Heritage Foundation reports on the number of other religious organization joining the Catholics in fighting for religious freedom:
The Catholic Church is not alone in its opposition to Obamacare’s onslaught against religious freedom. David Addington, The Heritage Foundation’s vice president of Domestic and Economic Policy, details the growing ranks of the faithful who say the Obama Administration has crossed a very dangerous line. The National Association of Evangelicals commented that “The HHS rules trample on our most cherished freedoms and set a dangerous precedent” and the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America stated, “In declining to expand the religious exemption within the healthcare reform law, the Obama Administration has disappointingly failed to respect the needs of religious organizations such as hospitals, social welfare organizations and more.” The Agudath Israel of America stated its opposition, as did the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America.
The Obama Administration is beginning to feel the pressure. On Sunday, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius authored an op-ed in USA Today defending the Obama Administration’s actions, claiming that a very narrow exemption to the mandate is evidence that the White House is “working to strike the right balance between respecting religious beliefs and increasing women’s access to critical preventive health services.” That exemption, though, does not apply to institutions like religious schools and hospitals. Sebelius might claim the Administration is offering grace to people of faith, but in fact it is not. In an editorial that ran the same day as Sebelius,’ USA Today agreed with those standing on the side of religious liberty, writing that “in drawing up the rules that will govern health care reform” the Obama Administration “galloped over” the line and violated the “simple proposition that the government should steer away from meddling in church affairs.”
The Obama Administration’s actions, though entirely counter to the freedom of religion, should not be surprising given the nature of the President’s health care law. Obamacare has given the federal government broad power over one-sixth of the American economy and thereby purports to grant Washington the power to force religious institutions to take actions contrary to their faith. Addington writes that this kind of concentration of power “has proved to be a drastic and dangerous experiment.” America’s religious leaders and the faithful have awoken to this wolf at their door and are lashing out in defense of their freedoms. Congress, too, should act now by repealing Obamacare and restoring the religious liberty that is so central to our way of life.
Communist China decides who’s a Catholic Bishop in China, as well as who the next Dali Lama is. Dear Liar is not a communist, but there are eerie parallels between the two. If someone were to look at the Soviet Union’s treatment of religion, I’m sure you’d find more similarities.
Only for the Chinese National Catholic Church, which is not in full communion with Rome, though its sacraments are recognized as valid. The Roman Catholic bishops are appointed by the Vatican, and they are persecuted for acting outside of the official channels. Frankly, the Chinese government would do well to embrace Christianity rather than fighting it.
The overarching pattern with this administration is to first take a mile–in hopes that it sticks–but if pressured, pull back, scale-down and hope something sticks in the wake. It is the proverbial “give ‘em an inch and they take a mile” turned on its head. Instead, the tact more closely resembles the “better to ask forgiveness than permission” approach, but which is so antithetical to Republican governance as to be completely and utterly repugnant to most.
These so-called “best-and-brightest” may have very likely (and perhaps, mortally) overreached with this latest effort. After all, a boiled frog can only take so much heat before it leaps from the pot.
– it was the ploy of two steps forward, one step back (if necessary).
Will the religious organizations be added to the DHS list of “extremists” and become the “enemies” of the state?
It seems everyone who is willing to go against government overreach and protect our Constitution is on the list.
Ms. Feldman,
Thanks for taking up this cause in your excellent posts. The HHS mandate is just the tip of the iceberg. For excellent information on the religious freedom fight, I highly suggest you check out irfAlliance.org. Thanks.
If Obama gets away with this direct assault on the Catholic Church, I would anticipate some new healthcare related regulations, for example mandating organ harvesting from any suitable corpse, tattooing of patients with diminished mental capacity “so they can be identified easily and returned sadwly if they wander off”. And just for some crony capitalism, a mandate that all retirement homes must serve bacon cheeseburgers once a week.
So Clarice if this was an uprising of Muslim clergy saying that this was a violation of Sharia Law you’d be supporting them right?
As you know this is settled Law as the Supreme Court denied hearing the NY case which was upheld by the appeals court. Many Catholic Hospitals and Colleges already provide these services as well as the largest Catholic Insurance Company – Dignity Health.
Now I know this is a good election issue but like gas this will pass but I’m glad this helps Santorum. What a buffoon he will be if he gets the nod. I was never worried about Kennedy listening to Rome but I’d be very afraid of Santorum getting everything approved by our Holy Pope who use to be infallible.
I believe Muslim institutions might also demand an exemption if it is a matter of conscience for them and be entitled to it–
As for the SCOTUS action, you might want to read up on writs of certiorari..they are granted rarely–usually only when the issue has resulted in conflicts between different Courts of Appeals or on issues with significant impact or constitutional import. As I understand it, the issue in NY didn’t meet the ordinary tests of the discretionary grant but a regulation with nationwide impact would seem to fit the bill. You might study what is “settled law” and what isn’t before making such a silly argument. The ruling of a NY appellate court (whatever it was–a cite would make it clearer) is hardly settled law nationwide.
Well it certainly seems settled within the Catholic community as those Hospitals, and largest Insurance provider, and their colleges already provide these services and have not been “forced to stop” as the caterwauling Bishops state.
So our laws should bow to Catholic Law – Let’s hope Rick or Newt does not get elected (although with Newt all we need is to dangle a young lady who is non-catholic in front of him and I’m sure he will change in a heartbeat).
Whatever happened to the conservative hysteria against “Sharia(religious) Law” supplanting “American” Law? Guess religious freedom only applies to those they like? Hypocrisy anyone?