Feigned outrage

Suddenly religious leaders are upset because federal law requires all employers who offer health insurance to their employees to include contraceptives in the coverage. But for years they remained silent even though similar laws already exist in 28 states.

The law doesn’t affect religious institutions since churches, and their employees, are exempt. Only the private businesses that a church might run and their employees are covered, just like other businesses. By next year they have to offer contraception coverage. This is not about abortion, it’s about contraception and wellness care.

Companies under the direction of those same, complaining religious leaders have been following the law and covering contraception in their employee health insurance plans for years. There was no outrage or claim of persecution before. Until now there were no complaints, no letters or sermons spreading disinformation in an effort to rally opposition to a law that does nothing more than promote women’s health. There were no objections about providing contraception coverage – they were and are providing it.

But now there are self-righteous rants about religious freedom and tolerance and ridiculous arguments about attacking religion. Suddenly, what was tolerable in some cases is intolerable in all imaginable ways and lies must be used to oppose it.

I suppose the fact that this is all happening in an election year is just a coincidence.

I really don’t think that this is anything more than petty posturing, an attempt to exert what must be perceived as dwindling authority and maybe a distraction to take peoples’ minds off of the legal problems of certain religious institutions.

It also seems to be an attractive political position to some – though many people on that side are simply making fools of themselves.

If the government said that churches could not exist and that it was illegal to express a belief in religious principles I would consider that an attack on religion.

When a religious group wants to do business as a corporation operating under and taking advantage of the laws of the United States and is therefore required to abide by all of those laws just like everyone else – that is not an attack on religion.