Posted on 02/10/2012 4:54:56 AM PST by rbmillerjr
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EWTN Sues Obama Admin EWTN SUES Obama Admin
In a remarkable decision, EWTN is suing the Obama Administration over the Contraception Mandate. This extraordinary act, as well as near unanimous outcry from other Faiths, is sparking a Religious Liberty controversy that the Obama Administration, seemed willing to take on.
"We had no other option but to take this to the courts," says EWTN President and CEO Michael P. Warsaw. "Under the HHS mandate, EWTN is being forced by the government to make a choice: either we provide employees coverage for contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs and violate our conscience or offer our employees and their families no health insurance coverage at all. Neither of those choices is acceptable."
The Obama Administration HHS rules were mandated on January 20, 2012, and EWTN is the first Catholic entity to file a lawsuit against the government.
EWTN President Warsaw, states that there are two primary complaints against the violation of the 1st Amendment:
1) ""The government is forcing EWTN, first, to inform its employees about how to get contraception, sterilization and abortifacient drugs, a concept known as forced speech."
2) "...the government then will force EWTN to use its donors' funds to pay for these same morally objectionable procedures or to pay for the huge fines it will levy against us if we fail to provide health care insurance."
The mandate clearly violates EWTN's and other Catholic entities' Freedom of Speech rights. Importantly, the precedent that this sets is a threat to all people of Faith and Faith organizations and entities. The mandate would affect universities, hospitals, charities and other groups.
As the improvised saying goes, "...First they come for the Catholics..."
But the Obama Administration has already come for the Catholics. Previous to this attack on The Catholic Church, there were the lies expressed to the Bishops regarding ObamaCare, specifically regarding the "conscience clause" to protect healthcare workers from performing acts that violated their expression of faith...primarily meant to protect Catholics from being forced to assist in the aborting of babies.
The Obama Administration has already come for the Lutherans as well. The Obama Justice Department, argued the case for a fired teacher at a Lutheran school. The Obama-Holder decision to attempt to force the "hiring and retention" of a religious teacher, based on a discrimination claim, outraged Religious Liberty advocates.
The Supreme Court struck down the Obama-led Hosanna-Tabor Church v Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, in a near unanimous decision.
The Obama Administration is clearly showing a strong bias against Faith-based groups and specifically Christian Churches, as evidenced by the above attempt to force a Christian Church to retain an employee against its Christian belief system. Taken in conjunction with the present attack on the Catholic Church - Obama's ideological bent for "Statism over Individual Faith", is opening up a huge political hole - for conservatives to run through.
Amazingly, Obama doesn't seem to care. In fact, he has attacked Romney over the Contraception Mandate issue. This reinforces a belief by many political conservatives and Democrat people-of-faith, that Obama not only has a radicalized ideology that puts the State in a "supervisory ruling" position over religion, but opens up critical questions in swing states.
Does Obama find people who "cling to their religion...", repugnant and an enemy?
How far would an uninhibited and unchecked Obama second term go in it's attack on Religion?
There are huge Faith and Religious Liberty issues as well as political issues involved in the latest Obama attack on Faith.
What would an unfettered 2nd Obama term bring?
ping for Faith Issues and EWTN lawsuit.
I have no idea what EWTN stands for, and even if I once knew, I can't even begin to remember them all.
Urrrrghhh... “anagram” s/b acronym.
Whole heartily agree. EWTN = ?
Ok, acronym...I was confused, but now I get it.
EWTN is a Catholic television network
The acronym stands for Eternal Word Television Network.
It is a faith-based Catholic network that has Catholic and faith programming.
There is also a News show called “The World Over”, which discusses news from a Catholic and Christian perspective.
Good programming that Protestants would also find enjoyable as they discuss persecution, abortion, and morals that all Christians and Jews would identify with.
You are correct.
I angerly did look it up....
“Eternal World Television Network”
Thanks...I didn’t even know it was a TV network! :)
Yes, it’s another alternative to MSM and the biased reporting we get on faith issues.
They’re taking a courageous stand here and I expect they will win their case, but be the recipient of Obama-led IRS attacks and other regulatory agencies.
On both points below, I think they win this case, based on freedom of religion and speech grounds.
“EWTN President Warsaw, states that there are two primary complaints against the violation of the 1st Amendment:
1) “”The government is forcing EWTN, first, to inform its employees about how to get contraception, sterilization and abortifacient drugs, a concept known as forced speech.”
2) “...the government then will force EWTN to use its donors’ funds to pay for these same morally objectionable procedures or to pay for the huge fines it will levy against us if we fail to provide health care insurance.”
Please tell me why people care about what “Obama rules”. Only Congress can make laws.
“Please tell me why people care about what “Obama rules”. Only Congress can make laws.”
That’s a great question Gingis.
The power of government is wielded through all three branches.
Obama, being the Executive head, works through both his allies in Congress and through Administrative fiat.
The unchecked bureaucrats of the Federal Regulatory Agencies. That encompasses every Federal Agency, not just those that have been deemed “Regulatory”.
The power of the bureaucracies is immense. The political cliche of “...you don’t want a federal bureaucrat based in DC, telling you how to receive health care, buy a house, or plant a garden...”, is point on.
These people are not elected and not appointed (Except Schedule Cs and higher), yet they have a lot of power through Executive decrees, and they can manipulate the intentions of Congressional law.
Specifically, in this case, HHS is enforcing a mandate. One that is unconstitutional.
Catholic News Ping!
God bless Mother Angelica, Raymond Arroyo and the rest of the EWTN staff.
So, now that Hussein has relented and will renounce another waiver, one of now-thousands, for the contraceptive requirements for religious institutions.
He has no plans of keeping these waivers in place beyond that date which cements his second term (this year). If he does win, expect announcements of waiver revocations in January 2013.
Thanks for the ping Salvation.
The Obama attack on the Catholic Church and all Faiths will not cease. A second term would see Obama with a relentless attack on all Faiths.
We will have to see the fine details of any waivers.
He clearly lied to get the Bishops to acquiesce on ObamaCare.
Beyond that, his consistent attacks on Christians and Israel are illuminating regarding his real views on Faith.
You are absolutely on point, regarding a second term. He would basically be unchecked, especially if we lose the House.
Thank you for the explaination. It seems to me that the affected organizations should just ignore the mandates, forcing a test of the issue in court.
Good for them! Onward Christian soldiers!!
With out reading down...
EWTN= Eternal Word Television Network
1. Too many long words for the reporter to spell correctly.
2. EWTN doesn’t really sound like a religious organization
3. It doesn’t sound like a Catholic organization... Just a Christian organization. That’s really what they are opposed to.
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