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Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
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So how exactly does requiring insurance companies to provide no-cost contraception violate the First Amendment? The Bishops contend that as employers providing health insurance for their employees they have to pay the premiums that include covering contraception.
And that violates their right to exercise their religion freely in what way? Does the mandate require the Bishops to use contraception against their will? Does it force anyone to use a condom? Hmm, no. Does it require birth control pills to be passed with the collection plate? Not that I can tell.
Does the mandate establish an official religion? Does it prohibit people from freely practicing their religion? No and no. Oh but the conservatives disagree - they say that by forcing Catholic employers to provide insurance that includes contraception coverage they are making them (indirectly) pay for something they don't believe in. Huh. Seems similar to people who have to pay taxes that, in part, pay for executions they don't believe in.
But this isn't a fight demanded by the flock, this comes straight from upper management. The vast majority of Catholics have used some form of birth control other than natural family planning. And even if that wasn't the case, most people understand that in order to live peaceably in a civil society everyone has to sometimes make concessions. It's a social contract. Your rights end where someone else's begin. Common sense really.
But this isn't a fight demanded by the flock, this comes straight from upper management. The vast majority of Catholics have used some form of birth control other than natural family planning. And even if that wasn't the case, most people understand that in order to live peaceably in a civil society everyone has to sometimes make concessions. It's a social contract. Your rights end where someone else's begin. Common sense really.
In response to the "outrage" by what appears to be a few old, celibate, white guys and their pet politicians, the Obama Administration revised the mandate. The revision provides that if an employer declines contraception coverage on the basis of their religious beliefs, the insurance company will have to provide the coverage to the employees free of charge. Employees get coverage no matter where they work, and the religious employers don't have to pay for it.
So there. All better.
But that's not enough! It's not enough to merely get what they wanted, now they have all sorts of vague reasons why they still aren't happy. Their grumblings are mostly about an unclear notion of "religious liberty" and... well, that's it. So in reality these folks just aren't going to be satisfied if they can't impose their particular brand of "religious liberty" on others.
First, I have to wonder why we, as a society, should be taking moral advice from an organized pedophilia ring. But besides the obvious, why are we giving special rights to an antiquated religious doctrine that not only doesn't apply in the 21st Century, but is actually harmful to society? We have been teetering on the brink of economic disaster worldwide, millions of people on government assistance and record unemployment. We should be encouraging contraception, not trying to prevent it!
Unfortunately, the Church doesn't make decisions based on common sense, or with the best interests of society in mind. Their decisions were made two millenia ago by Iron Age misogynists and they see no reason to change now. It's not about being fruitful and multiplying (7 Billion people - I think we got this!), it's about controlling and oppressing women - it always has been. No matter how they dress it up and parade Jesus around in it, it's not about loving babies or the sanctity of life, it's about keeping married women pregnant and punishing single women for having sex.
Funny how the meaning of the word "liberty" changes when you put "religious" in front of it.
First, I have to wonder why we, as a society, should be taking moral advice from an organized pedophilia ring. But besides the obvious, why are we giving special rights to an antiquated religious doctrine that not only doesn't apply in the 21st Century, but is actually harmful to society? We have been teetering on the brink of economic disaster worldwide, millions of people on government assistance and record unemployment. We should be encouraging contraception, not trying to prevent it!
Unfortunately, the Church doesn't make decisions based on common sense, or with the best interests of society in mind. Their decisions were made two millenia ago by Iron Age misogynists and they see no reason to change now. It's not about being fruitful and multiplying (7 Billion people - I think we got this!), it's about controlling and oppressing women - it always has been. No matter how they dress it up and parade Jesus around in it, it's not about loving babies or the sanctity of life, it's about keeping married women pregnant and punishing single women for having sex.
Funny how the meaning of the word "liberty" changes when you put "religious" in front of it.
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