Obamacare Violates The Separation Of Church & State?

Obama says: Don’t call Obamacare “Socialized medicine”! “Throwing around phrases like ‘socialists’ and ‘Soviet-style takeover’… that may grab headlines, but it also has the effect of comparing our government, our political opponents, to authoritarian, even murderous regimes.” Barack Obama, 2010 State of the Union speech

“Opponents of health reform warn that this is all some big plot for socialized medicine or government-run health care with long lines and rationed care. That’s not true either. I don’t believe that government can or should run health care.” Barack Obama, weekly address, Jul. 18, 2009

Reality: That’s what HE said. Barack himself has called Obamacare ‘socialized medicine’: “…we must either tolerate forty-six million without health insurance or embrace ‘socialized medicine.’” Barack Obama,The Audacity of Hope

It will be interesting to see if this hurts Obama long term. Personally I don't think it will. Most Catholics use birth control and it is a "free" benefit, and people like free. (Even if it winds up costing them more in insurance premiums.)

I doubt this will hurt Obama's support from catholic voters. This does not mandate that anyone use birth control, just provide it if requested. If the church was serious about its stance on abortion they would get out of the dark ages and realize that most catholics have been aware of the need for birth control for a couple generations now and the majority prolly already use it. And yes, I think the morning after pill can be an acceptable form of birth control. The hierarchy in the church is just out of step on this issue. The catholic church employs alot of people and should be able to comply with this or perhaps they should give up their tax exempt status.

Since the "church" also has rules about divorce, and adultery, one would think that paying salaries in "church-sponsored organizations" to divorced people and adulterous people would also constitute a violation of church teachings. I wonder who sits around and decides which church teachings, if broken, rise to the level of an outrage-of-the-day?

(Maybe the same folks who decide that it is actually not a problem to have a lobster and shrimp dinner when "eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10)"; but homosexuality is a capital offense... Sorry...answered my own question...)

And if you work for a Christian Science reading room does you employer get an exemption on providing you any kind of healthcare program?

:VeryScared: Just pray out that broken leg.

More serious: Congress already has given exemptions to Obamacare fines if they are Amish or certain other religions. So it looks like a precedent is already out there before the courts even rule on it.

"Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they’re sure trying to do so, it’s going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can’t and won’t compromise."

— Barry Goldwater

photo-fish wrote:

"Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they’re sure trying to do so, it’s going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can’t and won’t compromise."

— Barry Goldwater

Or Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, or Jimmy Carter, who was also a man of faith?

The church non profits get many advantages but they have to live under the same rules. No free rides on this. They make profits and that is fine but you live by the law of the land if you want the benefits, Easy?

FredHayek wrote:

photo-fish wrote:

"Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they’re sure trying to do so, it’s going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can’t and won’t compromise."

— Barry Goldwater

Or Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, or Jimmy Carter, who was also a man of faith?

Jackson and Sharpton BOTH support Planned Parenthood and the birth control mandate to the catholic church. Jimmy was pro-life I think when he ran for POTUS. I don't know his position on birth control

No, but he got to use "Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, or Jimmy Carter" in a sentence...