How Freedom Is Lost

How do you get a people who are accustomed to freedom to give up that freedom?  Maybe there are more ways than one, but one way is to convince them that they might be given some purportedly valuable thing only by giving up a small portion of freedom.  But once that freedom is given, the door is open for more, and too often there is no going back.

The freedom of religion is often called our first freedom, because without the freedom to believe as we will and act in accordance with this belief, our other freedoms lose meaning.

There are many principles that hang in the balance in this election, but we should all understand clearly that one of these is the protection of this first freedom.

The specific issue, of course, is that Obamacare forces all insurance plans in the United States to provide specific benefits determined by unelected bureaucrats of the federal government.  Every employer, any organization that helps pay for medical insurance, is thus forced to pay for these benefits, even if it runs against deeply held, sincere religious beliefs.

This affects Catholics, and the Catholic Church in particular, since contraception as the prevention of pregnancy and the potential life God may send is specifically against Catholic doctrine.  For those with other beliefs, we might be tempted not to worry ourselves about the issue.  But we would do so at our peril. Because if the federal government through Obamacare can force the Catholic Church to pay for something that is profoundly against its beliefs and teachings, then the government can do the same in other cases against your religious beliefs.

Obama and Biden are trying to hide the meanings of their actions in this matter, but the Catholic Church is having none of it and has been very clear about the danger they see in what the administration has been and is doing.

This was Joe Biden during the VP debate:

"With regard to the assault on the Catholic Church, let me make it absolutely clear. No religious institution—Catholic or otherwise, including Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital—none has to either refer contraception, none has to pay for contraception, none has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide. That is a fact. That is a fact."

This is Kathryn Jean Lopez of the National Review in response:

"Well, it’s a lie, actually. But the Obama administration has thrived by lying — so far getting away with its assault on freedom. And the media has largely helped, frequently looking away the 100-strong lawsuits against the Obama administration’s HHS mandate."

And this is the Catholic Church's response to Joe Biden:

"This is not a fact. The HHS mandate contains a narrow, four-part exemption for certain “religious employers.” That exemption was made final in February and does not extend to “Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital,” or any other religious charity that offers its services to all, regardless of the faith of those served.

HHS has proposed an additional “accommodation” for religious organizations like these, which HHS itself describes as “non-exempt.” That proposal does not even potentially relieve these organizations from the obligation “to pay for contraception” and “to be a vehicle to get contraception.” They will have to serve as a vehicle, because they will still be forced to provide their employees with health coverage, and that coverage will still have to include sterilization, contraception, and abortifacients. They will have to pay for these things, because the premiums that the organizations (and their employees) are required to pay will still be applied, along with other funds, to cover the cost of these drugs and surgeries.

USCCB continues to urge HHS, in the strongest possible terms, actually to eliminate the various infringements on religious freedom imposed by the mandate."

And it goes further, as Obamacare also forces the Catholic Church, and all others who help pay for health insurance, to specifically tell their employees and those they serve how and where to go to act in violation of its teachings.  From National Review's Wesley Smith:

"In fact, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius declared that the Obama administration intends not only to force churches to do what the state directs, but even to speak as the state directs. From Sebelius’s official statement about the promulgation of the new rule:

We intend to require employers that do not offer coverage of contraceptive services to provide notice to employees, which will also state that contraceptive services are available at sites such as community health centers, public clinics, and hospitals with income-based support.

Thus, the Obama administration is attacking even freedom of worship by forcing exempt organizations to tell their employees where and how they can violate church teaching."

To understand the meaning of this assault on religious freedom, think of something that is a sacred, deeply held belief of yours.  Imagine of the government forced you to act and speak in a way contrary to this sacred belief.  As a Mormon, I think of the temple.  What if the federal government forced the LDS Church to have an "open door policy" that prevented the Church from restricting anyone at all from entering the temple?  And if it forced the Church to publicize this new, forced policy?  Whatever your religion, think of an example that applies to you.  Now can you appreciate what this policy means?  And what it portends to the future of our freedoms as Americans?

This is important.  Please spread the word and help protect our freedoms as we vote in this election.