I wouldn't call actually flying an aircraft rather than watching the autopilot "Taking a Chance". It's just exercising a minimal skill level that anybody in the cockpit of an airliner ought to be able to handle. Perhaps it might be better called "Being a pilot". Now if he didn't feel safe doing it he did the right thing by walking away from it. Now that doesn't mean that there won't be any repercussions. If you are telling your employer that you are incapable of doing the job you were hired to do that will probably raise flags. If he can come up with a good story; fatigue, multiple legs etc that might be another story as well. But just a bit of weather and no A/P, with no other factors, maybe it's time to re-asses weather you are truly a professional and capable of doing the job you were hired to do. Now I know everybody wants to have a group hug, and convince each other that it takes superhuman skills to fly the might RJ, and it's crazy to be expected to actually fly it manually, but that's just B.S. Having flown multiple types under both 135 and 121, turbo-prop and jets, maybe it's time for a reality check. IT'S JUST AN AIRPLANE. Fly it, and fly it regularly and when the AP does go T/U it's no big deal. Any AVERAGE pilot should be able to do it, and do it smoothly. If it truly concerns so many out there, I think it's pretty telling of the sad state of our industry. Too many empty uniforms, and not enough true pilots.