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In the video above, via Right Wing Watch, Charles Colson explains why 145 Evangelical, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Christian leaders have created and signed something they call “The Manhattan Declaration” — their pledge to stand in the way of civil rights for all no matter what the cost.

Good As You has the entire bizarre, silly, and dangerous “Declaration.” In it, the “Christians” threaten that “no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence.”

Why are they hunkering down, these wolves-in-sheep’s clothing? Because of gay people, of course. who, as everyone knows, are threatening the very fabric of society. And these religious leaders aren’t gonna tolerate all the incest that is inspired by gays wanting equal rights. No sir, not for one moment!

From the 4,700-word “Declaration:”

We are Christians who have joined together across historic lines of ecclesial differences to affirm our right—and, more importantly, to embrace our obligation—to speak and act in defense of these truths. 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 is our duty to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in its fullness, both in season and out of season. May God help us not to fail in that duty.

. . . the argument that laws governing one kind of marriage will not affect another cannot stand. Were it to prove anything, it would prove far too much: the assumption that the legal status of one set of marriage relationships affects no other would not only argue for same sex partnerships; it could be asserted with equal validity for polyamorous partnerships, polygamous households, even adult brothers, sisters, or brothers and sisters living in incestuous relationships. Should these, as a matter of equality or civil rights, be recognized as lawful marriages, and would they have no effects on other relationships?

Here’s the thing — in this “Declaration” attempts are made throughout to counter our (very rational) arguments that show how denying equality to us LGBT people actually does do damage to our society. Now, we know that one of the “Declaration’s” signers is none other than Maggie Gallagher. She and her cohorts have been watching us very closely, watching what we do and how we do it. I say we do the same to them.

This disgraceful “Manhattan Declaration” is an outline of the religious Right’s incoherent beliefs and their arguments against us. It is a curriculum of hatred that we can counter now that we know what it is. As crazy and outdated as this manifesto is, it is also dangerous. Recall that just the other day Rachel Maddow examined how increasingly hysterical behavior by the religious Right was beginning to incite violence against anyone they see as being in infidel.

And by threatening that “no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence” can stop them, they are wrapping their hateful followers in even more wool.

Read the full text here.