A host of evangelical and Roman Catholic groups in America are fighting against President Obama’s healthcare scheme which forces them to act against their beliefs.
The scheme, known as ‘Obamacare’, will force employers with more than 50 staff to provide health insurance for their employees who work more than 30 hours a week.
But in the small print, those employers will also be forced to pay for insurance which covers abortion drugs, like the morning-after pill and the week-after pill.
Fined
Employers can by fined up to $1.3 million a day if they refuse to follow the Government mandate.
Churches are exempt, but the religious ethos of other organisations like hospitals and universities is not taken into account.
The leading court case on this issue involves Hobby Lobby, a huge arts and crafts retailer which has over 500 stores across 41 states in the US.
Freedom
The company is owned by the Green family, who are committed Christians, and they say the Federal Government is forcing them to act against their beliefs.
That case is heading for a showdown in the US Supreme Court, but a host of evangelical and Roman Catholic organisations have also filed lawsuits.
Lawyers representing Hobby Lobby say the “case raises important questions about who can enjoy religious freedom”.
Divided
Kyle Duncan of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and lead lawyer for Hobby Lobby said: “Right now, some courts recognize the rights of business owners like the Green family, and others do not.
“Religious freedom is too important to be left to chance. The Supreme Court should take this case and protect religious freedom for the Green family and Hobby Lobby”.
Hobby Lobby founder and CEO David Green said: “These abortion-causing drugs go against our faith.” He commented: “We simply cannot abandon our religious beliefs to comply with this mandate.”
Closures
A professional political consultant recently branded America’s Government healthcare reforms as a “Trojan horse” for the abortion industry.
Chris Whitehouse warned that “the Obamacare scheme will make it impossible for many charities and church groups to continue to provide services”.
Charities have warned that they are likely to have to close their facilities “unless they are prepared to handle abortifacients” and carry out treatments that run “counter to Church teachings”.