The US Bishops formal response to 'that' mandate...
'Thank you, Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the Committee, for the opportunity to testify today. For my testimony today, I would like to tell a story. Let’s call it, “The Parable of the Kosher Deli.”
Once upon a time, a new law is proposed, so that any business that serves food must serve pork. There is a narrow exception for kosher catering halls attached to synagogues, since they serve mostly members of that synagogue, but kosher delicatessens are still subject to the mandate.
The Orthodox Jewish community—whose members run kosher delis and many other restaurants and grocers besides—expresses its outrage at the new government mandate. And they are joined by others who have no problem eating pork—not just the many Jews who eat pork, but people of all faiths—because these others recognize the threat to the principle of religious liberty. They recognize as well the practical impact of the damage to that principle. They know that, if the mandate stands, they might be the next ones forced—under threat of severe government sanction—to violate their most deeply held beliefs, especially their unpopular beliefs. Meanwhile, those who support the mandate respond, “But pork is good for you. It is, after all, the other white meat.” Other supporters add, “So many Jews eat pork, and those who don’t should just get with the times.” Still others say, “Those Orthodox are just trying to impose their beliefs on everyone else.”
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Wrong wrong wrong the American Catholic blogosphere has it so so wrong!!!! They're building a fortress for the faith - HHS is wrong because contraception is wrong, not because the state is working against their conscience?
ReplyDeleteThis is SO important, why are we arguing on these grounds? I don't know, it might even be better to let the government go ahead and then accept any punishment's we're given for not complying than to win with these arguments. I'm not sure about that, but I think it may be the case. If we win here with religious liberty, I think we will lose further down the road in terms of evangelisation. Just think what will happen when people use their freedom of conscience to continue the scourge of abortion, or whatever? No we must drop it immediately!
http://goldenstraw.blogspot.com/2012/02/avoiding-religious-liberty.html
This is the right line to take and we have to keep ramming it home day in day out. It will have the equality/LGBT lobby tied in knots. God, please let our Bishops see this post and start using it against the Church's enemies. This is indeed being 'wise as a serpent...'
ReplyDeleteBJC