Catholic Bishops now demanding ALL businesses be able to opt out of contraception coverage

[Tx4obama]

@thinkprogress ThinkProgress
Catholic Bishops now demanding all businesses be able to opt out of contraception coverage, not just Catholic hospitals thkpr.gs/wC9q1j
https://twitter.com/thinkprogress/status/167432442850971650

WASHINGTON – Congressional leaders and Republican presidential candidates joined Catholic religious groups Wednesday in denouncing the Obama administration's mandate requiring health insurers to offer birth control coverage, but the White House stood its ground.

SNIP

The rule goes into effect Aug. 1, but if objections are raised, another year's extension is possible.

That was no consolation to Catholic leaders. The White House is "all talk, no action" on moving toward compromise, said Anthony Picarello, general counsel for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. "There has been a lot of talk in the last couple days about compromise, but it sounds to us like a way to turn down the heat, to placate people without doing anything in particular," Picarello said. "We're not going to do anything until this is fixed."

That means removing the provision from the health care law altogether, he said, not simply changing it for Catholic employers and their insurers. He cited the problem that would create for "good Catholic business people who can't in good conscience cooperate with this."

"If I quit this job and opened a Taco Bell, I'd be covered by the mandate," Picarello said.

SNIP

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-02-08/catholics-contraceptive-mandate/53014864/1

[AnOhioan]

1. How about the bishops stick with what they are good at...indoctrination

[roguevalley]

21. i suggest that they opt out of pedophilia. Just saying.

[Warpy]

2. How long can those old men in dresses force their dogma into law

before they get a visit from the IRS telling them they will be taxed like any other political organization?

This had better be done soon, or they won't stop their attack against the female half of this country.

It's the only way to force them back into caring for the souls of the faithful rather than trying to bully and murder the rest of us.

[Brettongarcia]

26. But my Protestant church allows abortion; so aren't the Bishops limiting my religion?

Same as above

[shraby]

3. Methinks the Bishops should turn their undivided attention to pedophile priests and leave

the women alone. They have a big enough problem with the men in their church.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

8. +1000

Some caller on NPR (Diane Rehm) this morning mentioned that. He was lambasted by one of the guests for bringing it up - but of course they ignored the caller's additional comments that men had no business dictating to women how to run their lives.

[1ProudAtheist]

4. These Hypocrites

As long as it is republiclowns in control and making the decisions, the very same thing is perfectly allright.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/08/1062753/-Red-State-of-Georgia-Has-Declared-War-on-Religion?detail=hide

[NAO]

5. Of course, b/c "Every Sperm is Sacred"

Every Sperm is Sacred

[Brettongarcia]

27. The Church once claimed this;

obviously it makes many silly mistakes, on reproductive issues especially. It is not infallible on this issue.

How much do priests know about sex, anyway?

[NAO]

28. The Church (RCC) Still Claims this

I spoke to a devout Catholic today who is an employee of an RCC and an expert on Chuch history and doctrine. They still claim this. Seriously.

[richmwill]

6. Sorry...

I am 37 years old and have never allowed the Catholic Church to run any facet of my life. I will not be buckling to their demands any time soon, obviously including now.

[benld74]

7. DO NOT impose your religious beliefs onto those who are not part of your religion!

[julian09]

9. I believe all catholic hospitals should treat patients free of charge. nt

[kestrel91316]

11. That would only partially make up for the harm their pedophilic

priests have done to this country.

[kestrel91316]

10. Bring. It. On. Baby.

I would love to see the protests in front of businesses that tried that.

[RainDog]

12. another fight the church will lose

maybe after 500 years of women being considered equally worth health care that they choose for themselves, just like with Galileo, the church will apologize for its years of ignorance about a subject they are really not qualified to discuss.

[bayareamike]

13. What a crock.

I actually had some sympathy for the Church when they had limited themselves to Catholic organizations, but this seems to show their 'true colors'.

That Taco Bell example is such a joke.

[Lugnut]

14. What a joke.

Nobody cares what Catholic bishops think.

[midnight]

15. I think these men should mind their own business....

[JDPriestly]

16. What about Unitarians and Methodists and others who do

believe that contraception encourages responsible sex?

Don't we all have the same right to religious freedom?

Why should my kids who are Unitarians be deprived of the right to have contraception just because Catholics don't want it?

The whole thing makes no sense. The Catholic Church wants to deprive many of its employees who are not Catholic of full healthcare benefits. That makes the Catholic Church look really bad. Especially after the child abuse scandals. How hypocritical can you get?

Religious freedom belongs to the individual employee. Employers by definition are organizations. The organization does not have religious faith or religious morality. It reflects the religious faith and morality of its members and employees. If the employees of the Catholic Church's hospitals and schools want to have contraception, that is a matter of the employee's religious beliefs, not of the employer's.

[2pooped2pop]

17. Why do we continue to let pedophiles

control "normal" adult sexual decisions? By normal I only mean non-priest, er uh um, non pedophile behavior.

[CAPHAVOC]

18. This will lead to the refighting of Obamacare.

Just in time for the election. If anyone thinks the GOP does not want to run against Obamacare...think again. It should be scrapped before it is too late and Medicare for all replace it. If the GOP can make this about the awful Obamacare deal it will be a replay of 2010. Catholic Hospitals make the Church a lot of money.

[eyewall]

19. Where's Thomas Paine when you need him.

[Angry Dragon]

20. My position is that any CAtholic that gives money to the Catholic Church

supports the church on this matter

[raging_moderate]

22. People need to remember....

there was a day when people weren't allowed, under the threat of even death, to "opt out of" the Catholic Church. When will this country wake up and put things straight and shoot down the Theocracy wannabees??

[Blue_Tires]

23. good luck with that shit....They can "demand" all they want...

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

24. When the priests stop diddling the altar boys

the Catholic Church might regain a tiny shred of moral authority. Until that happens the bishops can just STFU.

[McCamy Taylor]

25. Total BS. Jewish employers can't stop you from eating bacon.

While should Catholic employers stop you from taking the pill?

If a Catholic employer requires that employees convert in order to get a job, then they have violated the law.

[Tx4obama]

29. Here's a LINK to an additional ARTICLE

Catholic Bishops Demand All Businesses Be Given The Right To Deny Women Contraception Coverage
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/02/09/421871/catholic-bishops-demand-all-businesses-be-given-the-right-to-deny-women-contraception-coverage/