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“The chairman is promoting a conspiracy theory that the federal government is conducting a ‘war’ against religion,” said Republican Elijah Cummings of Maryland in regards to the ongoing contraception debate.
A common approach of attack when an issue is not in your favor.
The subject at hand is whether religious intuitions, such as hospitals and universities, should offer birth control in their health plans. This sparked a political storm of religious groups strongly protesting on one side and liberals opposing the other. My take on this is that it does violate the first amendment, which includes the freedom of religion. Looking closely, a group like Priests for Life, technically not a church but an online organization that makes efforts to enlighten religious views about abortion and euthanasia, or a Catholic school would be required to fund these “services” for employees. Let’s put aside that some religious organizations view these as morally offensive, or – dare I use the word nowadays – sinful and think of other reasons this is a major concern.
To state the obvious, what religious institutions want is something that will not violate their religious liberty, is there any harm in that? Many people would quickly speculate it’s about money, it isn’t. Some provide non-profits insurance for their employees, such as Intermountain Healthcare, this will directly pay the costs regardless of any compromise. Religious employers with insurance still subsidize the costs against their integrity. There is no such thing as “free” coverage – and an insurer’s expenses form the basis for upcoming costs to consumers. Since employers would be paying for it, it’s inadvertently taking more money away from businesses and therefore attempting to overthrow capitalism.
If you’re employed under a religious establishment, it should be well known that religious guidelines are to be executed. I went to religious elementary and middle school and there were teachers who clearly didn’t follow the religion, however they still abided by the rules and dress code. If this ‘contraception rule’ was implemented back then to those teachers, then I would surely believe they would understand that the feelings of birth control and abortion is highly abhorrent to the school and would respect that.
If they needed a plan that offers birth control then they should seek one outside of what the employers provide. Birth control comes in many forms and every form fluctuates in prices. I know girls who take the pill and pay roughly $20 a month. However a person wishes to live their life is their concern. I feel as though the “separation of church and state” is something to be respected.
