Citing conscience issues with the trend of several social issues 145 religious leaders hav signed what they call the Manhattan Declaration saying they will not cooperate with laws that could be used to compel their groups to participate in abortions, same-sex relationships or stem cell research.

“We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers, that no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence,” it says.

A mixture of evangelicals, Catholics and Orthodox leaders signed the document which is aimed at stirring support for what they call the three most important social issues facing American society today. It appears to be an effort to rally Christian support at a time when the historic religious foundation of American religious culture appears to be cracking. The so called Moral Majority of the past has been disbanded, shattered by the very political system it sought to enter. The culture wars have made significant inroads into the moral and ethical behavior of Americans. Is this the last redoubt of conservatism against the post-modern culture?

The document 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 antilife act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent.”

The document will be released at the National Press Club in Washington this Friday.