We’re at a strange turning point in American culture, exemplified by the growing debate over Obamacare. Not only are many Americans worried that the president’s attempt to federalize medicine will demolish the economy, but there are also intense and rightful fears about what it may do to religious freedom.
The latter concern is the focus of the Becket Fund for Religious Freedom, which has just won a significant ruling against Obamacare’s contraception mandate. A Florida federal judge ruled Tuesday that the latest revisions to the mandate do not sufficiently protect people whose religious beliefs forbid the use of certain contraceptives. As the requirement stands now, employers must pay for birth control drugs as part of their insurance packages, even if those drugs cause chemical abortion.
It’s “time for government to stop going after religious colleges and ministries and start respecting religious liberty,” said Eric Baxter, the senior lawyer for the Becket Fund. The win in Florida came courtesy of a lawsuit brought by Ave Maria University, which was facing millions of dollars in fines for violating the Obamacare requirement. It is only a preliminary injunction, however; a final ruling on the case may take months.
One of the most significant rulings in the area has come from the Supreme Court, when they decided this summer that a “closely held” for-profit business could opt out of the contraception requirement if it conflicted with their religious beliefs. Though it provided a hint to the direction of future litigation, the ruling was too narrow to effect widespread change.
