I guess this is what they mean by "religious liberty"...

[theHandpuppet]

The liberty to not follow the law if it doesn't suit their religious beliefs.

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1401036.htm
MANDATE-LAWSUIT (UPDATED) Mar-13-2014 (1,220 words) xxxn

Catholic organization files class-action lawsuit to block HHS mandate
By Dennis Sadowski
Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A coalition of nearly 200 Catholic dioceses, agencies and businesses has asked a federal court in Oklahoma to block enforcement of a Department of Health and Human Services mandate that it says would force its members to violate their religious beliefs.

Under the banner of the recently formed Catholic Benefits Association, the entities contended in a class action lawsuit filed March 12 that the mandate's requirement that they provide health insurance coverage for contraceptive drugs, abortifacients, surgical sterilizations and related counseling is contrary to the First Amendment's free exercise, establishment and free speech clauses.

The mandate -- under rules issued by HHS -- requires nearly all employers to provide such coverage for their employees in their company health plan. It includes a narrow exemption for some religious employers that fit certain criteria...

..."We as Catholics, regardless of the corporate structure within which we work, cannot in good conscience provide employees with insurance that covers contraception, abortifacients and sterilization, which undermine the dignity of the human person and the sanctity of human life and also jeopardizes the physical and mental health of those who use them in untold ways," the statement said.

"It is my prayer that the courts will recognize that the federal government has no clear and compelling public interest that justifies burdening our free exercise of religion by requiring us to pay for conscience-violating drugs and procedures," it said.... MORE

[Politicalboi]

1. The pedophiles speak

They have a lot of nerve to ask for ANYTHING. These assholes make me sick. We need to abolish religion, starting with these clowns.

[el_bryanto]

3. Abolish religion, eh? Strong language. How would you propose we go about it?

[JoeyT]

4. +1

It's a violation of my conscience to pay higher taxes to support non-payment of them by organizations that protect kiddy fiddlers.

I don't support abolishing religion, I just support making them pay taxes at the same rate everyone else does.

[LanternWaste]

5. let's remains consistent and apply that to any and all groups of three or more like-minded individua

" I just support making them pay taxes at the same rate everyone else does..."

And let's remains consistent and apply that to any and all groups of three or more like-minded individuals...

[JoeyT]

6. Are those groups raking in billions of dollars?

Then yes, they should pay taxes at the same rate as everyone else.

[theHandpuppet]

14. Not only that...

... but spending millions in political lobbying and lawsuits.

[Common Sense Party]

12. That pesky Constitution might get in the way.

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.

[theHandpuppet]

15. Yep, and I have no problem with that at all

But the churches need to stay our of our bedrooms and our courtrooms. I'm sick to death of all the lobbying and lawsuits filed by churches against the rights of women and LGBTs in the name of "religious freedom".

[lumpy]

16. Religion is not going to be abolished of course, But I see no reason to not require churches to

pay fair share of taxes. I don't know where it states churches are not required to pay national taxes.

[Common Sense Party]

19. We don't even require Exxon to pay taxes. But be that as it may...

Are there other types of non-profit organizations that should also pay taxes?

[William769]

2. It may be coming to a head.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024685681

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024669983

[sinkingfeeling]

7. So their religious beliefs are more important than anybody else's? Besides the

dioceses are already exempt from the mandate.

[HockeyMom]

8. Meanwhile all those Catholics in their pews

with their 2 kids are not FOLLOWING their religion. Yet, they want OTHERS to bow down to their religion?

[theHandpuppet]

10. This exception would endanger women's health and lives

Last edited Tue Mar 18, 2014, 05:09 PM - Edit history (1)

Carried to its extreme, just what do they define as "sterilization"? Vasectomies? Having one's tubes tied? Hysterectomies? There are any number of medical procedures that could be viewed as "sterilization". How about coverage for an abortion for a woman suffering an ectopic pregnancy? A "morning-after" pill requested by a rape victim? They want all of this outlawed, even in cases where it is necessary for the woman's health, or even her life? Yep, that's indeed the direction they're going and they won't stop spending millions in lawsuits and lobbying with that goal in mind.

[lumpy]

17. How many Catholic women I have known who use birth control aids and most personal female

services mentioned? Plenty.

[Warpy]

9. Poor babies, their members aren't being denied anything

as it's incumbent upon all true believer women to crank out a kid every single year.

This is just trying to bully their non member employees into cranking out babies every single year.

That's where the line is, boys. Don't cross it. The next person to show up might be the tax man.

[Rex]

11. So they can get all political without paying a cent in taxes?

Must be nice, can I form my own religion too?

[KG]

13. yes.

[lumpy]

18. There should be a push to end the tax non-payment enjoyed by churches.

Don't know if there has ever been an attempt to eliminate this grossly unfair tax status.

[theHandpuppet]

20. Right now I'm more worried about their war on women and LGBTs

The tax debate rather detracts from that and I can't even see it getting serious consideration, maybe ever.