I am the first to admit I am not a political person. But, I do follow the news online . . . sometimes. Yesterday I came across the following albeit from December 2011. I was so overwhelmed with joy reading Catholics and non-Catholics were uniting on the issue of the Health and Human Services contraceptive mandate.
Protestants and Jews declare to White House: We stand with Catholics
December 22, 2011 by Emily Hardman
Protestant and orthodox Jewish leaders join in opposition to HHS contraceptive mandate.
Today, more than 40 non-Catholic religious organizations including Protestant-affiliated colleges, National Association of Evangelicals, Focus on the Family, Assemblies of God, Northwest Nazarene University, and Eastern Mennonite University, sent a letter to the White House demanding religious protection against the newly issued HHS contraceptive mandate.
“We write not in opposition to Catholic leaders and organizations. We write in solidarity.” Says the coalition letter. “Leaders of other faiths are also deeply troubled by and opposed to the mandate and the narrow exemption.”
In a letter sent December 21, 2011, the group expressed deep concern about the contraceptive provision in the Health and Human Services mandates, which includes the most narrow “religious employer” qualifications excluding protection of most-faith based organizations.
“We are all deeply concerned about the narrow exemption, including proposals made to expand it while still leaving unprotected many faith-based organizations.” The letter continues, “We believe that the Federal government is obligated by the First Amendment to accommodate the religious convictions of faith-based organizations of all kinds, Catholic and non-Catholic.”
And yet, despite this glorious united front, on January 20, 2012, it was announced that almost all employers, including Catholic and faith-based employers, will be forced to offer employees health coverage providing sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs and contraceptives.
Now, remember, I am politically challenged, but here I go. Is it just my imagination? Haven't the liberals and Obama supporters been fighting to make sure church and state have nothing to do with each other? To take religion out of everything? And now they are mandating what religious organizations must comply with despite their religious convictions? Seems to me they want their cake and eat it too. I may not be politically correct, but if they want faith out of everything, why are they trying to politically control religion? People of all faiths, WAKE UP! Wake up before you find yourself living in a world without religious freedom, dominated by atheism. Did Jesus worry about being politically correct here on earth?
In Anne, a lay apostle's book, Serving in Clarity, she sheds light on this topic:
“As lay apostles, we look always to the example of Jesus Christ in Scripture. First of all we ask ourselves if Jesus was politically correct. Did our Jesus hold back the truth so that people would like Him and not kill Him? No. Jesus Christ spoke the truth in the greatest gentleness and love. He spoke the truth as a teacher speaks the truth, with a goal of illuminating the soul of the person with whom he speaks, thus advancing that person so that the person can go on to accept even greater truths. Did Jesus say, “I know the truth and you do not, therefore I am better than you?” Did Jesus say, “I live the truth and you do not, therefore I am going to heaven and you are not?” Did Jesus say, “If you don’t immediately conform to My exact view of the truth you will go to hell?” Clearly not. It is not Jesus who speaks like this. Remember that Jesus had the complete truth. He was the Truth then and He is the Truth now, and yet, from this position of power Jesus was and is gentle and kind. We, His followers, are called to proceed similarly. We must speak the truth in kindness and gentleness, remembering always that we do not hold ourselves above anyone.”
Thank you, Lord, for teaching me faith in You is number one, not political correctness. I stand united with You always. Please give me the grace to be gentle and kind as You were when the truth should be spoken.
God bless,
Bonnie
Protestants and Jews declare to White House: We stand with Catholics
December 22, 2011 by Emily Hardman
Protestant and orthodox Jewish leaders join in opposition to HHS contraceptive mandate.
Today, more than 40 non-Catholic religious organizations including Protestant-affiliated colleges, National Association of Evangelicals, Focus on the Family, Assemblies of God, Northwest Nazarene University, and Eastern Mennonite University, sent a letter to the White House demanding religious protection against the newly issued HHS contraceptive mandate.
“We write not in opposition to Catholic leaders and organizations. We write in solidarity.” Says the coalition letter. “Leaders of other faiths are also deeply troubled by and opposed to the mandate and the narrow exemption.”
In a letter sent December 21, 2011, the group expressed deep concern about the contraceptive provision in the Health and Human Services mandates, which includes the most narrow “religious employer” qualifications excluding protection of most-faith based organizations.
“We are all deeply concerned about the narrow exemption, including proposals made to expand it while still leaving unprotected many faith-based organizations.” The letter continues, “We believe that the Federal government is obligated by the First Amendment to accommodate the religious convictions of faith-based organizations of all kinds, Catholic and non-Catholic.”
And yet, despite this glorious united front, on January 20, 2012, it was announced that almost all employers, including Catholic and faith-based employers, will be forced to offer employees health coverage providing sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs and contraceptives.
Now, remember, I am politically challenged, but here I go. Is it just my imagination? Haven't the liberals and Obama supporters been fighting to make sure church and state have nothing to do with each other? To take religion out of everything? And now they are mandating what religious organizations must comply with despite their religious convictions? Seems to me they want their cake and eat it too. I may not be politically correct, but if they want faith out of everything, why are they trying to politically control religion? People of all faiths, WAKE UP! Wake up before you find yourself living in a world without religious freedom, dominated by atheism. Did Jesus worry about being politically correct here on earth?
In Anne, a lay apostle's book, Serving in Clarity, she sheds light on this topic:
“As lay apostles, we look always to the example of Jesus Christ in Scripture. First of all we ask ourselves if Jesus was politically correct. Did our Jesus hold back the truth so that people would like Him and not kill Him? No. Jesus Christ spoke the truth in the greatest gentleness and love. He spoke the truth as a teacher speaks the truth, with a goal of illuminating the soul of the person with whom he speaks, thus advancing that person so that the person can go on to accept even greater truths. Did Jesus say, “I know the truth and you do not, therefore I am better than you?” Did Jesus say, “I live the truth and you do not, therefore I am going to heaven and you are not?” Did Jesus say, “If you don’t immediately conform to My exact view of the truth you will go to hell?” Clearly not. It is not Jesus who speaks like this. Remember that Jesus had the complete truth. He was the Truth then and He is the Truth now, and yet, from this position of power Jesus was and is gentle and kind. We, His followers, are called to proceed similarly. We must speak the truth in kindness and gentleness, remembering always that we do not hold ourselves above anyone.”
Thank you, Lord, for teaching me faith in You is number one, not political correctness. I stand united with You always. Please give me the grace to be gentle and kind as You were when the truth should be spoken.
God bless,
Bonnie
No comments:
Post a Comment