Monday, February 13, 2012

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE: OH REALLY?

Apparently the Bishops of the Catholic Church are hallucinating their importance.  They don't agree with the law that says they can have their way as long as others have theirs.  A neighbor of mine was quite firm that the Bishops should have been asked before Obama made a decision.   I said, "Oh really?  Why?"  Not even all Catholics agree with the Bishops.  Why should they be consulted about something that effects non-Catholics?

This 'religious issue' about contraception is being asked to be treated more importantly for Catholics than for other groups.  What about Rastafaris?.Their religion has them smoking cannabis.  "For Rastas, smoking cannabis, usually known as herb, weed, sinsemilla (Spanish for without seeds), or ganja (from the Sanskrit word Ganjika, used in ancient India), is a spiritual act, often accompanied by Bible study; they consider it a sacrament that cleans the body and mind, heals the soul, exalts the consciousness, facilitates peacefulness, brings pleasure, and brings them closer to Jah. (Wiikipedia)  I've not heard that they are exempt from the law to smoke cannabis nor that they are legally permitted to grow it.

When a young Muslim woman, in Florida, tried to get a driver's license with her face covered (a part of her religion) the government (justifiably in my opinion) refused to let her.  It defeats the purpose of a license as an ID, does it not?

I'm sure there are other instances in which our laws interfere with religious beliefs. Female Genital Mutilation is believed to be practiced on more than 92 million girls and women worldwide.  Yet, I believe, we outlaw it in the United States.  It is illegal in the UK but still practiced ritually all too often.. 

The ridiculous argument about the Catholic Church having to pay for what the insurance company gives to women anyway is extremely troubling to me. Since churches are exempt from taxes, why should I (not of their religions) have to pony up my tax dollars for their properties and governmental and local services provided for them?  This is a tempest in a teapot and we should not be given any credit to the Bishops arguments that all women who work for their hospitals, offices, or wherever, who are non-Catholic should not have the rights non-Catholic women have elsewhere.  Santorum's logic would prevent me from voting for him under any circumstances.  He is bringing his religion into decisions that effect all of us, Catholic or not.  Does he realize  HE is violating the Constitution?

1 comment:

Frank J. Lhota said...

Cathy Young had a interesting column on this topic today:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2012/02/09/obama_has_picked_the_wrong_fight_113075.html