The bishops in my church instituted a pitched campaign to resist the HHS mandate, as part of the overall healthcare reform known as “Obamacare,” requiring religious institutions to cover contraception to their employees. The bishops teach that active contraception is wrong and argue that being forced to provide such violates the religious freedom of Catholics to practice their faith and live according to their consciences. All this is par for the course in American politics. Our democracy is about a battle of rights, an ongoing fight about whose rights deserve protection and how. If you are a constitutional buff, this is heady stuff and part of what makes this country great. No guns, just words.
On the merits, this battle is worth fighting. Each side has a legitimate case to make. And rights are at stake. Make no mistake about it. My problem has always been how the bishops have chosen to wage this battle as soldiers of Christ or as mere political prosecutors of war?
As a Catholic, this whole “Fortnight for Freedom” thing made me nervous. The timing of this battle, the vigor with which is waged, and the lack of compassion for our opponents once again demonstrates how myopic the bishops can be and how their credibility (and the Church’s as well) is withering before the rest of the country. I am not alone in this view. Here are the problems I see in a nutshell with trenchant humor from Jon Stewart to liven it up! Continue reading “Fortnight for Freedom”