New group aims to fight back against social issues

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Several religious leaders in our area are joining together to speak with a united voice on certain social issues.  They held a news conference Wednesday at the Allen County Courthouse.

About 115 area clergy members make up the group called Shepherds United .  On Wednesday they spoke out and shared their views on abortion, marriage, and religious freedom

"We have to realize this is simply the first step," Peter Scaer explained.

The group wants to rebuild what they call the basic foundation of our society.

"Because a lot of people don't know, our young people don't know.  So, a lot of it is teaching and starting from the beginning I think."

Shepherds United wants to fight abortion and preserve things like marriage and religious freedom.

"They are the bedrock of our society.  If marriage crumbles and if life is in jeopardy then society itself cannot long stand," member Peter Gregory said.

Since abortion was legalized in 1973, they said 55 million children have been aborted.

With divorce rates at an all time high and the increasing acceptance of gay marriage, Shepherds United wants to protect the union it believes should only be shared by one man and one woman.

"What is it that makes a good family? We believe that every child deserves to have a mother and a father.  And this is the way children come into the world.  They need the nurturing of a mother.  They need the leadership of a father.  If we can help promote that sort of thing, than we will have done our job," Scaer said.

Shepherds United is a relatively new group.  It admits it doesn't really have a plan yet for how it will advocate for these topics in the future.