I really was trying to follow a single line of thought through for a period of several weeks in this blog. I had even when I had time written several which I've scheduled to be posted over the next couple of weeks, a trick I learned from one of my regular blogging friends. :-)
But some news broke today that I feel is of such importance that I just have to comment on it. I've already sent in a letter to the editor of the Detroit News, as well as sent an email to a number of friends (not as many as I wanted since hotmail told me I had "exceeded my daily limit," even though I'd sent my Christmas e-letter to the same list 4 weeks ago with no trouble :-( ). But even though it will be repetitive, I feel the need to blog about it, too, just in case someone else may some day stumble upon these words.
In what has sometimes been called "the culture wars," I really try to pick my battles, but a decision was announced today by Health and Human Services that, due to its far-reaching consequences, should be, for all those who value freedom of religion and conscience, a call to arms--not in terms of physical weapons, of course, but in terms of action and, above all, prayer. The Dept. of Health and Human Services announced that, despite the objections of thousands of faith-based organizations, all employers must include in their health plans free access to sterilization and to any drug or device that the FDA terms "contraception," including those that cause early abortions. The only "conscience clause" is so narrowly defined that it would not include thousands of Catholic and other religiously-affiliated hospitals, schools, and social service agencies. This mandate goes into effect in 2013.
As Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan of New York stated so eloquently after the announcement, "In effect, the president is saying we have a year to figure out how to violate our consciences.” He later stated, "Never before has the federal government forced individuals and organizations to go out into the marketplace and buy a product that violates their conscience." To put it another way, the Obama administration is stating by this mandate that health care--as they define it--is a basic right, but some people will be able to get this basic right only if they give up another basic right, freedom of conscience.
This is simply the latest volley in what Gov. Rick Perry has called "this administration's war on religion." Anyone of faith or good will who thinks that this attack on freedom of conscience will not eventually impact them needs to study history. Even if you are not concerned with or don't agree with the Catholic Church about this particular issue, if we let this go unchallenged, then someday the hand of government will reach out to touch an issue of conscience that does concern you--only by then, the momentum of precedent may make it too difficult to fight back.
Above all, please pray, since this is, at its core, a spiritual battle. May the Lord Jesus grant us grace to know and do His will. Amen.
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