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PDF versionSilk v. Lori
by Michael Sean Winters on Feb. 21, 2012
Mark Silk puts Bishop Bill Lori's parable of the kosher deli under the kashrut lens and finds it wanting: There is no prohibition in Jewish law against selling pork to others. But, just because the analogy didn't work, doesn't mean that Catholics cannot entertain and hold ideas, such as material cooperation with evil, that prohibit us from doing facilitating the actions of non-Catholics who, in the event, have chosen to work at or attend a Catholic institution and know they are signing up for no meat on Friday, some measure of episcopal and, ultimately papal, oversight, and no contraception coverage included in your health care package.
The parable would be more apt
The parable would be more apt if it said that government requires the kosher deli to provide health insurance for its employees--Jewish and Gentile--that pays for treatment of trichinosis.
"But just because the analogy
"But just because the analogy didn't work, doesn't mean that Catholics can't hold ideas" Correct Mr Winters. The Bishop's position though is not an "idea". It is a fixed opinion based upon debatable fact and questionable reasoning absolutely held with the intention of imposition on public policy. It is the church's obligtaion to influence public opinion and policy by virtuous suasion not by hammer and whatever. It does mean however, that when reason doesn's hold or convince and one resorts to analogies that don't work either, one would be advised to "rethink" both position and method.
So when the food police force
So when the food police force Jews to provide beef sandwiches with milk in their kids' lunch boxes, you will be OK with that? Because that is what you are expliciting saying.
There is no scientific reason for kosher laws today, but that does not make it right to force a government's secular ideas on religious Jews.
Both BYU in Utah & Bob Jones'
Both BYU in Utah & Bob Jones' Liberty University tried to claim that their discriminatory behavior & institutional rules were just due to their "religious beliefs".
The courts didn't allow it -- the civil rights laws apply to all institutions...
Same thing goes for the Catholic Bishops--follow the labor laws for all employees!
So..if the 'law' some day
So..if the 'law' some day calls for us to wage unjust war, herd people into prison camps and 'euthanasia centers', persecute minorities, spy on neighbors, and other horrors it's to be done without dissent because it's the 'law'?
There must be a way for individuals and institutions (religious as well as secular) to opt out.
How can the Catholics who use
How can the Catholics who use contraceptives find that it is "material cooperation with evil"? I think Catholics need to remember the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Catholics, millions of them, the overwhelming majority of them, made a decision of conscience. And, many of them made that decision after reading or receiving instruction from the Church on Humanae Vitae, praying, and considering how their own lives could best be lived as married people, parents, and children of a loving God.
What I hope is that Catholics here in this country remember that our Church and our nation both recognize that religious freedom resides in the individual and that personal conscience is the ultimate and final arbiter of our actions.
True about personal
True about personal conscience, but a couple things to that: First, one's conscience can be "deformed" or "malformed" and secondly, one has a right to choose as they wish, but in exercising that freedom (especially if the choice is counter to Catholic faith and morals), one chooses to be "in" or "out" of communion with the church.
I for one think it's terrible
I for one think it's terrible for the Federal government to interfere with religious institutions. After all, just as we don't charge for the sacraments, our Catholic hospitals treat all patients for free and our universities educate our children at no cost, just out of charity!
Oh, wait.
Never mind.
Ah satire. Bob
Ah satire.
Bob
Michael, do you really think
Michael, do you really think having an insurance policy that covers contraception is "material cooperation with evil?" Or did you over-react on this whole issue and now find yourself scrambling to justify?
No the policy is not evil,
No the policy is not evil, but the belief that the government has the authority to make that policy the law of the land and enforce that policy is, indeed, evil.
Read the Constitution, particularly the First Amendment. Know that the separation of Church and State works year round, not just at Christmas when the issue of creches on public property comes up.
A secular government has no more business dictating to a church than a church does dictating to the secular government.
No one is holding a gun to
No one is holding a gun to the heads of people who work for Catholic institutions, people!! If you don't like the way you are treated, if you don't like the insurance package at your company, if you don't like the mission of your job or the institution QUIT THE JOB!!!!! Isn't that what people usually do? If they don't like their job or employer they quit...'nuff said...
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