Catholic League's Bill Donohue on Religious Liberty and Abortion
In retaliation to this resistance, the administration has already sought to punish the Church by denying Catholic agencies that fight human trafficking a grant it routinely receives
What's also driving this assault on Catholics and the First Amendment is fear-the fear that Americans are increasingly becoming pro-life. The Gallup survey from July shows that this fear is empirically based: the public wants new restrictions on abortion. Couple this fear with the long-standing animus against Catholicism and it's easy to see why the pro-abortion community is up in arms these days
Bill Donohue is the President of the Catholic League
PrintNEW YORK, NY (Catholic league) - Catholic League Ppresident Bill Donohue spoke to this issue on Monday, November 21, 2011:
"Last week, when Laurie Goodstein of the New York Times wrote about New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan's recent comments on religious liberty, she put the term in quotation marks. James Carroll of the Boston Globe read her article (the Times owns his newspaper) and today the angry ex-priest demonstrated his independence by writing a thoroughly predictable column about the Catholic Church and "religious liberty."
"What's bothering them, as well as the Pro-Choice Congressional Caucus, NARAL, Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, is the resistance being provided by Catholic bishops to the Obama administration's war on Catholic institutions: the administration is seeking to force Catholic hospitals, universities and other entities to abide by its health care directives that require all organizations that receive public monies to offer sterilization and contraceptive services (including abortifacients).
"In retaliation to this resistance, the administration has already sought to punish the Church by denying Catholic agencies that fight human trafficking a grant it routinely receives (the Church opposes abortion referrals and the Obama administration likes them).
"Sen. Richard Blumenthal defended the administration by saying, "There is not a scintilla of legislative direction in the statute that requires the broadened exemption the administration is contemplating." Wrong. The religious exemption is a sham: to qualify, the Church must stop hiring and servicing non-Catholics (which means it must stop being Catholic).
"What's also driving this assault on Catholics and the First Amendment is fear-the fear that Americans are increasingly becoming pro-life. The Gallup survey from July shows that this fear is empirically based: the public wants new restrictions on abortion.
"Couple this fear with the long-standing animus against Catholicism and it's easy to see why the pro-abortion community is up in arms these days".
- - -
The Catholic League is the nation's largest Catholic civil rights organization. Founded in 1973 by the late Father Virgil C. Blum, S.J., the Catholic League defends the right of Catholics – lay and clergy alike – to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination. It is led by its' President, William A. Donohue, Ph.D.
Keywords: Religious Liberty, abortion, Catholic League, Bill Donohue
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Proverbs 29:12
"If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked." Obama has surrounded himself with "wicked servants" from his czars to his staff and together they all "hearken to lies."
I love to see you fired up Bill and full of the power of the Holy Ghost. It says in Psalm 7:11
"God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day." He doesn't just put up with them. He's mad as hell and that exactly the way you need to be as well. Let them see how God feels about their perfidy and wicked ways. God knows what's going on behind all those lies and cover ups. Give'm hell!
LCMS Statement on Recent HHS Decision and Religious Freedom
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We are deeply distressed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) recent decision to require nearly all private health plans, including those offered by religious employers, to cover contraceptives. This will include controversial birth-control products such as “Ella” and the “morning after” pill, even though the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that such drugs can cause the death of a baby developing in the womb. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) objects to the use of drugs and procedures that are used to take the lives of unborn children, who are persons in the sight of God from the time of conception, and we are opposed to the HHS’ decision mandating the coverage of such contraceptives.
This HHS action relates to a provision in the “health care reform” legislation (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) signed into law in 2010. The church’s benefits partner, Concordia Plan Services, which provides health care coverage to nearly 48,000 people, has been actively monitoring this legislation and, as a result, Concordia Health Plan (CHP)—the LCMS church workers’ health plan—has been maintained as a “grandfathered” plan. As such, employers and workers participating in CHP would not be subjected to the mandate. However, many religious organizations do not have grandfathered plans and cannot avail themselves of the extremely narrow religious-employer exemption, which only is applicable to religious employers that primarily serve and employ members of that faith.
For centuries, Lutherans have joyfully delivered Christ’s mercy to others and embraced His call to care for the needy within our communities and around the world. In a nation that has allowed more than 54 million legal abortions since 1973, we must consider the marginalization of unborn babies and object to this mandate.
In addition, I encourage the members of the LCMS to join with me in supporting efforts to preserve our essential right to exercise our religious beliefs. This action by HHS will have the effect of forcing many religious organizations to choose between following the letter of the law and operating within the framework of their religious tenets. We add our voice to the long list of those championing for the continued ability to act according to the dictates of their faith, and provide compassionate care and clear Christian witness to society’s most vulnerable, without being discriminated against by government.
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, a church body of sinners redeemed by the blood of Jesus, has affected the lives of millions of people with care, aid, housing, health care, spiritual care and much more. We have been a force for good in this nation, promoting education (the nation’s largest Protestant school system), marriage and giving people the tools and assistance to be good citizens. We live and breathe Romans 13:3–7. The governing authorities are “God’s servant for good.” We pray constantly for our President and those in authority. We have sent our sons and daughters to fight for this country. We have provided military chaplains, elected officials, officers, including some who have held the highest military offices and other appointed positions in this country. Our people have and are serving as congressmen and women and senators.
Increasingly we are suffering overzealous government intrusions into what is the realm of traditional and biblical Christian conscience. We believe this is a violation of our First Amendment rights. We will stand, to the best of our ability, with all religious and other concerned citizens, against this erosion of our civil liberty. Come what may, we shall do everything we can, by God’s grace, to “obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
In His peace,
Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison
President
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
1333 S. Kirkwood Rd. • St. Louis, MO 63122-7295 • 314-965-9000 • www.lcms.org
I luv this guy may the force (JESUS) be with you & THANKYOU
If Bill Donohue is Angry for his Faith, then Obama is Proud for his Anti-Faith. Is not the word "pride" associated with satan's fall.?
I love Bill Donahue. Here is a guy who puts his money where his mouth is. He drives the anti-Catholic Marxist Democrat Party crazy. There has been no other president in our nation's history who has attacked our church like Obama. The Marxist Democrat Party promises worse things to come.
REAL Catholic do not have the back bone to stand up to the obama adaministration they don't want to know the truth about killing babys
Hartwood...try reading scriptures..did not Jesus make a whip and drive out those who were using the temple as a place of business?Did He not publicly show His anger towards the pharisees denouncing them..Luke 12:37-44...or when the apostles wanted to call down lightening upon a man preaching on the road..yet were rebuked by Jesus saying if He is with us,then he is not against us.But what of those who are against us?We are called to defend our faith..not to let it be trampled upon or mocked..for when they trample or mock our faith..they mock the Bride of Christ and Jesus Himself.There are times when we are to be humble..but in what Mr.Donohue does requires fire and light in fighting evil..which is darkness.That darkness will continue to creep across the landscape if Catholics choose to remain dim and silent.There are also many other examples of the apostles in the scriptures where they are not so nice in defending the faith.
Thank God for Mr Donahue..he olves his faith and God and will not tolerate any bias or assault on the Church or the Catholic faith.Mr. Donahue will not even tolerate the slightest infraction...he is not afraid to be vocal and when there is a wrong committed against our God and our faith he is right there doing something about it,which is a lot more than anybody else that sits back and criticizes has done.Does he look angry?I think he has his game face on.Do any of you personally know him..to criticize him?Do you have the courage to go out and publicly defend your faith?I'm thankful for him..he is a gift .If every Catholic was as staunch as him in defending the church,we would certainly be a force to be reckoned with..perhaps the Church would have Her voice back again.Keep shining brightly Mr.Donohue..God bless you.
Yes Rob, Donohue is unable to engage in other manner than angry. It is not attractive and the task of defending the Church is not served well. If nasty and mean is how the Apostles went about their mission, where would we be today?
Yes Rob, Donohue is unable to engage in other manner than angry. It is not attractive and the task of defending the Church is not served well. If nasty and mean is how the Apostles went about their mission, where would we be today?