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I've actually been surprised that there has been no discussion concerning the Federal Government's new rules, requiring the Catholic church to pay for birth control even though its against their belief system. You may not accept this but I believe this is a powerful first step toward the government restricting some church's freedom of religion. It will not stop here.
If this stands it will not be long before the govt. tries to control whether a church may forbid women to be pastors or leaders in congregations or to condemn homosexuality.
They have a powerful weapon in the tax code, because other government entities might very well, end any tax exempt status they enjoy, which would certainly make it harder for churches to survive. Don't kid yourself, imperial govts. (and we are headed that way) do not like troublemakers.
I think you mean, "Saying goodbye to our entitled status that placed our importance over everyone else and their rights."
People tried this a long time ago by complaining that giving blacks rights and letting them marry outside their race was restricting religious freedom as well. What you're saying is not different at all.
I've actually been surprised that there has been no discussion concerning the Federal Government's new rules, requiring the Catholic church to pay for birth control even though its against their belief system. You may not accept this but I believe this is a powerful first step toward the government restricting some church's freedom of religion. It will not stop here.
If this stands it will not be long before the govt. tries to control whether a church may forbid women to be pastors or leaders in congregations or to condemn homosexuality.
They have a powerful weapon in the tax code, because other government entities might very well, end any tax exempt status they enjoy, which would certainly make it harder for churches to survive. Don't kid yourself, imperial govts. (and we are headed that way) do not like troublemakers.
I consider this a constitutional issue and am very concerned. I heard on the radio that Rick Warren said he was willing to go to jail over this. The church acting like the church? I think hospitals, schools, orphanages, etc. are exactly what the church should be doing.
I have had two defining moments, politically, in the past few years. One was the New Black Panther standing in front of the voting place in Philadelphia with a club in his hands. And no one really cared. The second is this. I will live and plan my life accordingly.
I think we know where this is all eventually headed. At least we should.
"Teilhard [de Chardin] had always viewed the United Nations as the progressive institutional embodiment of his philosophy" (Robert Muller, ed., The Desire to be Human: A Global Reconnaissance of Human Perspectives in an Age of Transformation, Miranana, 1983, p.304).
"Within the United Nations is the germ and seed of a great international and meditating, reflective group - a group of thinking and informed men and women in whose hands lies the destiny of humanity. This is largely under the control of many fourth ray disciples, if you could but realize it, and their point of meditative focus is the intuitional or buddhic plane - the plane upon which all hierarchical activity is today to be found". [Alice B. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age (Lucis Press, 1955), Vol.II,, p.220.]
Why is christianity in so much fear of what the bible clearly teaches in abundance ?.
We are taught to meditate,consider, reflect, think upon, to be mindful of,dwell upon and more. For whatever holds our attention is what we become.
But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.2 Cor 3:18
What is it we are beholding ? A man with a beard called Jesus ? , or the very life that was expressed through him which was and very much still is, the Light to all men.
He(the Life) is not only our example, but who we become as we behold,meditate,consider,think upon, dwell upon and mindful of. Christ is our true identity.
Aganusin? That sounds like an attack. Christians enjoy no special rights controlling other people that I am aware of. What I am talking about is what is supposedly guaranteed in the CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. That is the freedom to practice my religion. That is to follow the teachings of my religion and believe what I want to believe and teach what we believe. That's it.
But if the govt. comes in and tells a church, like the Roman CAtholic church, that they must pay for abortions or birth control for their employees, that is forcing them to do something which they believe is wrong, or they become a criminal in the eyes of the law if they don't. That would be taking away their freedom of religion. It would be the same if, for example, Jews were forbidden to worship on Monday, rather than observing Sat. as their Holy Day.
But if the govt. comes in and tells a church, like the Roman CAtholic church, that they must pay for abortions or birth control for their employees, that is forcing them to do something which they believe is wrong, or they become a criminal in the eyes of the law if they don't. That would be taking away their freedom of religion.
Would you object to Christian Scientists purchasing a major hospital, including an emergency room, in your city and refusing to allow blood transfusions in that hospital? Or refusing to allow non-Christian Scientist employees to purchase insurance that allowed transfusions?
Aganusin? That sounds like an attack. Christians enjoy no special rights controlling other people that I am aware of. What I am talking about is what is supposedly guaranteed in the CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. That is the freedom to practice my religion. That is to follow the teachings of my religion and believe what I want to believe and teach what we believe. That's it.
But if the govt. comes in and tells a church, like the Roman CAtholic church, that they must pay for abortions or birth control for their employees, that is forcing them to do something which they believe is wrong, or they become a criminal in the eyes of the law if they don't. That would be taking away their freedom of religion. It would be the same if, for example, Jews were forbidden to worship on Monday, rather than observing Sat. as their Holy Day.
First of all, the Affordable Care Act does not mandate that these institutions offer birth control to employees. They must offer an insurance plan that provides coverage for contraception. The hospitals and schools themselves are still free to not offer those services to customers.
Secondly, 28 states already have this mandate, so government already does this albeit at the state level.
I think that it is appropriate to mandate that all women have contraception made available to them, and that insurance cover this aspect of health care. I don’t think religion should be able to decide for others what health care they seek.
98% of Catholic women use contraception in their child bearing years. So who is it exactly that doesn’t want this provision? The celibate males who run the show? Figures. One of the ways that “their” religions continue to grow (membership = money = power) is through large families. This has nothing to do with Christianity, and everything to do with greed.
Secondly, just saying all you want is to practice your religion doesn't cut it. A person used this excuse to molest and rape young girls. When told he wrong, he essentially said what you said. You can practice your religion, but within the constitution, not outside of it.
But if the govt. comes in and tells a church, like the Roman CAtholic church, that they must pay for abortions or birth control for their employees, that is forcing them to do something which they believe is wrong, or they become a criminal in the eyes of the law if they don't. That would be taking away their freedom of religion.
Raising the issue of abortions is patently unfair, as it is meant to illicit strong emotions in this discussion, and is completely irrelevant, because no one has been talking about abortions here. And again, the church would not be required to offer insurance that covers contraception to their church employees, you know the ones that function in the administration of the religion itself, such as ministers, choir directors, Sunday School teachers, etc. So, their freedom of religion is not being tampered with.
This isn't really a freedom of religion issue; it is an issue of should all hospitals be required to offer their employees the same minimum health insurance coverage, regardless of who owns and operates the hospital.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Prairieparson
It would be the same if, for example, Jews were forbidden to worship on Monday, rather than observing Sat. as their Holy Day.
That would be government interfering with the religion itself, which would clearly be prohibited by the first amendment, and is not at all what is going on here when we are talking about hospitals offering their employees insurance coverage.
I've actually been surprised that there has been no discussion concerning the Federal Government's new rules, requiring the Catholic church to pay for birth control even though its against their belief system. You may not accept this but I believe this is a powerful first step toward the government restricting some church's freedom of religion. It will not stop here.
If this stands it will not be long before the govt. tries to control whether a church may forbid women to be pastors or leaders in congregations or to condemn homosexuality.
You literally have no idea of what you are talking about.
The law has never granted a blanket exemption from generally applicable laws for all practices based on religious beliefs. It is not a denial of freedom of religion to say that the law applies to you and the company you work for.
But if the govt. comes in and tells a church, like the Roman CAtholic church, that they must pay for abortions or birth control for their employees, that is forcing them to do something which they believe is wrong, or they become a criminal in the eyes of the law if they don't. That would be taking away their freedom of religion. It would be the same if, for example, Jews were forbidden to worship on Monday, rather than observing Sat. as their Holy Day.
The government is not telling them to do that, so you can relax now.
if you abide in the Love of God, no man can take your freedom away.
Didn't Jesus say "be meek as lambs but wily as the serpent."? Didn't He tell the disciples if they didn't have a sword to buy one? Does that suggest that we're to just meekly sit by and allow our freedoms to be taken away? I think not! Vote these servants of Satan out of office!!
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