In the Saturday Jan 21, 2012 edition of the U-T San Diego newspaper, an article entitled "RELIGIOUS EMPLOYERS MUST COVER PILL, FEDS SAY", subtitled "Nonprofits have one additional year to comply with birth control requirement", was found on page A6. It is a reprint of an article written by Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar of the Associated Press.
Ricardo mentioned that, last Friday, the Obama administration announced this "concession" of time on the government's behalf in order to appease religious organizations who oppose a law requiring mandatory payment for health care coverage that can be used by employees to prevent or end a pregnancy.
Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, was quoted as saying: "Never before has the federal government forced individuals and organizations to go out into the marketplace and buy a product that violates their conscience. This shouldn't happen in a land where free exercise of religion ranks first in the Bill of Rights."
What Mr. Dolan was refering to is Amendment I, "The First Amendment", of the Bill of Rights from 1791 which were amendments to the newly formed Constitution of the United States in 1787 which starts with the ever-famous phrase "We the People of the United States."
The First Amendment states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
Therefore this concession of one additional year to comply simply delays the Government's enforcement of a penalty it says it will enact upon those religious institutions that do not comply with it's demand for a particular form of health care (i.e. birth control) even though such reproductive measures may be discouraged or even prohibited by certain religious doctrine.
"Birth control" is a term said to be coined by Maragret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, who was a strong supporter of eugenics and racial cleansing.
"Many members of the American Progressive Movement supported eugenics, seduced by its scientific trappings and its promise of a quick end to social ills. Its most infamous proponent and practitioner was, however, Adolf Hitler who praised and incorporated eugenic ideas in Mein Kampf and emulated Eugenic legislation for the sterilization of "defectives" that had been pioneered in the United States." ~ wikipedia
Needless to say, this new proposal has met with disdain and contempt by Christians and other conservatives who believe the Government is overstepping it's boundries into the private lives of U.S. citizens. No administration has the right to usurp the authority of the United States Constitution from which it derives it's power.
This move taking place in an election year also creates a curious question or two. Why was this done now? What effect is it supposed to have upon the electorate in the months ahead?
And what affect will it have on your church, church-school, or other religious organization with which you affiliate?
Comments