This Godless Mandate*

This Godless Mandate*
In pursuit of the truth - cinops be gone - Friday, July 27, 2012

There is wisdom in old age. A kindly 83-year old Texas gentleman, Father Montague took his listeners by surprise with a speech delivered at the Stand up for Religious Freedom rally in New Braunfels, Texas on June 8, 2012.

“Now some of our fellow citizens will ask: why such force, such vehemence, even such anger? As long as the Catholic parish and diocese are exempt from the HHS contraception Mandate (through an extremely narrow religious exemption to the law), is it really so important also to exempt the Catholic university, hospital, soup kitchen, and crisis pregnancy center? Let me give you the answer.

“It all comes down to what religion really is, and the problem with the HHS Mandate is the cramped and withered idea of religion that lurks behind it. As long as the Church is serving only her own members - as long as the Church is turned inward -- only then does the President recognize her right to religious freedom.

“But once let the Church open her doors to the outside world, and she gives up her freedom. Let the Church open her door to help the sick, the poor, the uneducated, or the exploited - and what does the President do?

“Her slams the door shut! He locks it, and he bolts it. Then what does he do? He crouches down, squints his eye, and peers through the keyhole of that church door. What does he see? He grins and he sees religion just where he wants it: confined to the church, constrained in its action, and concealed from view. …

“Freedom of worship is necessary and good, of course, but the right to freedom of religion includes more than the right of worship. In addition to worship, freedom of religion includes the right to teach, to evangelize, to do charity work, and to go out to the world for countless other purposes that find their inspiration in religion…

“Both common sense and sensibilities of believers everywhere see the religious inspiration in Mother Teresa’s service to the poor and in Father Damien’s care for the lepers on Molokei. But President Obama will see none of it! If he cannot see it by peering into the narrow keyhole of the church door, then the President does not see it as religion.

“What is the result of such a view of religion as the President has?

1) Religion is driven from the public square. 2) If Catholic groups wish to take part in federal programs to help victims of human trafficking, the President now demands that they provide referrals for abortions and contraception. 3) Some cities and states have barred the Church from providing adoption services. Why? Because she will place children with unmarried or same-sex couples. 4) And now the President is coercing Catholic colleges and hospitals to contradict the Catholic faith by providing contraception, sterilization, and abortion-inducing drugs.

“This is an assault, not only on the Church and not only on religious believers, but on the human spirit itself. This impoverished view of religion, goes hand-in-hand with a twisted and deformed vision of the human person. The President tells you that you can have your religion at home and in church, but you dare not bring it with you into the public square…”

George H. Kubeck - Repeal, Duplicate, Pass Out and Vote. *Christi Fidelis, July 11/12 - V. 30, No. 3