More than 1800 religious leaders, from a number of mainline denominations in the United States, have signed a controversial religious declaration sponsored by American's primary sex education organisation advocating same-sex unions, the ordination of homosexuals and abortion.

The "Religious Declaration on Sexual Morality, Justice and Healing'' is sponsored by SIECUS (Sexual Information and Education Council of the United States), the "only nation organisation in America with a primary emphasis on religion and sexuality'', according to the agency's public relations director, Lisa Hanock-Jasie.

Since its release in February 2000, the declaration has been steadily gaining the support of liberal religious leaders across the United States. "When the SIECUS document was initially released in February 2000, it had about 850-900 signers'' states observers Lee Penn. "As of early April, it had 1,691 signers. As of June 26, 2000, it had 1,883 signers. Thus as time passes, more and more liberals are signing the "Religious Declaration.'' Prominent among the endorsers are 120 Episcopalians -- 13 of whom are active and retired bishops -- leaders of global interfaith organisations, including the President and Vice President of the United Religions Initiative (URI), Roman Catholics, mainline Protestants and Unitarians.

The declaration states in part: "God hears the cries of those who suffer from the failure of religious communities to address sexuality. We are called today to see, hear and respond to the suffering caused by violence against woman and sexual minorities, the HIV pandemic, unsustainable population and over-consumption, and the commercial exploitation of sexuality... We sin when the sacred gift (sexuality) is abused or exploited.'' As a result, the sexual ethic calls for the "full inclusion of women and sexual minorities in congregational life, including their ordination and the blessing of same sex unions, lifelong, age appropriate sexuality education in schools, seminaries and community settings, support for those who challenge sexual oppression and who work for justice within their congregations and denominations.'' Attempts to contact Debra Haffner, recently resigned President of SIECUS, who spread headed the religion and sexuality initiative, and Dr. Larry Greenfield, one of the declaration's creators, for further clarification on some of the above statements were unsuccessful.

The "Religious Declaration'' has expectedly sparked an outcry from various Christian groups in the United States, most notably from the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination. The president of the organisation's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, Richard Land, has referred to the document as "yet one further sing of the increasing paganisation of American culture sexually.

"To the extent that sub-biblical, pagan sexual mores are endorsed by those claiming to speak from a Judeo-Christian tradition, illustrates the significant apostasy of many within formerly Christian traditions which have made paganisation possible,'' Land asserts.

Speaking to the Baptist Press News Service, Land further stated that Christians should address the Bible's teaching on sexuality, which are "clear, forthright and substantial.'' "In so long, we must reject all sub-biblical views, including those that would seek to repress sexuality and those which rebel against and deny the parameters and limits around sex established by God in Holy Scripture.

"God created us as sexual beings and He intends for us to express our sexuality within the confines of a lifelong covenant marriage relationship between one man and one woman in which we are designed by him to experience an intimacy and a knowing and being known that is beyond all other human relationships. Ironically, Ms Haffner, in an article she wrote entitled "The Really good News: What the bible says about Sex'' in the October/November 1997 edition of the SIECUS Report, while acknowledging that "...the opening passages of Romans denounces sex with someone of the same gender'' claims, however, that "it is, at best, inaccurate to use scripture to condemn committed, consensual same-gender sexual relationships. The fact that only four verses explicitly address this issue implies that this subject was of relatively little importance to the authors.'' She further writes that "having become a serious student and avid reader of the bible "she discovered that "both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament directly address sexuality issues and send messages that are quite different from what most people are taught in their religious groups and denominations.

In fact, I now believe that a major function of Bible stories is to teach sexuality education.'' In light of her discoveries, Ms. Haffner contends that "there is an urgent need for a new sexual theology that will help people recognise the value of sexuality... and the bible is an important place to start these explorations.

Jewish and Christian individuals who are seeking to understand the role that sexuality plays in their lives can look to scripture for insights and understanding.'' However, R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, rejects Ms Haffner's conclusions. "The arrogance of this `Declaration' is breathtaking. These self-appointed moral revolutionaries will reject the clear teachings of Scripture to justify sexual perversions and destructive behaviours. In utter arrogance they claim a `religious' mandate for their declaration.

In a cloak of distortions, they seek to overthrow biblical morality and put a humanistic ethic of sexual liberation in its place. The result will be ruined lives and devastated marriages, lost innocence and broken hearts,'' Mohler lamented.

"It is a horrible sign of the times that `religious leaders' would add their names to this declaration of sexual immorality.'' Yet, Mohler maintains that the declaration will have a far more detrimental affect upon children.

"The most radical part of the document is its call for no sexual restrictions based upon age. These people intend to send our adolescents on a free experiment of sexual expression.

Debra Haffner and the SIECUS organisation have been pushing free adolescent sex for years... Now she has arranged for a crowd of religious cronies to stand behind her sexual agenda.''