Thursday, February 9, 2012

Whose religious freedom is actually under attack?

Catholic bishops and the radical right are screaming foul because of federal requirements to include contraception among the preventive health services for women covered by health care plans - despite the exceptions for employees of churches.

The way I see it, when a religious entity runs a hospital, university, or charity that takes money from and employees people for whom contraception is the choice of an informed conscience, they need to avoid doing things like denying coverage for it in the health plans they offer. I consider it a violation of these women's religious freedom for the hierarchy of a church to impose the church's view of morality on them.

Blogger Kevin Drum points out in a recent post just how far removed the Catholic hierarchy is from the practices of most Catholics.  Here's the link: http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/02/catholics-do-not-have-moral-objection-contraception.  And, I would remind the bishops, not all Americans are Catholics.  Where is the respect for people's freedom of conscience that one could reasonably expect from those who should be exemplary followers of Christ?