-By Don Boys, Ph.D.
Why would Obama, who wants to be re-elected in 2012, do something as stupid as taunting and attacking the powerful Roman Catholic Church with its 70 million U.S. members? Is he dumb as a box of rocks or is he such an ideologue that his radical, God-hating agenda is more important than a second term?
Obama threw down the gauntlet at the feet of Catholic leaders when he decided that all Catholic institutions must cover contraception and abortion in their insurance coverage of employees. Catholic leaders got their knickers in a knot and lost control as they went ballistic.
Catholics simply cannot cave on this issue or they will commit institutional suicide. How can a religious organization teach, preach, and write against these issues and yet provide those services? They cannot if it is a conviction, but they can if it is only a convenience. For Catholic leaders to say that they will fight in the courts and the streets but after losing those battles, they may “be forced to capitulate” is insanity. If they have convictions, then they will not, under any conditions, obey that law. Period.
Most people have overlooked that old principle, what government funds, it runs. Or with shekels, come shackles. Again, the government’s noose always follows the government’s nickel. Frankly, that is not unreasonable. If an organization wants to maintain its independence, then it must not accept a dime of government’s (taxpayer) money. All levels of government should not give a dollar to any religious group for any reason.
Catholics, Protestants, and Baptists have set themselves up for government oppression, interference, and control in recent years by gathering at the public troth like other less principled, less sophisticated hogs. The only surprise is that it has taken so long. Catholic charities don’t have much of a legal defense since they have been receiving taxpayers’ money to carry out their educational and charitable mission.
No church, mission, or any charity should ever accept a dollar of government money to carry on their work, even compassionate work. If that work is part of their ministry, then they should pay for it.
Some Christian schools have convinced themselves that since they are educating children, it is acceptable to receive help from the state. Those same schools have discovered that such aid results in being forced to teach evolution, perversion, abortion and anything that comes under “public policy.” How pathetic for religious leaders to go hat in hand to an evil government begging for a handout. Then how outrageous to hear them whine when that same government makes demands of them.
Christian colleges have discovered the same problem by participating in grants, loans, etc. No Christian college or seminary should accept a dollar of government aid permitting them to tell the state where to go when bungling bureaucrats try to force the school into unchristian, even wicked compromises. Or simply silly things like not informing parents (who pay the tuition) about their child’s grades or discipline problems. It is shocking that Grove City and Hillsdale colleges have higher principles than Christian colleges!
There are some things worth fighting for and not caving for any reason, even if it means closing every Catholic hospital, church, and school in the U.S. Catholic leaders are on the spot and the future of their church is in the balance. My opinion: Obama will blink and claim a victory as he wipes the egg off his face.
Everyone, including my fundamentalist/evangelical crowd, should learn from this debacle; however, we are slow learners and have been too quick to compromise, collapse, and capitulate to government control.
No Christian school, college, church or religious organization should seek the secular stamp of approval upon their ministries. They do not need accreditation, certification (of teachers), or any kind of permission or commissioning to operate high quality ministries; however, if such groups go to government for any benefit, however slight, they willingly place themselves under government control.
There are thousands of religious leaders who agree with me and have no connection with state or federal government–except they are state incorporated and have federal tax exemption for gifts to their groups. I am convinced that state incorporation and 501 (c) (3) designation will be the platform upon which all churches, especially those who are conservative, “will be hanged.”
Government is of God but not so much government. Governments, of necessity, are composed of fallen men (and women) so it is to be expected that broken men will become tyrants, ala Obama. People of character will resist tyrants whatever the price.
It will be interesting to see whether Obama pulls in his horns and skulks back into his cave (until after the election, then “Katie bar the door”) or if the Catholic Church will fight all the way and never obey the law. That will result in the greatest change in the Roman Church in hundreds of years.
There are at least two “take-a-ways” from this debacle: All churches and charities should become unincorporated and at the same time disavow and refuse all tax deductibility. Then they should refuse to ever pay any tax to any government agency. After all, a sovereign church cannot be taxed by another sovereign, no matter how powerful they are. The result will be a more principled entity and the oppressive chains will fall from the church, and America will hear a combined voice singing, “Free at last, free at last, praise God almighty, free at last.” America’s churches are not free at this time.
In deciding to anger the Catholics, Obama crawled out on a limb, a very high limb, and handed his opponents a very sharp saw. I hope they use it.
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Dr. Don Boys is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives, author of 13 books, frequent guest on television and radio talk shows, and wrote columns for USA Today for 8 years His most recent book is ISLAM: America’s Trojan Horse! His websites are www.cstnews.com and www.Muslimfact.com.)
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