An Attack on Religion?

The US Department of Health and Human Services, HHS, released a press release last week stating that a new element has been added to the Affordable Health Care Act or ObamaCare. (Click to read HHS statement). The new ruling states that all non-profit employers will be now be required by law to provide and pay for insurance coverage to include all forms of birth control, which includes contraceptives, morning-after pills, and abortions.

Problem?  Non-profit employers include religious-based hospitals, charities and schools. One in six hospitals in this country are Catholic-owned hospitals.  

Biggest problem? The Catholic Church does not believe in birth control of any kind.  

Catholic institutions are now being required by our government to provide and pay for measures that fundamentally oppose their doctrine.  They are now required to provide something for their employees, which the Catholic Church teaches as an immoral practice. 

Contraceptives go against their faith.  Our government has asked the Catholic-run institutions to compromise their morals.

Is this an overstep?  Absolutely. 

WSJ Image / Getty Images

 Yet, President Obama signed off on it.  No explanation.  No justification.  Once again, behind closed doors, he passed a piece of legislation that deeply impacts every American.  More surprising? He passed a measure that completely contradicts the very first amendment to our Constitution.

The first amendment to our Constitution states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibit the free exercise thereof..."

A disregard for the Constitution?  I would argue that it is a blatant disregard for that sacred document.

This has received little media attention and yet it spotlights the worst suspicions that Conservatives have had about President Obama.  Suspicions that he is an individual who wants greater government power even if it requires eradicating our liberties.

The White House is beginning to feel some heat for this controversial measure.  

They defend it by saying that the new law does not compel anyone to actually take the contraceptives--the employers must simply provide it.  They also defend it by stating that to sympathize with these religious institutions, they will provide a one-year grace period to comply with the new law.  

According to HHS, nonprofit employers have until August 1, 2013 to comply.  One year to comply or face astronomical non-compliance fines.

Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of HHS, is now defending the added clause arguing it "strikes the appropriate balance between respecting religious freedom and increasing access to important preventative services."

Where in the Constitution does it say "Congress shall pass no law respecting establishment of religion or prohibit the free exercise thereof "unless one can strike an appropriate balance?"  It doesn't.

This is an overstep by our government.  This is an abuse of power at the highest level.

Peggy Noonan, a writer for the Wall Street Journal wrote a fascinating column on Sunday about this latest move by the White House.  (Click to read WSJ column).  She criticized the President, but she also pointed out that there would be backlash.  People of faith are angry.  

Rightfully so.

In her article she wrote, "The (Catholic) church is fighting back. Priests in an estimated 70% of parishes last Sunday came forward to read strongly worded protests from the church's bishops. The ruling asks the church to abandon Catholic principles and beliefs; it is an abridgment of the First Amendment; it is not acceptable. They say they will not bow to it. They should never bow to it, not only because they are Catholic and cannot be told to take actions that deny their faith, but because they are citizens of the United States."

This was a huge mistake by our President, but my fear is that this wasn't just a mistake.  It simply confirms his true intentions--a desire for a stronger, more powerful federal government.  It once again demonstrates a philosophy of government first / people second.  Furthermore, it shows a complete disregard for religious institutions.  

This is not going away.  It has stirred the religious right, religious independents and even religious Democrats.  It is not okay.  It has stirred people of faith and as Noonan wrote, President Obama has awakened a "sleeping giant."

I hope she is right.