An earthquake rolled through the Catholic Church today about Obamacare, and the significance cannot be understated. Clarice Feldman has this piece at PJ Tatler describing one part of the seismic event. The Catholic Church seems poised to defy the parts of Obamacare which conflict with Catholic teaching. This is nothing new for the Catholic Church, which was essentially illegal in England for centuries. But there is more.
The Bishop of Pittsburgh, David A. Zubik, has this must read statement – “To Hell With You.”
It is really hard to believe that it happened. It comes like a slap in the face. The Obama administration has just told the Catholics of the United States, “To Hell with you!” There is no other way to put it.
Let’s be blunt. This whole process of mandating these guidelines undermines the democratic process itself. In this instance, the mandate declares pregnancy a disease, forces a culture of contraception and abortion on society, all while completely bypassing the legislative process.
This is government by fiat that attacks the rights of everyone – not only Catholics; not only people of all religion. At no other time in memory or history has there been such a governmental intrusion on freedom not only with regard to religion, but even across-the-board with all citizens. It forces every employer to subsidize an ideology or pay a penalty while searching for alternatives to health care coverage. It undermines the whole concept and hope for health care reform by inextricably linking it to the zealotry of pro-abortion bureaucrats. . . .
On January 20, 2012, the Obama administration answered you and me. The response was very simple: “To Hell with You.”
Kathleen Sebelius announced that the mandate would not be withdrawn and the religious exemption would not be expanded. Instead, she stated that nonprofit groups – which include the Catholic Church – will get a year “to adapt to this new rule.” She simply dismissed Catholic concerns as standing in the way of allegedly respecting the health concerns and choices of women.
Could Catholics be insulted any more, suggesting that we have no concern for women’s health issues? The Catholic Church and the Catholic people have erected health care facilities that are recognized worldwide for their compassionate care for everyone regardless of their creed, their economic circumstances and, most certainly, their gender. In so many parts of the globe – the United States included – the Church is health care.
Kathleen Sebelius and through her, the Obama administration, have said “To Hell with You” to the Catholic faithful of the United States.
- To Hell with your religious beliefs,
- To Hell with your religious liberty,
- To Hell with your freedom of conscience.
This is a dangerous fight to pick for the Obama administration. The prospect of millions of Americans participating in civil disobedience by defying the federal requirements of Obamacare is not a fight the government can win. Mightier powers have fallen in the face of committed and conscientious resistance. (UPDATE: Details on the letter that was read in church today across the United States.)
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