Real religious freedom, to me, means that I

[Raven]

should be free to defy or ignore certain teachings of my church and the government should not become involved in enforcing those teachings or penalizing me for defying them.

This is what I think the Catholic Church should include in every new employee's health insurance packet:

"While the use of birth control is against the teachings of the Catholic Church, we recognize and respect the right of our non-Catholic employees to disagree with us and we will not penalize them for doing so. To our Catholic employees, your use of contraception is a matter between you and your conscience and we will not interfere in matters of health and personal wellbeing."

[hfojvt]

1. it's a penalty to not have the rest of the world subsidizing something that you want?

I drink lots of Mt. Dew. I think my health insurance should provide Mt. Dew coverage. Clearly that would save me lots of money. My health insurance premium would go up a little bit, but not as much as I am spending on Mt. Dew now. I should not be penalized just because some other people don't like Mt. Dew.

[Obama3_16]

2. help me out in your analogy. is your Mountain Dew birth control? or pregnancy?

having trouble following you.

[LiberalEsto]

3. With all due respect, would you rather pay more taxes to subsidize

the education, health and other costs of the millions of unwanted children that would be born if people couldn't get birth control?

As far as I know, your Mountain Dew habit isn't placing quite that large a burden on society.

[hfojvt]

9. most people can still get birth control

even if it is not subsidized by me. Just like I can still get Mt. Dew even if it is not subsidized by you. The lack of a subsidy is not the same thing as a prohibition.

[Mz Pip]

4. Is Mountain Dew some kind of medicine?

How is your drinking Mountain Dew at all related to health care?

[hfojvt]

7. clearly it is

I forgot to bring my pop to work on Monday, and I could barely function.

[meaculpa2011]

8. Comprehensive "health" insurance...

is the prime reason why Americans pay high costs for inferior healthcare. Over the years, bit by bit, we have given more and more authority to the insurance companies. Now, our government has given them ALL the authority and the politicians have become the insurance cartel's sales and marketing department.

The more "services" the government can mandate the more the insurance companies can charge and we have no choice but to submit.

This is one more instance of the federal government enshrining the worst aspects of the current system and making true reform nearly impossible.

If the lobbyists thought that they could push a "Mountain Dew" inclusion into the beneftis mandate they'd be on it in a second.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

5. I'm catholic, or rather was until JPII died...

I have been on Birth control for quite some time. Not getting pregnant is only one of the happy side effects I enjoy, along with 3-5 days of bleeding instead of constant heavy gushing, lack of cramping, and great skin. Not getting pregnant is not why I'm on it. Not bleeding to death is number one.
Duckie

[Spazito]

6. Well said!

For employees who are Catholics they have the 'right of conscience' and if they agree with the RCC wrt contraceptives, they will not use them with or without their inclusion in a health insurance packet.

For employees who are not Catholics or who do not agree with the RCC wrt contraceptives, they have the right to choose without penalty.

It seems simple and clear to me.