In August of 2011 President Obama put into law a ruling that has caused the Catholic Church to be concerned.  In his attempt to overhaul the health care system in America, he put into motion a law that requires all employers to provide birth control products as part of their medical coverage.  This law is to take effect in August of 2013.

  For most people this isn’t a big deal, but for those who believe  all forms of birth control, including abortions is against their religious beliefs.  This law will apply to all Catholic hospitals, as well as any non-profit organizations and colleges or schools.  All of these employees will be offered birth control, free of charge and with no co-pay.

    The window of exemption from this law is so small that only a few people can qualify for it.  The Catholic Church, from its very beginning, has said that the use of birth control is wrong.  This puts them in direct opposition to what they believe is God’s command.

  The first biblical reference to birth control in in Genesis 38:8-10.  When Onan allowed his sperm to fall to the ground to prevent impregnating Tamar, God became so angry that He killed Onan.  That would cause me to think that God is against birth control.

    I am not Catholic and I don’t think that birth control is nessecarily wrong, unless it is after conception.  Abortion is murder in my view and we all know that isn’t a good thing.  We are told in Romans 13:1-7  that we are to render to the government what is due them and render to God what is Gods.  We are to obey the laws of our nation……UNLESS they conflict with God’s law; or what we believe to be God’s will for us.

  There are many other examples of religious beliefs over ruling the law of the land.  The Amish don’t pay taxes, they think it’s a sin to own a car, they have a very strict dress code and many other beliefs that we think are unusual.  BUT… the law does NOT require them to pay taxes, or wear certain clothes or stop riding in a horse draw buggy.  Some laws make special accommodations for Muslims or Mormons, why not the Catholic church?

  If we are free to believe and practice any religion in America, then why try to force people to go against their personal convictions?  Where is the separation of church and state?  We aren’t allowed to sing Christian songs at Christmas, lest we offend someone of another belief, yet we should be forced to obey a law that so violates the very core of Christianity?

    No man or government has the right to force an indiviual, or organization to act in violation of their personal convictions and beliefs.  If we allow this to happen, we will no longer be a nation who offers freedom of religion.