Comments on: Kathleen Sebelius, JFK, and the HHS Mandate

By: ekeni_aus

ekeni_aus — Fri, 25 May 2012 21:29:47 +0000

Ralph: already across the world (including one would imagine in the US),devout Christians through their taxes already do provide public hospitals and therefore health care (including terminations etc)and through public schooling access to a broad range of health care information, including on reproduction and responsible sexual behaviour together with information on risks involved including emotional, physical, social etc risks(just as Catholic education provides the same or very similar information but one trusts with a greater dose of what the church teaches on the subject)…

Devout Christians can also pray when visiting hospitals or their places of worship for ALL people therin, born, unborn, sinners and sinned against; and at least work together so that the personhood of the parties is acknowledged – and we make our decisions in greater awareness … but also remembering the violence that some women endure from spouses because they are pregnant…. and poverty, unemployment, forced marital relations, drunken encounters, lack of love from ‘partner’, family and friends if single …

Are we walking in their shoes? Do we imagine all employees are saints? Surely there must be away out of tis that respsects the individual conscience of teh employee and the collective conscience of the employer?

Finally (you longed for this), are we providing a loving environment to encourage birth? Individually we try, and still we fail …

By: ekeni_aus

ekeni_aus — Fri, 25 May 2012 20:54:16 +0000

In Aus this is not a problem because employers dont provide health insurance; individuals take it out for themselves and their families. But it is so much a part of being employed in the US – ie lose your job lose your health insurance etc (bizarre as your health risk is actually heightened at that point. Surely there is an alternative where employees freedom of choice and conscience (re eg contraception etc)is allowed to be exercised via an alternative insurance provider? Surely the Church organisations can fund to on level and the enmployee add via another company the remaining costs? Though given that most Catholic women of reproductive age also use artificial contraception and – at least here in Aus – surveys of those volunteering a faith show that abortion rates are painfully similar … what company would wish to take on that obvious outlay …No disrespect is intended.

By: Diane Sellers, RN, LMFT

Diane Sellers, RN, LMFT — Fri, 25 May 2012 03:21:36 +0000

Sebelius said,”Ultimately, public policy is about making difficult choices.” What she means is,”For me, public policy is about removing choices.” God give us strength to stand up to those imposing their choices on us. For the many women who regret their abortions, the IRMA Network exists to empower them to heal and have a voice.

By: Mary Cote

Mary Cote — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:19:01 +0000

Bob,

The Catholic Church is being attacked as is all religious freedom. So we should sit quietly and ask our bishops to do the same. You are obviously ignorant of the true meaning of separation of Church and State. It was designed to keep the State out of the churches’ business, not the other way around. Our founding fathers knew what could happen if the state mandates conscience and moral. There will be none. Government run a muck. Look at Europe during Henry the VIII, Germany under Hitler, Italy and Russia with dictators. All of these people set up “moral” standards according to the state’s interests. Study more and talk less.

By: Lillian Porter

Lillian Porter — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:52:51 +0000

Bob Shook, like Sibelius, has so missed the point. The Constitution states that government is supposed to stay the hell out of religious business. Like her he also overlooked the part about Kennedy’s speech that said “religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is an an act against us all”.

By: Irene

Irene — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:42:37 +0000

Dear Bob: No citizen of the United States needs to “stay the hell out of the political arena,” as you suggest. Bishops and atheists have the exact same constitutionally-protected rights to petition their government, assemble, speak and practice — or not practice — religion.

Do you really believe that people who are being compelled by the government to act against their consciences have no right to protest and seek to have the law changed? I suggest you read the U.S. Constitution. It takes about 10 mintues.

By: Bob Shook

Bob Shook — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:32:52 +0000

My first opportunity to vote for a US President was Kennedy…..He was so right on the separation of Church and State. The Secretary of HHS quoted the former President correctly, and it should serve us well today.
The Catholic Bishops need to stay the hell out of the political arena.

By: BREAKING: 43 Catholic Institutions Sue Obama Administration over HHS Mandate « Stand Up for Religious Freedom

Mon, 21 May 2012 18:11:11 +0000

[...] • Kathleen Sebelius, JFK, and th… [...]

By: Peggy Hagen

Peggy Hagen — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:31:52 +0000

Otherwise known as “co-opting the narrative.”

By: Carla

Carla — Mon, 21 May 2012 04:10:08 +0000

John has some very astute observations of Selius’ speech. “where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against us all.
Ironically, this is exactly what those of us who oppose the HHS Mandate have been saying all along.”