Posted on 06/30/2012 1:26:32 PM PDT by raptor22
First Amendment: The bizarre ObamaCare decision leaves unresolved the separate issue of whether government can define what a church is and what it can do. Will the courts also redefine the "free exercise" of religion?
For now, ObamaCare remains largely intact and so does its attempt to rewrite the First Amendment by prohibiting the free exercise of religion through its mandate that religious institutions provide contraceptive coverage in violation of their church teachings and religious consciences.
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty says it will move forward with litigation challenging a requirement from the federal health care law that employers provide access to contraceptive services. "Never in history has there been a mandate forcing individuals to violate their deeply held religious beliefs or pay a severe fine ," said Hannah Smith, lawyer for the group.
The fund is engaged in religious liberty lawsuits on behalf of four institutions. There are now 23 lawsuits in 14 states and the District of Columbia involving more than 50 plaintiffs, according to the group, including lawsuits filed by 43 Catholic institutions in May.
So if the Supreme Court has ruled that the government can impose a tax in the form of a penalty on those who refuse to buy health insurance, can it also impose such a "tax" on those who refuse to provide contraceptive services in violation of their religious beliefs?
Beckett argues the contraception mandate violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which bars rules that impose a substantial burden on religious liberty.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.investors.com ...
This is NOT equal protection under the law. Muslims and Amish are granted a religious exemption from Obamacare.
Catholics and other Christians who understand abortion to be immoral infanticide cannot be required to fund it IF other religious groups are going to be exempted from the law.
And didn't Obama claim people were lying about his health plan when they said it would require people to fund abortion?
More odious is the $1 per month surcharge on the premiums for the Health Care exchanges that will specifically go to fund abortions.
It's not funding, it's a penalty, uh.. tax. It's whatever we say it is at whatever time we say so. Congress is in recess.
I'm disappointed that IBD is making this incorrect statement. The HHS directive requires all insurance to PAY FOR contraceptives, abortifacients, and sterilization WITHOUT ANY COST to the customer. No other type of treatment is being given such privileged treatment, and this is a great injustice to people who need surgery or medicine for illness or injury. Everyone has "access" to anti-fertility "services": go to a drug store or medical practitioner and pay cash, in the absence of other arrangements.
IBD is one of our best sources of conservative commentary these days - what the "Wall Street Journal" used to be, way back. If they can't give correct information, then it seems there's really no chance of getting facts through the kultursmog.
Are churches exempt from taxation? If so, they don’t have to comply with Obamanationcare.
The Constitutional Republic is gone, Federalism is gone. We have a Nationalist Democracy. IOW, whatever the elected national office holders pass, becomes law despite the Constitutional limits. The courts sees the actions of the national government as the will of the people. That is why john roberts said ""It is not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices."
I agree with the article, but who can it be appealed to? Since the limits of national power is no longer enforced, the only way to removed it is to put in national office holders that are against obongocare. It cant be stopped by the courts now based on violation of religious freedoms, it was ruled "Constitutional".
I’m not going along to get along anymore. The dictator can murder me.
Get ready for mandatory Sensitivity Training Classes. Not just as a condition of employment with a private company but just because the government says you have to. If you don’t take one of these government classes you will face a penalty....er.....tax.....er.....penalty.....er.....tax.
The “Secretary” could just implement a mental health program as part of Obamacare.
Of course, protected classes (minorities, homosexuals, Muslims, etc.) will get waivers.
Who needs re-education camps. Thanks John Roberts.
i just got back from 5:30 mass....here my report from “Fortnight for Freedom” last Week:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2898757/posts
Tonight they reminded everyone about it and told us we can help by saying the Rosary, attending daily mass or praying every day...i felt like standing up and yelling “we can also vote obama out of office in November!!” I did say it to a few parishoners on the way out who absolutely agreed...
It could get much worse if he gets re-elected. I doubt any hospital can operate without some involvement with federal funds (or money taken from the taxpayers and funneled through the federal government). Obama could deny federal funds to any hospital which does not provide abortions. What’s to stop him?
Actually, its called a jizya. Convert, submit, or pay the jizya to the cause of single payer healthcare .. er, I mean Islam.
“The HHS directive requires all insurance to PAY FOR contraceptives, abortifacients, and sterilization WITHOUT ANY COST to the customer.”
You mean all insureance companies must pay their “customers”, (I assume you mean policyholders) claims for their costs of contraceptives, abortifacients, and sterilization without applying deductibles or co-pays?
Then why hasn’t the Catholic Church instructed their membership to refuse to pay the individual mandate tax yet?
What is the status of the Catholic lawsuit working its way through the courts?
Nobody has yet been charged the individual mandate “tax.”
How about the 3.8% tax upon the sales of real estate on the GROSS price of the transaction?
That kind of a tax has nothing to do with health care & there are some here on FR who claim that Obama intends to use all those funds to help ACORN.
Sell a house for $400,000 and you have to pay an extra $15,200 to Obama!!!
This is outrageous!
The real estate market is in enough trouble as it is.
ACORN is a subversive group to begin with and we taxpayers are funding it further into the future?
Disgusting.
I don’t know how long the insidious arm of the Federal government has been holding carrots out to hospitals.
Perhaps the public would like to see the ability to give decent care without the input of all the tort lawyers.
I for one would sign a release ahead of time for my doctors to treat me.
I am tired of the destruction of America by Obama.
That is no reason to wait.
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