Evangelicals, Southern Baptists rip HHS mandate
February 21, 2012
Free eBook:
|
| Free eBook: Essays in Apologetics, Vol. II |
The Family Research Council has announced that 2,500 pastors and other evangelical leaders have signed a letter condemning the Obama administration’s contraception mandate. The signatories said:
The contraceptive mandate with the requirement that there will be no co-pay to the patient means millions of Americans will incur the additional cost for these drugs and devices. Forcing religious entities to do the same, despite objections of good conscience, is a severe blow to our religious liberty. Thomas Jefferson drafted the Virginia Act for Establishing Religious Freedom in 1779, which passed in 1786, and set the stage for the First Amendment. In it, Jefferson states: "to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves, is sinful and tyrannical." Consequently, we ask that you would reverse this decision and protect the conscience rights of those who have biblically-based opposition to funding or providing contraceptives and abortifacients.
“What our forefathers protected is freedom of conscience, freedom of religion. That is -- the freedom to propagate our faith, to take our faith outside the walls of our home, outside the walls of our church and to have Catholic and Baptist charities, and Catholic and Baptist hospitals, and Catholic and Baptist schools that seek to educate within a worldview that is Catholic or Baptist or Lutheran or whatever,” added Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. “And we are not going to sit by and allow our God-given rights -- which are acknowledged, recognized and protected by the Constitution -- to be atrophied and to be neutered and to be confined and restricted by the Obama administration.”
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
- Evangelicals join Catholics in opposing birth control rule (AP)
- 2,500 rel. leaders sign letter opposing mandate (Baptist Press)
- News Conference Today: FRC Releases Letter Signed By 2,500 Religious Leaders Opposing Contraceptive Mandate (Family Research Council)
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
-
Posted by: unum -
Feb. 22, 2012 9:16 AM ET USA
Catholics need all of the support they can get for their wobbly leadership riddled with progressives. Until the Church leadership has the courage to publicly excommunicate politicians who trumpet their faith while shouting their disagreement with Church teaching (Ex. Pelosi), they will not be taken seriously by those in the pews. Leadership requires more than rhetoric!
-
Posted by: -
Feb. 22, 2012 8:56 AM ET USA
"Sinful and Tyrannical"... Ha! No better two words can be found to describe the Obama administration.
-
Posted by: wolfdavef3415 -
Feb. 21, 2012 7:46 PM ET USA
Mr. Plick, I would agree about the readiness of the 'troops', as you call us. You make very salient points, which do give a thinking man a pause for thought. I would also, however, point out the story of Gideon. Sometimes, we don't need to be ready, we just need to be there. Although, I am also worried that there is something more looming after the elections, should the current administration return without a need for re-election. Kind regards, sir.
-
Posted by: John J Plick -
Feb. 21, 2012 10:06 AM ET USA
My fear is that this “warfare” that is being declared by the orthodox leaders of the Catholic Church and the evangelicals, although justified, is premature in the fact that the “army” is grossly unprepared for battle. The “Southern Baptists” are a case in point. Technically, they should not exist. They “split” initially with the Baptists over the issue of slavery. Need I say more? Such unresolved “inconsistencies” exist throughout the Catholic and protestant traditions.
