Our Most Cherished Freedom

Freedom of Religion

Obama Administration Attacks Freedom of Religion

Our most cherished freedom is the Freedom of Religion. It is an unalienable right enumerated in the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights are fundamental freedoms that have been the bedrock of this country for 221 years.

Our First Amendment protection reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

The Obama Administration has just announced that every employer, including employers that do not offer certain "services" as a matter of conscience and religious belief, must provide health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception.

Persons and organizations of conscience are up in arms regarding this blatant disregard for our fundamental freedom of religion.

Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr of Cincinnati makes the case well in his letter to the parishioners of his Archdiocese:

A Letter to Parishioners

"The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that almost all employers, including Catholic employers, will be forced to offer their employees’ health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception.  Almost all health insurance issuers will be forced to include these “services” in the health policies they write.  And almost all individuals will be forced to buy that coverage as part of their policies.

In so ruling, the Administration has cast aside the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, denying to Catholics our Nation’s first and most fundamental freedom, that of religious liberty. And as a result, unless the rule is overturned, we Catholics will be compelled to violate our consciences, or to drop health coverage for our employees (and suffer the penalties for doing so).

We cannot—we will not—comply with this unjust law. People of faith cannot be made second-class citizens.

Our parents and grandparents did not come to these shores to build America’s cities and towns, infrastructure and institutions, enterprise and culture, only to have their posterity stripped of God given rights. In generations past, the Church has always been able to count on the faithful to stand up and protect her sacred rights and duties.

…as a community of faith we must commit ourselves to prayer and fasting that wisdom and justice may prevail, and religious liberty may be restored. Without God, we can do nothing; with God, nothing is impossible.

Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr
Archdiocese of Cincinnati
100 East Eight Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202"

This rule cannot be allowed to stand. I ask that you join me in calling the White House, The Department of Health and Human Services, and our Congressional Delegation to voice your peaceful protest against the gross infringement of one of our most fundamental rights .

Please ask that this rule forcing employers to offer their employees’ health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception be reversed to protect your First Amendment Right to Freedom of Religion.

 Do you want to have your church forced by the Federal Government to offer health insurance with coverage that is in contravention to your beliefs?

If we don't stand now, who will be next?

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