CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- The battle over religious freedom is intensifying as the controversial federal contraception mandate goes into effect for many for-profit employers at the start of the New Year.<\/p>\n\t\u201cWe shouldn\u2019t have to give up our First Amendment rights to make a living,\u201d said Maureen Ferguson, senior policy advisor for The Catholic Association, which seeks to bring a faithful Catholic voice to the public square.<\/p>\n
\tFerguson told CNA on Jan. 3 that employers who did not win a court order blocking the mandate are now \u201cplaced in a horrible position, choosing between their livelihood and their faith.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tOn Jan. 1, 2013, new employee health insurance plans began for many companies throughout the U.S., causing the new federal contraception mandate to go into effect for them. The controversial mandate requires coverage of contraception \u2013 including drugs that may cause early abortions \u2013 and sterilization.<\/p>\n
\tWhile the mandate includes a narrow exemption for some religious employers and a one-year delay with the promise of a revision for others, for-profit companies have not been offered any accommodation for religious liberty. The government maintains that the right to religious freedom does not extend to owners of secular businesses.<\/p>\n
\tThe mandate has prompted dozens of lawsuits from both for-profit and non-profit organizations asking for temporary injunctions to block the enforcement of the mandate while they argue their cases in court.<\/p>\n
\tOn Dec. 30, U.S. District Judge Lawrence P. Zatkoff granted an injunction to Tom Monaghan, the founder and former owner of Domino's Pizza who now owns the property management company for a Michigan office park.<\/p>\n
\tThe judge acknowledged that the mandate would place a \u201csubstantial burden\u201d on Monaghan\u2019s ability to freely exercise his Catholic religion and could cause him to suffer \u201cirreparable harm.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\u201cIt is in the best interest of the public that Monaghan not be compelled to act in conflict with his religious beliefs,\u201d the judge ruled in granting the injunction shortly before the end of the year.<\/p>\n
\tOther employers scored last-minute victories as well, including a Mennonite-owned wood manufacturing company in Pennsylvania and a dairy farming corporation in Missouri.<\/p>\n
\tSo far, 10 for-profit employers have received injunctions from the mandate, while three have been denied them. Those employers that were not granted injunctions can still argue their cases in court, but they may be subject to fines for violating the mandate during this process.<\/p>\n
\tGrote Industries, an Indiana-based vehicle lighting manufacturer, is one of the companies that was denied its request for an injunction. However, attorney Matt Bowman said that the legal team representing the company \u201chas asked the judge to reconsider her recent decision.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tHe explained to CNA that the appeals court in the judge\u2019s circuit \u201cgranted an injunction to another business the day after she denied Grote Industries\u2019 request.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tHobby Lobby, the family-owned arts and crafts retailer, was also denied an injunction by both a district and appeals court. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor turned down the company\u2019s emergency injunction appeal on Dec. 26, removing hope of immediate relief from the high court.<\/p>\n
\tHowever, Kyle Duncan, an attorney representing Hobby Lobby in its case, said that the company plans to continue providing health insurance to its employees without paying for the drugs that it finds morally objectionable.<\/p>\n
\tTo continue following their Christian beliefs, the company\u2019s owners now risk fines of $1.3 million per day.<\/p>\n
\tFerguson said that the commitment shown by Hobby Lobby and its owners is \u201cincredibly admirable.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tThe company is \u201ca true American success story,\u201d started in a garage in Oklahoma, she explained, and Congress \u201cought to be paying attention\u201d when a government regulation threatens the existence of such a business.<\/p>\n
\tStill, Ferguson remains \u201ccautiously optimistic\u201d as the lawsuits continue to move forward, observing that it is \u201cencouraging that we\u2019re winning in most of the court cases.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tPrayer and efforts to educate others about the mandate are critical, she emphasized, urging the faithful to be active in their parishes, contact their congressional representatives and write letters to the editor to raise awareness and support for religious freedom.<\/p>\n
\tThe unprecedented encroachment posed the mandate could lead to a further erosion of fundamental freedoms unless people are willing to stand up now, Ferguson explained.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cCatholics should be gravely concerned about this,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\n
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Washington D.C., Jan 3, 2013 \/ 06:01 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- The battle over religious freedom is intensifying as the controversial federal contraception mandate goes into effect for many for-profit employers at the start of the New Year.<\/p>\n
\t“We sho…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-us"],"yoast_head":"\n
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