“Any change, any loss, does not make us victims. Others can shake you, surprise you,
disappoint you but they can’t prevent you from acting, from taking the situation
you’re presented with and moving on.
No matter where you are in life, no matter what your situation, you can
always do something. You always have a choice and the choice can be power.” Blaine Lee
This post should be prefaced with the statement that this is not a political argument.
It is not an arena to debate or further the pro-life movement or the
pro-choice movement. It is not the endorsement of a political party nor is it the endorsement of a presidential
candidate. It is however, a post about liberty, about morality, about religion, and about standing up for what
you believe in. I am not a preacher, I am not an expert on the subject of religion, and I readily admit
that I have my fair share of physical, mental, and moral flaws.
While most have probably heard the story by now,
the Department of Health and Human Services has recently mandated that nearly
all employers are required to offer contraceptives to the employees that they insure.
With limited and narrow exceptions, this includes Catholic colleges and universities and any other
organization not considered a place of worship.
The Catholic Church has responded with the filing of lawsuits by forty-three (43) major Catholic Organizations, which includes over a dozen Bishops as well as the University of Notre Dame,
against the Obama Administration.
It should be noted very distinctly that I love this country. I’m fortunate enough to have lived
overseas for a portion of my life, and with no intended disrespect to anyone
else, I don’t ever want to again. I don’t really have much of a desire to even visit other countries.
I think it’s a disgrace when the American Flag is not given its proper
respect. I think it’s lazy and disrespectful not to remove your hat and cover your heart for the National
Anthem. I firmly believe that I was born in the greatest country on earth.
I also firmly believe that was by the Grace of God.
That comment can be and probably will be disregarded by many. But I don’t write it for
dramatic emphasis. I’ve had a lot of good fortune and undeserved successes in my life.
I have a wonderful and, for the most part healthy family and support
system. I have a home, a car, and a job. To get most of those things
I certainly had to do things on my part. I had to work, and I had to take chances. But to be where I am today, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m neither ‘just that good’nor ‘just that lucky’. I believe that I am greatly helped by
God every day. And the beauty of our country and our human existence is,
you are free to believe otherwise.
But, back to the issue at hand;
- In 1791 the United States ratified the First Amendment to the Constitution stating that
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof”.
- The Catholic Church believes that because life is made by God, we
must show dignity to all human life, from conception to natural
birth.
- The Obama administration has passed a law requiring all employers
to pay the contraceptive costs of its female employees.
Excepted from the mandate are places of worship and organizations that
primarily serve and employ people of the same faith.
This means that a Catholic school, which teaches its students that
contraception is morally wrong, that is willing to serve students of any faith,
and employs people who are in need of a job regardless of their religious
affiliation, must provide what it condemns. But wait, says the
government. We’ll make it right and make someone else foot the bill.
Try that on your child.
“Going to church every Sunday is the most important thing…but I’m going
to stay home and watch football while the babysitter takes you.
But I promise it’s really important.”
You can’t teach what you can’t follow. And the United
States government has impeded on the Constitutional rights of Catholics.
To that end, we should be clear on one matter.
The United States Constitution did not give me, you, or anyone else the freedom of religion.
It recognized and valued that freedom. Those who were tortured,
jailed, beaten and killed 2,000 years ago by the likes of Diocletian, Decius,
Valerian, and Nero, due to their religious beliefs certainly had a choice. Those who are tortured, jailed, beaten
and killed today for their religious beliefs have a choice.
Just because a government won’t recognize that freedom does not take the
freedom from the individual.
It’s often said in the law that the Constitution
is a living document, that it is open to interpretation, and that it evolves as
society evolves. Even assuming this to be 100% fact…so what? Does
that mean that the Catholic Church (or any Church for that matter), its beliefs
and its doctrines are open to interpretation, or should
be? This is 2012, right? Surely the Catholic Church should catch up to and mold itself to the times.
Surely since the government says that contraceptives have benefits then that is compelling enough a reason
to breach a religious institution’s freedoms that is recognized by (not providedby) the Constitution.
My personal preference is to be lead by those that stand by their beliefs in
spite of the majority, than by those that mold their beliefs due to the majority.
That’s where a foundation comes from. Where a backbone comes from.
I am a licensed attorney in the State of Tennessee. I have taken an oath to
support the Constitution of the United States. But whether you’re a businessman, a
plumber, a bartender, or a lawyer, I believe the majority of Americans can
concede that there are moral obligations that hold precedent over any U.S.
document, that there is a natural moral law that exists independent of the Constitution.
I am one of them.
If the current societal interpretation of a living document conflicts with my moral or religious
foundation, my foundation and my backbone will prevail.
Whether this constitutes an act of treason, or a violation of my oath to
the Bar, I don’t know. If so, consider me a rebel.
But I know that if we force one religion to do what the government says is right, the rest are not far behind.
We will eventually be a country of “free religion within these specified boundaries.” The Catholic Church
has chosen to exercise their freedom of religion, regardless of whether that freedom is recognized.
I am proud to be a rebel standing behind them.
disappoint you but they can’t prevent you from acting, from taking the situation
you’re presented with and moving on.
No matter where you are in life, no matter what your situation, you can
always do something. You always have a choice and the choice can be power.” Blaine Lee
This post should be prefaced with the statement that this is not a political argument.
It is not an arena to debate or further the pro-life movement or the
pro-choice movement. It is not the endorsement of a political party nor is it the endorsement of a presidential
candidate. It is however, a post about liberty, about morality, about religion, and about standing up for what
you believe in. I am not a preacher, I am not an expert on the subject of religion, and I readily admit
that I have my fair share of physical, mental, and moral flaws.
While most have probably heard the story by now,
the Department of Health and Human Services has recently mandated that nearly
all employers are required to offer contraceptives to the employees that they insure.
With limited and narrow exceptions, this includes Catholic colleges and universities and any other
organization not considered a place of worship.
The Catholic Church has responded with the filing of lawsuits by forty-three (43) major Catholic Organizations, which includes over a dozen Bishops as well as the University of Notre Dame,
against the Obama Administration.
It should be noted very distinctly that I love this country. I’m fortunate enough to have lived
overseas for a portion of my life, and with no intended disrespect to anyone
else, I don’t ever want to again. I don’t really have much of a desire to even visit other countries.
I think it’s a disgrace when the American Flag is not given its proper
respect. I think it’s lazy and disrespectful not to remove your hat and cover your heart for the National
Anthem. I firmly believe that I was born in the greatest country on earth.
I also firmly believe that was by the Grace of God.
That comment can be and probably will be disregarded by many. But I don’t write it for
dramatic emphasis. I’ve had a lot of good fortune and undeserved successes in my life.
I have a wonderful and, for the most part healthy family and support
system. I have a home, a car, and a job. To get most of those things
I certainly had to do things on my part. I had to work, and I had to take chances. But to be where I am today, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m neither ‘just that good’nor ‘just that lucky’. I believe that I am greatly helped by
God every day. And the beauty of our country and our human existence is,
you are free to believe otherwise.
But, back to the issue at hand;
- In 1791 the United States ratified the First Amendment to the Constitution stating that
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof”.
- The Catholic Church believes that because life is made by God, we
must show dignity to all human life, from conception to natural
birth.
- The Obama administration has passed a law requiring all employers
to pay the contraceptive costs of its female employees.
Excepted from the mandate are places of worship and organizations that
primarily serve and employ people of the same faith.
This means that a Catholic school, which teaches its students that
contraception is morally wrong, that is willing to serve students of any faith,
and employs people who are in need of a job regardless of their religious
affiliation, must provide what it condemns. But wait, says the
government. We’ll make it right and make someone else foot the bill.
Try that on your child.
“Going to church every Sunday is the most important thing…but I’m going
to stay home and watch football while the babysitter takes you.
But I promise it’s really important.”
You can’t teach what you can’t follow. And the United
States government has impeded on the Constitutional rights of Catholics.
To that end, we should be clear on one matter.
The United States Constitution did not give me, you, or anyone else the freedom of religion.
It recognized and valued that freedom. Those who were tortured,
jailed, beaten and killed 2,000 years ago by the likes of Diocletian, Decius,
Valerian, and Nero, due to their religious beliefs certainly had a choice. Those who are tortured, jailed, beaten
and killed today for their religious beliefs have a choice.
Just because a government won’t recognize that freedom does not take the
freedom from the individual.
It’s often said in the law that the Constitution
is a living document, that it is open to interpretation, and that it evolves as
society evolves. Even assuming this to be 100% fact…so what? Does
that mean that the Catholic Church (or any Church for that matter), its beliefs
and its doctrines are open to interpretation, or should
be? This is 2012, right? Surely the Catholic Church should catch up to and mold itself to the times.
Surely since the government says that contraceptives have benefits then that is compelling enough a reason
to breach a religious institution’s freedoms that is recognized by (not providedby) the Constitution.
My personal preference is to be lead by those that stand by their beliefs in
spite of the majority, than by those that mold their beliefs due to the majority.
That’s where a foundation comes from. Where a backbone comes from.
I am a licensed attorney in the State of Tennessee. I have taken an oath to
support the Constitution of the United States. But whether you’re a businessman, a
plumber, a bartender, or a lawyer, I believe the majority of Americans can
concede that there are moral obligations that hold precedent over any U.S.
document, that there is a natural moral law that exists independent of the Constitution.
I am one of them.
If the current societal interpretation of a living document conflicts with my moral or religious
foundation, my foundation and my backbone will prevail.
Whether this constitutes an act of treason, or a violation of my oath to
the Bar, I don’t know. If so, consider me a rebel.
But I know that if we force one religion to do what the government says is right, the rest are not far behind.
We will eventually be a country of “free religion within these specified boundaries.” The Catholic Church
has chosen to exercise their freedom of religion, regardless of whether that freedom is recognized.
I am proud to be a rebel standing behind them.
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