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Bishop, Author of Amnesty International Prayer, to Resign over Abortion Stance

By Gudrun Schultz

EAST ANGLIA, England, June 1, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Roman Catholic Bishop Michael Evans, a 30-year member of Amnesty International (AI) and author of last year’s Amnesty Prayer, has condemned the organization’s move to promote abortion as a fundamental human right, saying he will be forced to withdraw his membership if the agency continues with the proposal.

In a statement published on Bishop Evans’ website, he stated, “[I]t would be very difficult for Catholics and many others to continue as formal members of an organisation which explicitly excluded some of the most vulnerable of all—the ‘unborn human’—from its current campaign to ‘Protect the Human.’”

“Whatever the range of views of Amnesty members on abortion," he continued, "moving from its neutral stance may well serve to undermine its effectiveness in its key areas of expertise and influence. Its ability to work with the Catholic Church and other Christian bodies would be badly impaired. It would become a partisan body, particularly in places like the United States, and thus lose its ability to build consensus around issues like the death penalty…Those involved in decision-making at international level need to ponder this very carefully indeed.”

The UK branch of Amnesty International voted in April to embark on abortion advocacy. The Spectator reported that Bishop Evans expressed his dismay over the decision in a letter to Kate Allen, Amnesty’s UK director.

“[M]any Roman Catholics, including myself, would feel obliged—very reluctantly—to withdraw our membership of an organisation which has done great work since Peter Benenson, a Roman Catholic, founded it in 1961,” Bishop Evans wrote.

“I will continue my commitment to bringing the candle of justice to those in the darkness of oppression, but I would not feel able to continue as a member of a body which amidst its great work for humanity, excluded the most vulnerable of all—the unborn human—from its protection.”

He also warned AI that “any move towards supporting abortion will radically undermine in the eyes of many people, not only Roman Catholics, the perception of Amnesty as an organisation which ‘protects the human’ at every stage of life.”

See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:

Amnesty International Considers Pushing Enforcement of Abortion as Human Right
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/apr/06042511.html

Amnesty International: We're Supporting Abortion because of Gay Rights
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/may/06052607.html

Amnesty International UK Branch Approves Abortion Advocacy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/may/06050504.html

To contact amnesty see:
(Click on Send a message to this section/office)
http://web.amnesty.org/contacts/engindex

 

 

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