I'm a little confused. On March 1, 2013 Scriptures For America Worldwide Broadcasting Network (SFAWBN) (I know, it's a little suspect already) reported that the company owned and operated by the Greene family, Hobby Lobby, might have to close it's doors because of the pressures placed on it by the federal government to provide contraceptive coverage for women. Their complaint is that they don't believe in contraception and they are being forced to act in opposition to their religious beliefs to comply with the government mandate.
Huh?
Since when does a business, whether publicly traded, multi-national or family owned, mom and pop store, have the right to claim a religious designation because the owners happen to have a particular worldview? Furthermore, when did it become their right to claim that because their religion is against it, they shouldn't have to comply? Even more to the point, since when did it become a "Christian principle" to close your doors because you don't like having to pay for something, put thousands of people out of work, and blame it on someone else? That, in and of itself, is a baldfaced lie.
They don't HAVE to close their doors. That is a choice they are making and trying to make people think they should have the same protections that church-run organizations do. If they would like the protection of a religious organization, they will have to do more than hold a set of beliefs. They will have to actually BE a religious organization and do all the things that churches do, like not sell things for a multi-million dollar profit and qualify for non-profit status and things like that. They don't get to be a family and hold Christian beliefs as a family and get to claim church status.
" A new government healthcare mandate says that our family business MUST
provide what I believe are abortion-causing drugs as part of our health
insurance. Being Christians, we don’t pay for drugs that might cause
abortions, which means that we don’t cover emergency contraception, the
morning-after pill or the week-after pill. We believe doing so might
end a life after the moment of conception, something that is contrary
to our most important beliefs. It goes against the Biblical principles
on which we have run this company since day one. If we refuse to
comply, we could face $1.3 million PER DAY in government fines.
provide what I believe are abortion-causing drugs as part of our health
insurance. Being Christians, we don’t pay for drugs that might cause
abortions, which means that we don’t cover emergency contraception, the
morning-after pill or the week-after pill. We believe doing so might
end a life after the moment of conception, something that is contrary
to our most important beliefs. It goes against the Biblical principles
on which we have run this company since day one. If we refuse to
comply, we could face $1.3 million PER DAY in government fines.
Our government threatens to fine job creators in a bad economy. Our
government threatens to fine a company that’s raised wages four years
running. Our government threatens to fine a family for running its
business according to its beliefs. It’s not right. I know people will
say we ought to follow the rules; that it’s the same for everybody.
But that’s not true. The government has exempted thousands of companies
from this mandate, for reasons of convenience or cost. But it won’t
exempt them for reasons of religious belief." ~ David Greene, Founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby
government threatens to fine a company that’s raised wages four years
running. Our government threatens to fine a family for running its
business according to its beliefs. It’s not right. I know people will
say we ought to follow the rules; that it’s the same for everybody.
But that’s not true. The government has exempted thousands of companies
from this mandate, for reasons of convenience or cost. But it won’t
exempt them for reasons of religious belief." ~ David Greene, Founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby
Based on the letter that he wrote to SFAWBN, for some reason Mr Greene holds this belief that since he is a Christian, the people that work for him aren't as important as the beliefs he holds. I'm sure someone will make the statement that "they don't have to work there" but if, as he claims, that their full time employees start at 80% above minimum wage, there aren't many places to find a job that an unskilled worker can do for that kind of wage. So the employee is forced, again, to choose between insurance that covers the services they use and a "living wage". The other amusing thing I see in this is that they continually refer to their multi-million dollar corporation as a family. What family decides what is best for those other adults in the family and makes decisions for them based on their own, personal beliefs. I'm not sure what companies he has seen be "exempted for reasons of convenience or cost but not for reasons of religious belief", because the ONLY exemptions for this mandate have been made expressly for that reason. He's just whiny because he's just a Christian with a business, albeit a successful one, and not the Catholic Church. The government is threatening to fine other companies that have raised wages in a bad economy, it's not just the Greene family, but they somehow think they are special because they happen to hold a belief that says that life begins at conception and think that everyone should agree with them. In fact, they hold the belief that they can force their employees to either agree with them or pay for contraception on their own because the Greene family's religious beliefs are paramount.
Most of all I really like *sarcasm* the blanket, "Being Christians, we don't pay for drugs that MIGHT cause abortions" (emphasis mine). He doesn't even have the conviction that the drugs do the thing that he's objecting to, just that it's possible and therefore must be banned. He says that it goes against the Biblical principles they they have run the company on, but he doesn't clarify which Biblical principles those are and I can't find that life begins at conception anywhere in my Bible. He also doesn't seem to get that the "Morning-after" Pill doesn't necessarily cause an abortion, because it can take up to 72 hours for conception to occur after sexual intercourse, but that's simply a nuisance and doesn't need to be paid attention to. It COULD cause those cells to stop growing!
The last lines in the letter are absolutely the best:
"The government cannot force you to follow laws that go against your
fundamental religious belief. They have exempted thousands of companies
but will not except Christian organizations including the Catholic
church.
Since you will not see this in the liberal media, please pass this on
to all your contacts."
Apparently Mr Greene doesn't follow all the news or any of the actual exemptions created by the Administration. It also doesn't appear that Mr Greene has researched what the government can and can't do in enacting laws that "go against your fundamental religious beliefs" and if he thinks I'm wrong, he should go ask the Mormon Church about the government making laws against polygamy. I DO think he's right in that it won't be seen in the liberal media because they try to report real news and not waste-of-time lawsuits meant to draw attention to a millionaire attempting to play the martyr.
fundamental religious belief. They have exempted thousands of companies
but will not except Christian organizations including the Catholic
church.
Since you will not see this in the liberal media, please pass this on
to all your contacts."
Apparently Mr Greene doesn't follow all the news or any of the actual exemptions created by the Administration. It also doesn't appear that Mr Greene has researched what the government can and can't do in enacting laws that "go against your fundamental religious beliefs" and if he thinks I'm wrong, he should go ask the Mormon Church about the government making laws against polygamy. I DO think he's right in that it won't be seen in the liberal media because they try to report real news and not waste-of-time lawsuits meant to draw attention to a millionaire attempting to play the martyr.
As a Christian, I really dislike being told what I'm to believe and how I'm supposed to act by a man that isn't following the tenets laid down by the author and finisher of the faith, Jesus, but by his pastor and his own self-importance. This letter and the corresponding lawsuit is an act of vanity and is terribly unbecoming in someone that thinks so highly of themselves as a Christian and a person of character.
No comments:
Post a Comment