Life Issues Archives - CatholicManiacs

What Does It Mean to Impose One’s Beliefs On Another?

DeaconTim — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 18:30:57 +0000

OK. I realize that I am coing to the Hobby Lobby discussion a little late. Still, I wanted to weigh in and finally found the time. Those that side with Hobby Lobby, and yes I am one of them, say that the Supreme Court’s decision was correct because the government was interfering in the owner’s religious rights by forcing them to pay for abortifacient forms of birth control. This would violate their conscience and go against their religious beliefs. Opponents of Hobby Lobby say that they are forcing their religious beliefs on others by refusing to pay for 4 out of the 20 different methods mandated by ObamaCare. Notice that 16 methods are still paid for. Who is imposing on whom here? It would seem to me that the ones who is being forced to do something against their will is the one being imposed upon in any normal sense of the word imposed. If so, then isn’t it obvious that the government is imposing on Hobby Lobby, Conestoga, EWTN and a host of others, indeed all of us? We are all forced to buy health insurance or face a “tax” as the Court called it. We are all forced to pay our payroll taxes or face fines. An imposition upon somone is the use of force. It’s a classic “do this or else” situation. Given that, how would Hobby Lobby or anyone else be imposing their religious beliefs upon their employees by refusing to pay for abortifacient or any contraceptives? Where is the “or else” for the employees? What is their punishment? There isn’t any for 2 reasons. First, they aren’t being forced to do anything to begin with. There is no “do this” component. They are all free to purchase whatever forms of birth control as an out of pocket expense. No one is preventing that or proposing to stop it on the Hobby Lobby side. They just don’t want to pay for it. Second, there is no “or else” because the problem is not with the employees. It’s with the Federal Government. Refusing to violate moral principles by engaging in commerce forced by the government is not the same as requiring all employees to attend church, go to Bible study or live the exact same moral principles as you do. Even this last one is protected for religious organizations like churches and religious communities who make such requirements an upfront part of the job. Finally, there is no compelling government interest here by forcing this upon employers unless it is the furthering of a contraceptive/abortion mentality among the people as a normal thing.

The post What Does It Mean to Impose One’s Beliefs On Another? appeared first on CatholicManiacs.

Murkowski – Canon 915 Candidate?

DeaconTim — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:29:31 +0000

According to this article, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) – AK, has openly stated that she regrets her vote for conscience protection regarding the HHS mandate and would not vote so again.

She stated that the best way to prevent abortion was to reduce unwanted pregnancies, which is best done through contraception according to her.

When reminded that her church, the Catholic Church, is against contraception, she openly admitted she knows and that it doesn’t matter. She also openly admitted that sometimes abortion is necessary and she doesn’t always agree with her Church or political party.

I leave it to canonists, and I am sure they will weigh in, but it seems like this is a public profession of such that could trigger a Canon 915 related denial of communion. Presuming that her Bishop has, or will, counsel the Senator and she refuses to publicly recant her pro-abortion positions, it would seem that would constitute obstinately manifesting in grave sin given her position as a member of the United States Senate.

The post Murkowski – Canon 915 Candidate? appeared first on CatholicManiacs.

Soylent Green Is People!

HeathenBoy — Thu, 24 Mar 2005 13:57:00 +0000

Apologies for the overly dramatic headline, but that’s what I feel we’re trapped in these days. I’m simply stunned at our society’s rush to starve Terri, simply on the say so of her husband, whose motives could or could not be pure as the driven snow. As Rush often says, ‘follow the money’. Anyway, we’re now officially in a society that condones extermination of the inconvenient. If you can’t converse, you have no value. A fella around the office tried to tell me it wasn’t like somebody was putting down a sick animal, but essentially, yes that’s exactly what’s happening. People treat their pets better than Terri’s being treated.

The post Soylent Green Is People! appeared first on CatholicManiacs.