Paying Attention

Roman Catholic bishops and right-wing Protestants (who think the pope is the Anti-Christ except when their political interests align) say the Obama administration is violating their religious freedom by requiring some religiously-affiliated  health providers to offer free contraceptive services.  Tim Thomas, outspoken moralist and Boston Bruins goalie, is among those who have weighed in to declare themselves on the side of “religious freedom.” 

It’s funny (and sad) how confused this whole debate is about religious freedom.  To wit:

1) Religious institutions which primarily serve members of their own faith are exempt from the law.  You wouldn’t know this from the conservative hysteria. 

2) Religiously-affiliated hospitals and universities are not exempt.  Why?  Because: a) they serve a general population, not just their own believers, and b) they get tons of federal (taxpayer) money.  You want to exercise your religious conscience about contraception?  Fine.  Stop accepting federal dollars and do whatever you want.  So long as taxpayers support you, you have an obligation to society as a whole.

3) Speaking of which, American Catholics have long ignored their church’s ban on contraception.  So whose “religious conscience” are we talking about?  Catholic laity?  Catholic women?  Or the old men who make up the Catholic hierarchy and get to declare who and what are immoral?

4) Speaking of conscience: my tax dollars pay for a lot of things my conscience finds offensive — start with a bloated, imperial military budget and move on from there.  Quakers are pacifists but pay taxes that support war.  Do Catholic bishops think they are  unique in being able to opt out of American law and taxes for reasons of conscience?

5) Most confusing of all… Catholic moral teaching is rooted in the idea of the inherent dignity of each person.  These same Catholic bishops played a central role in the still-ongoing pedophilia scandal, so why would anyone listen to anything they say about human dignity?  Worse, where is the conscience and/or spiritual humility of these bishops who assume their own moral credibility resides in the vestments they wear?

The people crying loudest about freedom are usually the ones most confused about what it means.  And of course, you can count on FOX News to use the opportunity to lie (again) about what the “liberal” media covers and ignores.