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Obama contraception ‘accommodation’ still imposes state mandate on church
It used to be that Liberals expressed their disdain for religion by telling people of faith that they must confine their beliefs within the church. President Obama went a step further and ordered religious organizations to provide contraception and abortion servicesto their employees, in direct contradiction to the Catholic Church’s position on the subject.
The latest in a string of health care controversies exploded with the Jan. 20 announcement that religious congregations and organizations would be fined if they decline to provide their employees with health insurance that includes no-cost contraception and some abortion-related services. Obama’s decision was based on portions of his 2010 Affordable Care Act, which puts most of the nation’s medical sector under stringent government supervision.
The backlash has been considerable. Refusing to be herded like sheep, Catholic bishops have stood firm against this clear violation of their First Amendment rights. But rather than back down, Obama is attempting to bypass church opposition to the contraceptive mandate by shifting his directive from religious institutions to insurance agencies. And to save face with Democrats, he’s calling it an “accommodation.”
The White House said on Friday that it will require insurance companies to pick up the tab for women’s contraceptives, exempting religious employers from the rule, in what it called an “accommodation” on the hotly contested issue of paying for birth control. The White House said it would post a proposed rule that requires insurance companies to offer contraception coverage directly to women. The much-awaited compromise is meant to appease religious institutions that say federal rules on contraception violate their religious beliefs. “Insurance companies will be required to provide contraception coverage to these women free of charge,” the White House said in a statement. “Religious organizations will not have to provide contraceptive coverage or refer their employees to organizations that provide contraception,” it added. “Religious organizations will not be required to subsidize the cost of contraception.” A senior administration official said that the plan was not a compromise. “This is an accommodation,” the official said.
The key word in this announcement is “accommodation.” And I don’t think it’s any coincidence that the Obama Administration chose to use this particular word because it has a very specific meaning within the Catholic Church: Accommodation: the theological principle that God, while being in his nature unknowable and unreachable, has nevertheless communicated with mankind in a way in which humans can understand and respond. How kind of Emperor Obama to explain his proclamation again so we peons may understand it better. How benevolent that he’s granted the Catholic Church another chance to obey his majesty! Notice the Obama Administration didn’t say “we don’t have the right to force churches to do what we want.” They haven’t backed down. They just said “we’ll force insurance companies to do it instead.” And if you believe those insurance companies won’t simply pass along the cost for contraceptives and abortions to the church, I’ve got a bridge I’d like to sell you. Even with this supposed workaround, there is still the problem of a President claiming the power to force people to buy & sell things they don’t want. And in this case, the Executive Branch is still imposing a government mandate on a church, dictating to them how they are to believe and behave. The government classifies abortifacient drugs and procedures as “contraceptive” and “preventative“ services. This is not only another unconstitutional power grab, it is a fundamental violation of conscience. Can you imagine what would happen if Dear Leader were to say he wants to provide every American with access to pork products, so Islamic mosques must prepare bacon and ham for their congregations just in case a Muslim might want to eat them? Obama’s trampling of the Catholic Chuch’s religious beliefs is no less onerous. If someone wants birth control or an abortion, then DON’T expect religious institutions to provide them. How hard is that to understand? There’s no way to walk this back, regardless of the terminology it’s cloaked in or to whom the obligation is shifted. Once again, Obama’s tyrannical actions reveal his belief that he is above the law and beyond Constitutional restraint. If he’s reelected, he’ll continue to rule by imperial edict. — UPDATE:Religious leaders aren’t fooled by this “accommodation.” [emphasis added below]
Catholic and pro-life leaders slam White House ‘compromise’ on birth control mandate
The White House announced today that, instead of forcing religious employers to pay for birth control, it will force insurance companies to offer the drugs free of charge to all women, no matter where they work. The plan, touted as a concession to freedom of religion and conscience, was immediately denounced by pro-life Rep. Chris Smith. “The so-called new policy is the discredited old policy, dressed up to look like something else,. said Smith. It remains a serious violation of religious freedom. Only the most naï or gullible would accept this as a change in policy.” “The White House Fact Sheet is riddled with doublespeak and contradiction,” Smith continued. “It states, for example, that religious employers ‘will not’ have to pay for abortion pills, sterilization and contraception, but their ‘insurance companies’ will. Who pays for the insurance policy? The religious employer.” In a statement released today, the White House said, “Under the new policy announced today, women will have free preventive care that includes contraceptive services no matter where she works.” “If a woman works for religious employers with objections to providing contraceptive services as part of its health plan, the religious employer will not be required to provide contraception coverage but her insurance company will be required to offer contraceptive care free of charge.” The birth control rule announced last summer was intended to force virtually all employers to cover sterilizations and contraception, including abortifacient drugs such as ella, a sister drug to RU-486. The religious employer exemption essentially applied only to houses of worship, creating an uproar in the Catholic community as hospitals, schools, and charities would have been forced to pay for the drugs. The furor only grew stronger when the administration announced last month that the concerned religious organizations would be given an extra year to comply.
— RELATED: When questioned by the press about his assault on religious liberty, President Obama stonewalled reporters, saying “Come on, guys.” Even Chris (leg tingle) Matthews was surprised by Obama’s lack of candor. Via Newsbusters:
Posted by FullMetalPatriot
12th gen. American, Constitutionalist, Harley-riding Texan, gun owner & NRA member, blogger, illustrator, Florida Gator alumnus. #TCOT
12th gen. American, Constitutionalist, Harley-riding Texan, gun owner & NRA member, blogger, illustrator, Florida Gator alumnus. #TCOT
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