As I see it, the bishop’s letter to the parishes was pure Catholicism. The opposed contraception and abortion and said they “cannot and will not comply”.
That was what EVERY OTHER parish is the US of A received. The Catholic parishes within the army were told something different because of government intervention.
Now, you tell me. Which is Catholicism? The Bishop version or the Army version? And if the army version isn’t allowed to be fully Catholic, then what religion is it, and whose religion is it?
This strikes at the heart of religion in America. And it strikes at the heart of the legitimacy of the Chaplain Corps.
The Chief blew this one big time. The Chief should have said, “No Catholic doctor, nurse, medical assistant, or medic should participate in any of these procedures due to their still legal religious beliefs.”
I think it was in Desert Storm that Chaplains were told to remove their crosses since they might offend muslims. That was “official”. Some wise lead chaplain called it BS and stood his ground until the crosses went back on.
Now that was leadership.
But with the current race to Shari or secularism, I fear what comes next.
The Burka or the Brothel.
That was the time George Bush #1 was president. If I remember correctly he couched a phrase which meant, “one world government”, at the moment I cannot recall exactly the phrase, but I know what it meant.
This issue (and eliminating the conscience clause for Catholic hospitals related to abortion and contraception) will go to the SCOTUS.
The 1st Amendment is a fundamental expressed right to freedom of religion that has always applied to Chaplains since the founding.
There is no fundamental (expressed or otherwise) right to have other people pay for your choice to use contraception, be sterilized, or kill your fetus. And I don’t think this SCOTUS will find one in some shadow or corner.
Let’s pray none of the good ones dies while obamaSatan is still in office.
