Working Toward a Better World

Faith, and Giving a Rip

I've posted about faith and works before.¹ Essentially, I don't see the point in believing that God matters - without acting as if God matters.

Sometimes that means resisting national authorities.

The Department of Health and Human Services Mandate

The Department of Health and Human Services wants us to pay for the sort of "health care" that kills folks who can't flee or resist because they're too old, too young, or too weak.

I think that's wrong. So do all Catholic bishops in America.

Posts about life, death, and conscience:

• "Defending Religious Liberty; and Living in a World of Wonder"
  (November 16, 2012)
  Particularly
  • "Prayerfully Resolute"
• "An Ancient Brain, Politics, and Searching for Life on Mars"
  (October 12, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Legal, Yes: Right, No
  • Good News, Bad News, and Part-Time Work
  • Economics and Ethics
• "Treating Human Beings Like People, and an Impending Election"
  (October 5, 2012)
• "Life, the Universe, and Badminton"
  (August 3, 2012)
  Particularly
  • "The Beginning of the End of Religious Freedom?"
• "Untouchables, a Missing Bishop, and Charities at Risk"
  (July 13, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Catholic Charities Will Not Kill"
• "'...A Time to Stand Up'"
  (June 27, 2012)
• "We Pray For Freedom"
  (June 25, 2012)
• "Curing the Sick, Helping the Poor; Yes: Killing the Innocent; No"
  (June 24, 2012)
• "Freedom to Act Like God Matters"
  (June 23, 2012)
• "Supporting Freedom, and Other Subversive Activity"
  (June 22, 2012)
• "Decide: Life, or Death"
  (June 21, 2012)
• "Fortnight for Freedom Starts Tomorrow: Online Resources"
  (June 20, 2012)
• "Home Schooling, Responsibility, and Me"
  (June 17, 2012)
  Particularly
  • 'Religious or Moral Instruction'
• "Fortnight for Freedom Resources; Religious Freedom Backgrounders"
  (June 14, 2012)
• "Religious Freedom; Fortnight for Freedom: Make a Difference"
  (June 13, 2012)
• "Overdue For a Change"
  (May 25, 2012)
  Particularly
  • In Defense of Religious Liberty
    • When "Health" Coverage Kills
    • Defending Life and Conscience: Online Resources
    • Judging, Arrogance, and Trusting God
    • Faith: Worship AND Practice
    • Power Grab?
    • Catholics Vote
• "Acting as if God Matters, Arson, and Forgiveness"
  (May 18, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Forced Out: ObamaCare Hits Franciscan University, Steubenville
    • Regional Culture, Church Teaching, Women, and Murder
    • Sex, Logic, and Grudging Agreement
    • Counter-Cultural Ideas, Human Sexuality, and a 140-to-1 Compression Ratio
  • HHS Mandate, Six Reasons Why It's a Bad Idea
• "HHS Mandate, Six Reasons Why It's a Bad Idea"
  (May 16, 2012)
• "Evil is Not Nice, Religious Freedom, and Other Radical Ideas"
  (May 4, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Religious Freedom: Beyond the Church Doors
    • Acting as if God Matters
    • America, Ethics, and a Reminder
    • Catholic Bishops and Doing the Right Thing
  • Political Responsibility: Online Resources
    • Voting Smart: Here's Help
• "Conscience and Religious Freedom: Fact Sheets; an Open Letter; More"
  (April 20, 2012)
• "My Take on the News: Triduum; Oops; and Assumptions"
  (April 6, 2012)
  Particularly
  • U.S. Justice Department: 'Oops, Never Mind'
• "Being Catholic: Within Reason"
  (April 5, 2012)
• "Resources: Conscience Protection (Bulletin Inserts, Prayers, Fact Sheets, More)"
  (April 1, 2012)
• "Conscience and Religious Freedom: What the Catholic Church in America Actually Says"
  (March 30, 2012)
  • Catholic Bishops in America, Conscience, and Religious Freedom
  • "TAKE ACTION"
  • Bulletin Inserts
  • Action Alerts
  • This is About Religious Liberty
    • USCCB Press release
    • Full statement
  • Letters
    • Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan
    • Archbishop Nienstedt
  • HHS Mandate, and Why Catholic Hospitals Won't Kill
    • Six Things everybody should know about the HHS mandate
    • White House Misrepresents Its Own Contraceptive Mandate
    • The HHS Mandate for Contraception/Sterilization Coverage: An Attack on Rights of Conscience
• "My Take on the News: Religious Freedom, and Saints"
  (March 30, 2012)
• "My Take on the News: Yemen, Washington, and Alabama"
  (March 23, 2012)
• "Prayer for Protection of Conscience Rights in Health Care"
  (March 18, 2012)
• "Health Care, Women, and the Catholic Church: A Reality Check"
  (March 16, 2012)
• " 'Uncle Knows Best?' HHS Mandate, Religious Freedom, and Presidential Approval "
  (March 16, 2012)
• "What the Catholic Church in America Actually Says: Resource Link List, March 16, 2012"
  (March 16, 2012)
  • Catholic Bishops in America, Conscience, and Religious Freedom
  • Bishops: "TAKE ACTION"
  • This is About Religious Liberty
  • Bulletin Inserts
  • Letters
  • HHS Mandate, and Why Catholic Hospitals Won't Kill
• "My Take on the News: Religious 'Freedom;' Killing the Victims; Another Hack Attack"
  (March 16, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Religious Freedom: For Those With Presidential Approval
    • Don't Laugh: You Could be Next
• "My Take on the News: Life; Ambition; Authority; and Saint Thomas Becket"
  (March 9, 2012)
• "What the Catholic Church in America Actually Says: Link List of Resources"
  (March 8, 2012)
• "If Babies are a Disease: This is a Cure"
  (March 8, 2012)
• "Choose: Religious Freedom; or 'Straight-Jacketing Mandates' "
  (March 7, 2012)
• "HHS Mandate: 'Kill, or Pay the Assassins;' Catholic Bishops Say 'No' "
  (March 6, 2012)
• "Life, Death, the Establishment, and Some Guy in Minnesota"
  (March 2, 2012)
• "My Take on the News: "Jesus-Eating Cult;" Godly Scientist; Insulting Our Intelligence"
  (March 2, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Insulting Our Intelligence
• "The Spirit of Resistance"
  (February 26, 2012)
• "HHS Mandate: Keeping the 'Wrong Sort' in Our Place?"
  (February 24, 2012)
• "My Take on the News: Death; Religious Freedom; Resistance; Burned Books; and Saints"
  (February 24, 2012)
  Particularly
  • The Spirit of Resistance
• "My Take on the News: 'Wikileaks,' Italian Style; Conscience and the Constitution; Same-Sex Attraction"
  (February 17, 2012)
  Particularly
  • HHS 'Ignore Your Conscience' Mandate
• "HHS Mandate, Catholic Bishops, and Foster Auditorium"
  (February 12, 2012)
• "My Take on the News: Bishops and Sterilization; Chaplains and Free Speech; Racketeering and Lizard Men"
  (February 10, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Sterilize! You Have Nothing to Lose But Your Future!
• "My Take on the News: Reliquary Found; 'Kill or Close' Order From Washington; the Value of Silence"
  (January 27, 2012)
  Particularly
  • 'Kill or Close'

---

My guess is that someone's going to say 'although personally opposed to abortion, I don't think I have the right to force my views on someone else.' It sounds very open-minded: and allows ethically-challenged politicos to snag votes from the 'faith community,' while staying popular with the 'better sort' back in Washington.

On the other hand, I doubt that anyone would try saying 'although personally opposed to slavery, I don't think I have the right to force my views on someone else.' American culture has, finally, gotten over the Dred Scott decision. I think this country will, eventually, get around to seeing all human beings as people.

---

¹ Faith, works, and acting like God matters:

• " 'Love Thy Neighbor:' Putting Faith Into Practice"
  (February 5, 2012)
• "Charity in Truth: Freedom, Responsibility, and God"
  (January 30, 2012)
• "Hope, Joy, and Working for a Better World"
  (September 13, 2011)
• "Getting Involved in Constructing a Better Future? Sounds Like a Plan"
  (September 21, 2011)
• "Having Good Judgment isn't Being Judgmental"
  (October 12, 2011)