The Obama Administration seems willing to destroy freedom of religion so as not to hurt its ObamaCare mandate. When government eliminates the right of a religious organization, in this case the Catholic Church, to practice its religion, then we have a major problem. Insisting that Catholic hospitals and Universities must provide abortion and contraceptives at no cost to their employees through their health insurance is an abomination. Regardless where you stand on abortion, it is the right of those organizations to practice their religion. This is clear and no government mandate should override the freedom of religion.
A friend of ours suggested that these organizations can do whatever they want as long as they do not take government money. That is true as far as it goes. However, we know of no hospital that does not take Medicare or Medicaid patients as they are required by law to do so especially in cases of emergencies. Can you imagine a hospital refusing to take someone because they were on Medicare, for example? The press would have a heyday!
Hospitals cannot select who comes through their doors, they must take all comers, so the ObamaCare rules directly effect them. Universities are different. They can decide not to take any government aid and therefore could qualify for the exemption under the rules promulgated by the Obama Administration. However, those universities that could pass the muster are few and far between. Most have found that Pell Grants (government aid to students) and research grants to professors are attractive and have accepted them. They would have to comply with the rules.
This is one of those seminal moments people, organizations and countries face. They must ask themselves "Do I take the easy path or do I fight?" "Do I give into governmental rules which are undemocratic or do I face ridicule for taking the unpopular stand?" "How much does my freedom mean to me?" These are the questions facing Catholics, Catholic Organizations and the Catholic leadership. Whether they stand and fight or surrender determine if the country maintains its freedoms or becomes just another despotic country. The choice is theirs but it greatly effects every American. We need to support the Catholic leadership.
In Nazi Germany, they first came for the mentally challenged (retarded and insane), then Jews and then Catholics. Had they been stopped when the movement when it first started, the disaster that followed might have been averted. Are we at the same point in time? We don't think so, however, we must stop this degradation of our rights, before it gets started.
Where are you on this issue? We want to know.
Conservative Tom
A friend of ours suggested that these organizations can do whatever they want as long as they do not take government money. That is true as far as it goes. However, we know of no hospital that does not take Medicare or Medicaid patients as they are required by law to do so especially in cases of emergencies. Can you imagine a hospital refusing to take someone because they were on Medicare, for example? The press would have a heyday!
Hospitals cannot select who comes through their doors, they must take all comers, so the ObamaCare rules directly effect them. Universities are different. They can decide not to take any government aid and therefore could qualify for the exemption under the rules promulgated by the Obama Administration. However, those universities that could pass the muster are few and far between. Most have found that Pell Grants (government aid to students) and research grants to professors are attractive and have accepted them. They would have to comply with the rules.
This is one of those seminal moments people, organizations and countries face. They must ask themselves "Do I take the easy path or do I fight?" "Do I give into governmental rules which are undemocratic or do I face ridicule for taking the unpopular stand?" "How much does my freedom mean to me?" These are the questions facing Catholics, Catholic Organizations and the Catholic leadership. Whether they stand and fight or surrender determine if the country maintains its freedoms or becomes just another despotic country. The choice is theirs but it greatly effects every American. We need to support the Catholic leadership.
In Nazi Germany, they first came for the mentally challenged (retarded and insane), then Jews and then Catholics. Had they been stopped when the movement when it first started, the disaster that followed might have been averted. Are we at the same point in time? We don't think so, however, we must stop this degradation of our rights, before it gets started.
Where are you on this issue? We want to know.
Conservative Tom
I honestly can't believe we are having to discuss this in America. It is sad.
ReplyDeleteI was talking to a liberal friend of mine today, she said Obama is trying to level the field so everyone has the same options. I pointed out that the people who work for Catholic organizations are not forced to work there, they know what their insurance will be. I know because I worked for two different Catholic hospitals. I willingly did that, I knew what that meant for my insurance.
If someone wants different insurance, they can either pay for private insurance or not work for a Catholic organization.
It goes the same for patients who want to have tubal ligations or vasectomies, they know they have to go to a different hospital. It's part of the free market, we can chose where we spend our money, who we want to care for us and where we want to work.
This is completely outrageous.