Health-care insurance and the Catholic Church--the sooner these two abominations disappear the better
On Aug 16, 3:49 am, dick thompson <[email protected]> wrote: > Home <http://www.washingtontimes.com/> > News > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news> > *National* > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/national> > > Catholic college faces lawsuit over contraceptives > > By Ben Conery <http://www.washingtontimes.com/staff/ben-conery/> > (Contact <http://www.washingtontimes.com/staff/ben-conery/contact>) | > Saturday, August 15, 2009 > > * > 0.5 > 1.0 > 1.5 > 2.0 > 2.5 > 3.0 > 3.5 > 4.0 > > Avg. Rating: 0 > > * Bookmark and Share <http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=20> > * > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/15/catholic-college-face...> > > * Article > * Comments (12) > > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/15/catholic-college-face...> > > * Print > > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/15/catholic-college-face...> > * [-][+] Font Size > * E-Mail Alerts <http://www.washingtontimes.com/accounts/register/> > * Tell a Friend > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/mailfriend/79/391787/fb82ca7978/> > * Got a Question? > > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/15/catholic-college-face...> > * You Report > > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/you_report?previous=%2Fnews%2F200...> > * Click-2-Listen > > <javascript:OpenC2LWindow('WashingtonTimes','news_2009_aug_15_catholic-coll > ege-faces-lawsuit-over-contraceptives',m_nwamp3_file,'OAS_sitepage='+OAS_si > tepage,'WashingtonTimes','','Production');void(0);> > * Yahoo! Buzz > > <http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzz?publisherurn=washington_ti859&guid=http%3A...> > > The president of a small Catholic college said Friday he would rather > close the school's doors than violate the church's teachings on > contraception should the college lose the latest battle involving > health-insurance laws and religious freedom. > > The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has > determined that Belmont Abbey College violated discrimination laws > because the school's employee health insurance plan does not cover > contraception, according to a letter the EEOC sent to the school. > > "I hope it would never get this far," college President William K. > Thierfelder told The Washington Times, "but if it came down to it we > would close the college before we ever provided that." > > The factual conclusion reached by the EEOC could be a precursor to the > commission filing a federal discrimination lawsuit against the college. > > "By denying prescription contraceptive drugs, [the college] is > discriminating based on gender because only females take oral > prescription contraceptives," the EEOC wrote in a letter to the North > Carolina college. "By denying coverage, men are not affected, only women." > > Mr. Thierfelder disputed that conclusion in a letter posted on the > college's Web site: "Belmont Abbey College rejects the notion that by > following the moral teachings of the Catholic Church we are > discriminating against anyone. > > "We are simply and honestly exercising the freedom of religion that is > protected by the Constitution," he wrote. > > In the highest profile case involving contraception coverage and > Catholic institutions, California forced Catholic Charities to cover > contraception as part of its employee health-insurance plan. The > California Supreme Court ruled in 2004 that Catholic Charities was not a > religious organization under state law, and therefore was required to > provide contraception coverage under state law. > > The EEOC investigation into Belmont Abbey stems from changes the college > made to its employee health-insurance plan nearly two years ago. The > changes came after the school discovered its plan had inadvertently been > covering abortions, prescription contraception and elective > sterilization procedures. > > Mr. Thierfelder wrote at the time that "it is the clear, consistent, > incontrovertible, public, official and authoritative teaching of the > Roman Catholic Church that abortion, contraception and voluntary > sterilization are actions which are intrinsically wrong and should not > be undertaken because of their very nature." > > The college, which has about 1,500 students, no longer covers > contraceptive services as part of its employee health coverage. > > "As a Roman Catholic institution, Belmont Abbey College is not able to > and will not offer nor subsidize medical services that contradict the > clear teaching of the Catholic Church," Mr. Thierfelder wrote in a > letter explaining the changes. > > In response, eight current and former faculty members - six men and two > women, according to Mr. Thierfelder - filed a complaint with the EEOC > charging that the changes to the insurance benefits violated the 1964 > Civil Rights Act by discriminating against them based on religion or sex. > > The letter the EEOC sent to the school said the plan change resulted in > discrimination based on sex, but found no discrimination based on > religion. The letter called only the contraception change > discriminatory; it did not mention the change in coverage for abortion > or elective sterilization. > > A spokesman at the EEOC in Washington declined to comment Friday, saying > that confidentiality laws prevent the agency even from confirming that a > complaint has been received or an investigation was undertaken. > > The letter said the next step is for the college and those who filed the > complaint to try to reach an agreement to settle their differences. That > seems unlikely, given Mr. Thierfelder's language. > > If no agreement is reached, the EEOC could then file a federal lawsuit > against the college. > > [Get Copyright Permissions] Click here for reprint permissions! > <http://license.icopyright.net/3.7280?icx_id=/news/2009/aug/15/catholi...> > Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC > > Read 12 comments > > PanhandleTex > > There are few college presidents who adhere to principles. I am > encouraged by the stand of Belmont Abbey's president: Clea and > unambigious principles separate those who bend and bow to government's > dictates; and those that have a Higher Law. As a retired Presbyterian > pastor, a Protestant, I stand with Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI > and the moral teaching of the church against the dictates of the EEOC or > the U.S. Government. Longdrycreek Ranch Texas Panhandle > Mark as offensive > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/admin/offensivecontent/manage/add/10/1...> > > Gorgegirl > > When will the Catholic Church finally come to it's senses, wake up and > realize that our world is becoming over populated due to their outdated > teachings? It is time women quit listening to old men in robes and make > their own reproductive decisions. > Mark as offensive > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/admin/offensivecontent/manage/add/10/1...> > > marccrotty > > I applaud the college administration for standing with Church teachings > and the truth. There is a precedent for vowing to close down the school > if asked to compromise -- an entire county was sacrificed under Henry > VIII when the Papacy's hand when forced on divorce. The Judas teachers > on their staff are another concern. The threat of legal action developed > internally -- no one came looking for them. If the professors are > willing to seek government remedy to compromise Church moral teaching, > what are saying in the classroom? > Mark as offensive > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/admin/offensivecontent/manage/add/10/1...> > > NoTaDim > > Gorgegirl, If you are truly concerned about overpopulation, find a > Muslim website and comment about their way of life and beliefs. I > believe having 15 + children per Muslim man would accomplish your goal. > The Catholic church has it's beliefs and it's time to stand up to > lawsuits and non believers who don't have the guts to face a real source > of over population and poverty. If you have the guts to do that I have > one word of advice, hang on to your head! > Mark as offensive > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/admin/offensivecontent/manage/add/10/1...> > > coffic > > The employees have a choice--find another job or pay for a plan which > will cover contraceptives. Did they not know the stand of the Catholic > Church? If they didn't, they are too stupid to hold jobs, so they should > leave and make places for people with some degree of intelligence. I do > agree, though, that those complaining about the Church policy should use > birth control. The U.S. is turning into a country of self-serving morons. > Mark as offensive > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/admin/offensivecontent/manage/add/10/1...> > > Higgy > > Georgegirl if the college was muslim, like you, there would be no > problem no matter what they did. > Mark as offensive > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/admin/offensivecontent/manage/add/10/1...> > > mbalba2001 > > The state must not force us Catholics to go against our religious > beliefs. I agree wholeheartedly with President Thierfelder. It violates > our religious freedom and conscience. > Mark as offensive > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/admin/offensivecontent/manage/add/10/1...> > > mbalba2001 > > gorgegirl Europe is losing population fast because widespread abortion > laws being filled by Muslims who do not believe in abortion as we > Catholics at home our loss is being compensated by inmigrants from > Catholic countries who believe children are a beautiful gift from God > Mark as offensive > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/admin/offensivecontent/manage/add/10/1...> > > GrannyRob > > There is no "right" in the Constitution to the use of contraceptives. > There is a RIGHT to the FREEDOM OF RELIGION. The lawsuit should be > dismissed and the plaintiff should be required to pay ALL court costs > for bringing such a frivolous suit against a Catholic college. > Mark as offensive > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/admin/offensivecontent/manage/add/10/1...> > > smallgovt > > "By denying coverage, men are not affected, only women." It seems to me > that only women can have babies, and that there are plenty of other > means to kill their offspring. If a Catholic school refuses to supply > contraceptive medicine that's their right, and this lawsuit is ony > designed to force the Church to a secular view. If you don't like it > GeorgieGirl, don't go there. > Mark as offensive > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/admin/offensivecontent/manage/add/10/1...> > > sturmvogel > > "...Belmont Abbey College violated discrimination laws because the > school's employee health insurance plan does not cover contraception..." > "'By denying prescription contraceptive drugs, [the college] is > discriminating based on gender because only females take oral > prescription contraceptives' the EEOC wrote..." Wait---isn't providing > pregnancy and labor & delivery care discriminating based on gender? I > wonder if the plan pays for tubals and vasectomies? > Mark as offensive > <http://www.washingtontimes.com/admin/offensivecontent/manage/add/10/1...> > > miller51550 > > Let's see... Obama wants FREE ABORTIONS. And the college workers want > FREE contraceptive drugs. How in the world can these FOOLS expect the > Catholic School to provide contraceptive Drugs.. My recommendation... > QUIT their job... and find a place that gives them Contraceptive Drugs. > Better yet.. support the Demoncrats and the Messiahs administration and > get FREE ABORTIONS. No tolerance for fools and liberals as I grow older. > What happened to working for a living, and being happy that you even had > health insurance... Maybe we can get the insurance program to > cover...penis implants... to go along with those contraceptive drugs. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
