Protecting Human Life
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Genesis 1:27)
“And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And [the Lord] said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:9-10)
The human right to life is a fundamental principle. This principle undergirds the entire American experiment; the signers of the Declaration of Independence bravely pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to the proposition that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” However, the right to life does not find its origins within the Declaration of Independence; rather, the right to life originates from the Bible, and specifically from the Sixth Commandment—“Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13). The Bible teaches that human beings are made in the image of God, and that human life is sacred. Accordingly, NYFRF upholds the sanctity of innocent human life, and affirms the inherent value and worth of each person.
Promoting Strong Families
“And [Jesus] answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Matthew 19:4-6)
Whenever wise and possible, each child should be raised in an intact family unit by his or her own mother and father. On average, children who grow up in intact families are likely to be healthier, better educated, more affluent, and less involved in substance abuse or criminality than children who do not. Tragically, however, fewer and fewer American children are raised in intact families of origin. In light of the twin epidemics of divorce and fatherlessness in our society, as well the impact that those epidemics have had upon children's health and well-being, NYFRF strongly believes in the restoration of a marriage-affirming culture. NYFRF also promotes the adoption alternative for children whose parents are unavailable to raise them.
Preserving Religious Liberty
“And [Jesus] said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.” (Luke 20:25)
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and [for] all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
Religious liberty has been appropriately described as our “first freedom.” It is no coincidence that the Framers of the Constitution chose to place the Free Exercise Clause and its guarantee of religious liberty into the very first of the ten constitutional amendments contained within the Bill of Rights. NYFRF supports individual New Yorkers’ rights to practice their faith, to speak about their faith, and to live out their faith without undue government intrusion.
Proclaiming Justice and Mercy
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8)
“Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 19:19b)
NYFRF stands for freedom and justice for those who experience oppression. We are grieved that evils such as human trafficking and sex trafficking continue in the land of the free. NYFRF stands for the bedrock American principle of equality of opportunity; therefore, we support educational choice and faith-based efforts that challenge cycles of public dependency and foster a climate of personal responsibility. NYFRF also supports effective initiatives to restore the public’s confidence in government. NYFRF seeks to display Christian charity towards our fellow New Yorkers and to build a more just and merciful culture.
