“…the Judeo-Christian life style will be preserved untill the coming of the Lord,…”

This is not what I read in the word of God. In Matthew 24 it says, “..Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stand firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all nations, and then the end will come.”

In 2 Timothy 3:2-5, it says “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power…”

Did Jesus commissioned the church to preserve a lifestyle, or to make disciples and save souls before His wrath is unleashed on this fallen world? According to my understanding of the word of God, it was the latter.

Also, there is a passage of scripture that was very helpful to me in my confusion: “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside…” 1 Cor. 5:12-13 This really helped me to understand that how the lost want to live is not our business, they are living the same way we all would without Jesus, and we are simply to leave the judging up to the Lord and extend the olive branch of God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ to all who would receive it, whatever kind of society we find ourselves living in.

There are those Christians who happen to be politicians and lawmakers, etc, and of course their faith will inform what kind of people they are how they do their jobs as individuals, but this is not to be confused with the church’s commission, and I believe the “church” should keep out of those spheres and not become “entangled with the affairs of this world”. Praise God, I think I’m getting it, and maybe this is something you might want to think about too, Hugh.

Our yes is yes and our no is to be no.
Any follower of Jesus who feels pressured to sign this for whatever reason answers to Him, and I feel sorry for US signees who have to function in a coercive and corrosive political subculture.

This manifesto is a re-run of Evangelicals and Catholics Together, and Justice Sunday with the exception of implied civil disobedience.

The Christians of Europe and America and elswhere will suffer but they will also overcome. There is a great move of prayer in Europe and the Judeo-Christian life style will be preserved untill the coming of the Lord, though many will pay a price. Our love for you is to share the joy of eternal life with you.

God bless

Hope that addresses your comment properly – to be honest, I had to look up what Arminians believe – there are much brighter and better informed minds than mine around here, that’s an understatement, and you are stretching me beyond my limits!

What I like about this Manifesto is that it calls Christians to BE Christians. As a Christian Physician Assistant, I am being called to refuse to perform abortions, or refuse to counsel or refer for abortions. I am being called to refuse to participate in transgender surgery. In short, I am being called to stand firm on Christian principles, even when they go against the current law. To be honest, I have been wishy-washy about these and other issues in the past, trying to be in harmony with those around me. Christ calls us to be salt and light and this Manifesto echoes that call.

Right Wing Watch:

“On today’s radio program, James Dobson hosted Chuck Colson and Robert George to discuss the manifesto during which Dobson explained that if their values are “not preserved at this moment of destiny, this nation and most others in the Western world will fold and freedom itself will go down with it.” Saying we are facing a “defining moment in America and the Christian Church,” Dobson declared that the statement “deserves our most careful attention, I just want to emphasize that in every way that I can,” before asking George just what precipitated this document, to which George explained that it was basically the election of Barack Obama and Democratic majorities in Congress who are out to destroy traditional marriage and basic Christian values. Finally, Dobson stated that with the passage of hate crimes legislation, “it could get very costly to follow this Christ,” meaning that pastors and Christians are about the come under direct attack from the government, to which George responded that Christian “martyrs have [always] been called on to pay the ultimate price rather than to deny the Lord or to do what is evil in his sight”:
Eventually, Dobson turned to the supposed “monthly abortion premium” that Rep. John Boehner has been claiming is included in health care reform legislation, which Dobson vowed he would never accept, saying he and his wife Shirley would pay ruinous fines, go to prison, or even “leave this beloved country and spend the rest of our lives in exile”:”

Fine, Dobson can takes his millions are go live on a island in the Caribbean sea area. He has been clear he intends to continue in politics when he leaves his radio show. I can’t see him giving up the
Council for National Policy or Mrs. Shirley Dobson giving up her National Prayer breakfast.

Part of the PR seems to have some of the key signers explain why they jumped on board. Mohler weighed in. Over at the Biola blog (The Evangelical Outpost, which I think Joe handed over to them so his daughter could get into the school) there are some tweets, but not high excitement. Joe is handling First Things now and there is a lot of chatter there of course.

Arminians can believe we respond to God as well as God calling us.

Dr. John Stackhouse weighed in with grace, given he is now in J.I. Packer’s chair and also writes for CT (Neff signed) he looks at it a bit more theologically, but sees basically what we Canucks and UK’ers are seeing.

I see it as nationalistic as well as authoritarian, manifest destiny city on a hill, can do woo rah customary to our southern neighbours.

You might be on the “wrong” side of a Reformed-Arminian side battle with the MD folks. There’s a strong Reformed flavor to the signers (Al Mohler and Tim Keller are popular Reformed thinkers and I don’t see too many folks who would be in Arminian-leaning denominations listed) that would look at God calling us rather than us responding to God.

If you come at from the free-will Arminian side of the fence, you’ll take spiritual offense at that idea. If you’re also questioning the politics of the piece, it will look a notch extra authoritarian for your taste.