The decision by our government to force Catholic hospitals and institutions to have to provide services that goes against their beliefs will have far reaching ramifications for the present administration. One out of every six hospitals in this country is a Catholic hospital, including our own St. Joseph’s here in Brainerd. There are 70 some million Catholics in this country. But let’s forget about the religious affiliation for a moment and dwell on the underlying problem here of the federal government asking people to do things, that their religious beliefs tells them is wrong.
When we look at the decline in our privacy by an increasingly intrusive government its things like this that show us where this is all heading. Be your faith Catholic, Protestant, Jewish or other, this is an unwelcome intrusion into your beliefs that are guaranteed to us in the very documents this country was founded on. This is an attack on your rights to worship, believe and practice what your faith tells you is right. It’s the Catholics now, but if this is successful it will be open season on all religions, if this is allowed to happen.
The government now’s tells us how to eat, what our children should be taught in school and many other things that are none of their business. Let’s stand up for what we believe in and tell them, no.
Mike Holst
Crosslake
Comments (4)
Add commentGet a grip Mike
Neither "our government" nor anyone else threatens to "force Catholic hospitals and institutions to provide or pay for services that go against their beliefs..."
Under the settlement agreement, the insurance companies have agreed to provide those services free of charge at the request of the patients. The Church will not have to pay anything, nor will it have to provide services that goies against its "beliefs".
Try reading the newspaper before you make absurd accusations....
insurance companies
Its all about big business and not at all about gov intervention-- Ultimately, even a business owned by a Catholic wouldnt need to provide said services- This benefits only the insurance Co.
Then business owners of the faith healing doctorine would not need to provide insurance coverage at all since they dont believe in it.
John Boehnner tried (and apparently succeeded)
John Boehnner tried (and apparently succeeded) in swaying some people on this issue. But there are other viewpoints, viewpoints supported by facts:
28 states already provide for insurance-paid contraception in state law...for all.
98% of "Catholic" secular institutions, including hospitals, colleges, even Law Schools (get that one?) already pay for contraception services for their employees.
While no numbers exist for American Catholics who elect to use contraception, even Catholic clergy admit that it is widespread,even prevalent.
The issue is an election issue; the economy isn't in as tough shape as would be required to destroy Obama's presidency and none of the Repubbie hopefuls looks to have what it takes to crush Obama. If just one of these remaining would-bes would just open up and call this for what it is, I think they could be on to something.
The issue isn't about forcing a few churches to pay for insurance coverage so their secretaries and janitorial staff can go home to their spouses and make whoopee without fear. The issue is putting a commonly available product in the purview of the insurance industry, driving its cost through the roof.
Boehnner and other Repubbies have shied away from that angle for obvious reasons, but any of the Repubbie candidates could break ranks and would, I believe, capture a huge slice of the middle.
Of course, that would still have the effect of destroying the Repubbies hoped-for hedgemony in American politics; it hasn't been about good government in a long time, but about who has the power.
Mike
For an author you sure do need a proofreader.
BTW: Catholic hospitals, colleges and other institutions have been offering birth control coverage in their policies long before 2008. Why wasn't it an issue then? How could they allow it then? I know, the mandate that they must cover it is the stock answer. But are they now going to delete the coverage in their hospitals and universities that offer their employees coverage of birth control?
And what does the church do to those Catholics who use birth control? Do they punish or excommunicate them? Just wondering as I am not a Catholic.