Obamacare Contraception Mandate Does Not Violate Religious Freedom, Federal Judge

[elleng]

Obamacare doesn't violate the religious freedom of employers that don't want to cover contraceptives, a federal judge in Missouri has ruled.

Frank O'Brien, the owner of O'Brien Industrial Holdings, filed a lawsuit in March claiming that Obamacare violated his religious freedom by mandating that his company's health insurance cover employees' contraceptive use, according to Courthouse News Service. But U.S. District Judge Carol Jackson ruled on Friday that this Obamacare provision indeed is constitutional.

"This Court rejects the proposition that requiring indirect financial support of a practice, from which plaintiff himself abstains according to his religious principles, constitutes a substantial burden on plaintiff's religious exercise," Jackson wrote in the decision. She noted that "plaintiffs remain free to exercise their religion, by not using contraceptives and by discouraging employees from using contraceptives."

O'Brien Industrial Holdings claims on its website that it follows the Ten Commandments and that "we will not discriminate based on anyone's personal belief system."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/04/obamacare-contraception-mandate_n_1939366.html?ir=Politics&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009&utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=1530933,b=facebook

[Warpy]

1. Religious freedom applies to personal conscience

and not to organizations that want to bully people outside them.

[xuinkrbin.]

4. Who is bullying?

Choosing to not actively engage in an action is not the same as bullying Someone.

[Warpy]

6. Making that choice for people who do not share it is bullying.

The Catholic hierarchy is trying to bully everybody who has the misfortune to work at a Catholic owned business.

This is wrong.

Get it?

[Canuckistanian]

2. Interesting Mission Statement for this company

Mission
Our mission is to make our labor a pleasing offering to the Lord while enriching our families and society.
Values

Integrity
Our conduct is guided by the Golden Rule and the Ten Commandments. We will not discriminate based on anyone's personal belief system.

Customers
Our customers provide for our very existence as a commercial entity. Our relationship with them will be mutually beneficial.
People

We are an organization that will attract and keep outstanding personnel. Mean spirited behavior will not be tolerated.

[xuinkrbin.]

5. Whether We like it or not, They are at least consistent.

The Employers are not discriminating against Anyone based on said Anyone's personal belief system. Neither are the Employers engaging in mean spirit behavior (inaction =/= "mean spirit behavior&quot .

[xuinkrbin.]

3. Yeah, no.

The "incidental" argument upon which the Judge relies in Her opinion was considered by the Supreme Court in Thomas v. Review Board of Indiana Employment Security Division. The Supreme Court rejected that argument outright.