Joseph Fischer). (article about Representative Joseph Fischer)

55 members of the House didn’t vote, mostly Democrats.

• House Resolution 232 Voting Record

Former Watergate felon Chuck Colson leads the Manhattan Declaration of so-called Christian principles. Colson is also a member of Washington, D.C.’s secret society, “The Family.” Pictured is Family Research Council president Tony Perkins with Church Colson.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins stated:

“Led by Chuck Colson, the Manhattan Declaration is a public commitment to promote a culture of life, the sanctity of marriage, and religious liberty–no matter what rogue judges or politicians might say or do. More than 150 leaders have signed the document as a bold signal that the church will not retreat from the public square.”

So far, Kentucky is the only state to adopt the Manhattan Declaration.

Kentucky is no stranger to elected officials trying to force religion on citizens in direct violation of Section V of Kentucky’s Constitution.

Jefferson County Judge/Executive candidate Curtis Morrison recently pointed out his dissatisfaction of “Representative Tom Riner’s crusade to make ‘Jesus’ the Director of Kentucky’s Homeland Security”). (previous story) Franklin County Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate struck down the references to a dependence on “Almighty God” in the law that created the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security. Judge Wingate stated it was akin to establishing a religion, which the government is prohibited from doing in both the U.S. and Kentucky Constitutions.

However, court decisions about the separation of church and state did not deter the Kentucky House of Representatives from passing this anti-gay right-wing resolution:

A RESOLUTION recognizing and honoring the efforts of those who have inspired thousands of Kentuckians with the Manhattan Declaration.

WHEREAS, on February 1, 2010, a group of pastors and Christian leaders from across Kentucky came to Frankfort to stand in solidarity with the Manhattan Declaration; and

WHEREAS, the Manhattan Declaration is a pronouncement of determination to answer the “call of Christian Conscience” by upholding the sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife, and the rights of conscience and religious freedom; and

WHEREAS, leading Kentucky pastors coordinated this effort to publicly stand for those principles and express their determination to see them implemented in our culture; and

WHEREAS, these leaders called on individuals and elected officials throughout the Commonwealth to apply these principles, and proclaimed their unity as Christian leaders in Kentucky; and

WHEREAS, several hundred Kentuckians gathered to proclaim their support of the principles enunciated in the Manhattan Declaration; and

WHEREAS, the individuals who signed the Declaration on February 1, 2010, also indicated their support of the Kentucky Solidarity Statement, which read:

We, the undersigned, do hereby unite our hearts in common purpose and endorse the Manhattan Declaration. We stand in solidarity with like-minded Christians throughout the United States and the Commonwealth of Kentucky in proclaiming our dedication to values that cannot be violated without dire consequences to our society. In obedience to God and His revelation in Christ, we call on Christians throughout Kentucky—pastors, laymen, public officials, and private citizens—to join with us in our commitment to the principles upon which our society was founded;

NOW, THEREFORE,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:

• Section 1. The House of Representatives recognizes and honors the efforts of those who have inspired thousands of Kentuckians with the Manhattan Declaration.
• Section 2. The House of Representatives further wishes great success to those who are committed to the principles upon which our Commonwealth and indeed the nation at large were founded, and appreciates the heartfelt motivation of those whose calling it is to minister to others even as they declare and advocate for truth.

This has quickly erupted into a major scandal in Washington, D.C. since representatives from Congress and U.S. churches visited the Republic of Uganda and listed the acceptance of gay marriage and homosexuality as a problem for the “moral compass” of the United States of America. The real scandal however is the secret society/organization known as “The Family.”  The Family has long been a secretive organization, it maintains no public website and conducts no public fundraising activities.

In a November 2009 NPR interview, journalist Jeff Sharlet alleged that The Family was behind the recent proposed bill in Uganda that called for the death penalty for gays.

The Family, through Senior U.S. Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) and U.S. Representative Joe Pitts (R – Pennsylvania), redirected millions in U.S. aid to Uganda from sex education programs to abstinence programs, thereby causing an evangelical revival, which included condom burnings, and doubling the incidence of AIDS.

U.S. Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) announced earlier this year he will not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate, and will instead run for the higher office of Governor of Kansas.

Richard Jones, who serves on Kentucky Equality Federation’s Discrimination, Hate Crimes, and School Bullying Committee forwarded this response to us from U.S. Representative Bart Stupak.

Though this powerful Senior U.S. Representative from Michigan denies such involvement, others have stated that while in Washington, D.C., Stupak rents a room at the C Street facility of The Family, a Christian organization which operates the property as a tax-exempt church and a residence for several U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators.

Stupak’s Chief of Staff, Scott Schloegel was quoted in the New York Times as saying “We’re members without a party; Democrats are mad at you, and Republicans don’t trust you.” Though Stupak had dreams of leaving the U.S. House of Representatives for the higher office of Governor of Michigan, he says he cannot because no one with his stands on guns and abortion can win in Michigan.

This is a very interesting response from U.S. Representative Bart Stupak.