Our anti First Amendment president
By Tom Quiner
Our Bishop walked to the pulpit at last night’s Mass for Life and stopped us in our tracks with these words:
“I have some bad news.”
He recounted the Obama administration’s mandate, announced with with icy resolve by Health Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius (a Catholic), that all religious agencies and organizations are required by force of law to provide healthcare plans which include:
√ Sterilization
√ Contraception
√ Abortifacients
They will not be allowed to provide co-pays or deductibles for these services. They must be free.
There is no conscience protection.
There is no freedom of religion, the Constitution be damned.
Our Bishop used the word “noxious” to describe the administration’s assault on our religious liberty. He characterized the timing of the pronouncement as “in your face,” coming as it did on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
Barack Obama is the most anti First Amendment and most anti-Catholic president in history. Keep in mind, Catholics are a huge block of votes. Fifty-four percent voted for Mr. Obama in 2008. Even if Catholics have no problem with birth-control, they are going to be disturbed by Mr. Obama’s requirement that they provide it.
Said Madame Sebelius:
“Employers wishing to take advantage of the additional year must certify that they qualify for the delayed implementation. This additional year will allow these organizations more time and flexibility to adapt to this new rule. I believe this proposal strikes the appropriate balance between religious freedom and increasing access to important preventive services.”
She is giving religious groups an extra year to prepare to implement this mandate. If these groups cannot find it in their heart to prostitute their religious convictions at the altar of Barack Obama, they must prepare for bankruptcy.
The president and his party are prepared to grind religious groups who believe in the sanctity of life into dust.
They will fail.
I prayed with hundreds at last night’s Mass for Life on behalf of the unborn. This happened in thousands of churches across America. God is on the side of the unborn, and he has an army on his side ready to galvanize the troops (voters).
Mr. Obama and Ms. Sebelius have declared war on the wrong Person.
It does seem to be a clear violation of our Constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion to require religious organizations that provide health insurance to include coverage for procedures that go against the tenets or beliefs of that faith.