Some twenty three years after Bishop Glennon Flavin of the Diocese of Lincoln issued a pastoral letter to Catholic couples and physicians on the Issue of Contraception, his successor Bishop James Conley has done the same.
But people are already trying to misinterpret his letter. Don’t let them. Please read more about this at The National Catholic Register.
March 25, 2014 at 7:26 pm
The Question really should be "What part of: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Do you not understand? And how obtuse do you have to be to be on
March 25, 2014 at 7:51 pm
Oh yeah, how about the "real" problem? Like those progressive circuit judges that take unlimited liberties to calculate and "write" law instead of "interpreting" law. Talk about exaggerated authority. Talk about questionable ethics and morality. They've destroyed the judiciary. This country is crumbling out from under us.
March 25, 2014 at 10:09 pm
Has Congress made a law respecting the establishment of religion?
No.
Have they made a law prohibiting the free exercise of a religious body?
No.
Have they stopped anyone from praying?
No.
The issue is whether a corporation has a religion. Well–tell me this–when was the last time Hobby Lobby took communion?
March 25, 2014 at 10:35 pm
The parts of a corporation – humans – do receive the Eucharist.
March 25, 2014 at 11:08 pm
A a fan of whiny hypocrites let me say…the Catholics of SCOTUS did not assert their beliefs with homosexual 'marriage' in the DOMA. So please stop your misinformation msnbc. Half truths are…not truths at all.
March 25, 2014 at 11:11 pm
Do you really think that defining what constitutes a religion and what actions are permissible acts defined by that religion in obamas healthcare mandate is NOT a violation of the first amendment? A religion defines itself not a government. That is an abridgment of religion. This isn't rocket science it's in writing and they are enforcing it on churches, monasteries, sisters of mercy, and many others. I am not speaking of hobby lobby here, but to think the first amendment is not being violated is impressively naive.
March 26, 2014 at 12:46 am
Mr. Ciminca:
In a sense you make very good (and very important) points; but has not Congress in effect prohibited citizens from praying in government schools, or on or near abortion mills, or on government property? And in so doing establishing practical agnosticism as our State religion?
God bless
Richard W Comerford
March 26, 2014 at 1:36 am
Why should individual persons, who have freedom of speech and religious exercise, be deprived of these rights when they form a group, a body; that is, a corporation? A group can exercise religion in the public sphere as surely as it can exercise free speech. Both rights should be broadly interpreted.
March 26, 2014 at 1:52 am
Why should individual persons, who have freedom of speech and religious exercise, be deprived of these rights when they form a group, a body; that is, a corporation? A group can exercise religion in the public sphere as surely as it can exercise free speech. Both rights should be broadly interpreted wherever possible, and there is no compelling reason why Hobby Lobby should be forced to pay for embryo-killing drugs that their employees can easily buy for themselves.
March 26, 2014 at 4:01 am
Government doesn't have the "authority" to define, limit, suppress or restrict my right to practice my religious belief system. I don't need the government's "permission" to access that right. On the contrary, that'll be the day!
My faith is "who" I am. Where I dwell. It is from where I make value judgements in regard to decision making.
Governments come and go but, faith will "always" remain. Looks like government is on the decline.
March 26, 2014 at 4:13 am
That is a subterfuge intended to distract from the assault on first amendment freedoms. Hobby Lobby is a corporation not a human being, therefore…
Either you are a fool or a scoundrel.
I would put your questions to all the atheists and anti-religious bigots who seek to use the establishment clause as a "separation of church and state" blanket authorization to quell religion and religious expression anywhere they can.
20th century history is full of such regimes and none of the were pretty.
March 26, 2014 at 9:34 am
Christianity. The last acceptable prejudice
March 26, 2014 at 11:35 am
Freedom of religion vs. freedom to worship
March 26, 2014 at 1:02 pm
No–they really haven't.
What they have stopped is organized prayer that would leave those who believed differently in a position of feeling excluded.
So we see that there is nothing stopping a student, or group of students, from praying on their own–as opposed to an organized, Christian prayer led by a school official.
"Abortion mills"?–the government has restricted access to the sidewalk, not limited prayer.
Government property?–the fact that the congress has a paid Chaplain would contradict your statement that the government has prohibited prayer on government property.
You are conflating two different point. Your claiming that the government is stopping prayer. Nothing that the government is doing is stopping a private citizen from praying. What the law does do is stop the government from tacitly setting the Christian religion above others (or none).
And that is driving the religious right crazy.
March 26, 2014 at 1:05 pm
What is happening is that the religious right is no longer making the rules.
And it is driving you guys crazy.
No one is inhibiting your ability to pray or practice your religion. Hobby Lobby isn't a person. It doesn't go to communion. It doesn't pray.
March 26, 2014 at 1:48 pm
Mr. cminca:
Interesting. Very exact reasoning.
However
in our local schools students on school property (or off school
property while engaged in a school event) are prohibited from praying
aloud. Also individuals who pray outside the bubble at abortion mills
are routinely and regulatory harassed and bullied by agents of the State
(The Cops). Further another agent of the State (in this case a
chaplain), who may or may not believe in a Supermen Being, having the
right and liberty to pray at certain times, under certain conditions
(all imposed by the State) while the citizenry are at the same time and
place prohibited from prayer seems to me – unfair, unjust and dangerous.
Now I am only a semi-literate knuckle dragger. And you seem
quite the opposite. I may very well be missing something here. I do
appreciate your time for answering. I have a hunch this matter will
become increasingly important.
God bless
Richard W Comerford
March 26, 2014 at 1:53 pm
Mr. cminca:
I did not realize that you were approaching this issue from what appears to be a political left vs right perspective.
A follower of Jesus Christ must pray without ceasing. A follower of Jesus Christ does not just pray alone, or silently. A follower of Jesus Christ is called upon to spread His Good News.
A Christian cannot be a Christian just one hour a week on Sunday morning.
God bless
Richard W Comerford
March 26, 2014 at 2:39 pm
Mr. cminca:
The State requires Christians (or else face in what is in effect a tax on their religious beliefs) to support and send their children to government schools where their children are prohibited from making any outward and public expression of their faith while at the same time being indoctrinated into the State religion of militant atheism.
The State legislates in favor of unbridled lust and then enacts further legislation enabling men to escapte the immediate consequences of their lust by murdering their children at abortion mills while at the same time enabling its agents (cops) to harass Christians who pray and the very same murder facilities.
The State hires another agent (Chaplain), who might or not believe in Jesus Christ, and allows him to recite in public at certain times State approved readings; while at the same time denying its citizens the right to pray openly on the same government property.
I am just a knuckle dragger and may be missing something but it papers that the State religion (militant atheism) will not tolerate any other God.
God bless
Richard W Comerford
March 26, 2014 at 6:30 pm
Of course, the debate "always" comes down to our Catholic faith.
How about this. Right now, in Brussels, our fearless leader is doing what he does best. Babbling about his usual community organizer, US freedom and shared responsibities pablem to Europe. Purely laughable, in the face of continued drone strikes. Usurped powers, misdirected, dictatorial authority!
March 26, 2014 at 6:32 pm
Our fearless leader is one scary guy.