Editor, OBSERVER:
President Obama, through his HHS Secretary Sebelius, has ordered Catholic schools, hospitals, charities, universities, etc. to provide in their health plans coverage for contraception, sterilization, and some drugs that can induce abortions. Under ObamaCare, the Church must provide "services" it considers abhorrent. When those who felt that the First Amendment was being trashed objected, our splendidly dressed president generously accommodated the rebellious clergy and annoying constitutionalists.
The Church, he proclaimed, will not be required to provide or pay for these services, however their insurer will. When the Boys Town crisis counselor tells Father Flanagan she is desperately in need of the ella pill, Father explains that as she may be taking an innocent life, he cannot abandon his faith, and so cannot assist. "However", Father Flanagan helpfully adds, " as it happens, our insurer next door will gladly cover the pills, and if a life is terminated, at least it won't cost me a cent."
The Church is required to act like Groucho: "Those are my principles, and if you don't like them...well I have others." and is faced with ruinous fines if it insists on acting on Catholic beliefs regarding life and sexuality.
This is the new Obama religion, get with the progressive program, save your faith for Sunday, and it is not only Catholics who will find their liberties curtailed. The Obama administration holds that a church cannot fire a minister if the government objects (the Supreme Court disagreed 9-0), that every citizen be compelled to purchase insurance, (and the government will determine what will and will not be insured), that insurance companies will be required to give certain products away (contraceptive and abortifacient drugs) and that if any institution, such as the Church, attempts to seriously challenge the secular religion of abortion and recreational sex, it will be driven to bankruptcy.
The leader who was to bring us all together is looking quite naked now, and it is time for those who simply want to be left alone, that is, live as free men, to say enough is enough.
ROBERT GAUS
Sinclairville
