After Hobby Lobby, time to face the real war on religion

[cbayer]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/world/2014/07/05/after-hobby-lobby-time-face-real-war-religion/9kJVpa1aeb0p5AX26V4v5J/story.html

Pope’s meeting with abuse victims, change at the Vatican bank, and quality control in exorcism

By John L. Allen Jr. | GLOBE STAFF JULY 06, 2014


A vigil was held on Monday outside a Hobby Lobby store in Oklahoma in opposition to the Supreme Court’s decision that some companies like the chain of arts-and-craft stores can avoid the contraceptives requirement in President Obama’s health care overhaul if they have religious objections.
AP/FILE

Last week’s big religion story in the States was Monday’s Supreme Court decision in the Hobby Lobby case, striking down the Affordable Care Act’s contraception mandates for some closely held firms. Predictably, America’s Catholic bishops applauded the ruling while expressing hope it will extend to nonprofits, such as the University of Notre Dame and the Little Sisters of the Poor, which also have legal challenges pending.

Wherever one stands on the merits of requiring employers to cover birth control, this seems a good time for the White House to find a political solution without putting everyone through litigation that now seems terribly redundant.

Among many faith-based groups, Monday’s ruling is being celebrated as a big win for religious freedom. And protecting religious expression was indeed a major focus of the decision. Yet Americans might do well to recall that in many other parts of the world, believers face threats far graver than lawsuits or fines.

Here’s a partial rundown of what was happening elsewhere while Americans were obsessing over which way the Supreme Court would go.

more at link

[longship]

1. Interesting article from a Catholic centered reporter.

There's a lot going on in the article. Religious persecutions, which are hateful, even to an atheist, even when they aren't against Christians (although those are the only ones cited in the article).

The take on the Hobby Lobby case is fairly minimal.

Then, there's the priest abuse scandal which is apparently going to hit Pope Francis full force when he interviews some of the abused people. They apparently have some demands (as well they should).

From the article:

In general, such critics tend to see three things as defining what counts as convincing action:

■ A uniform global “mandatory reporter” policy of turning over all accusations of abuse to the police and other civil authorities, and full cooperation with their investigations;

■ Full transparency, including releasing all records concerning abuse allegations;

■ Accountability, not just for clergy who abuse but also for bishops and other superiors who fail to make “zero tolerance” stick.

If the Pope agrees to those points, he will do more than anybody to rid his church of the corruption with and around the insidious priestly abuse. I might add, eliminate celibacy, but I don't think the Catholics are inclined to go there. Too bad.

One can only hope for the best, I suppose.

R&K

BTW, all public school teachers in CA are mandatory reporters. All of them!

[cbayer]

2. Agree that the article is kind of all over the place, but I did like the part about

the pope.

The meetings planned for tomorrow are very important, imo. Giving some victims individual recognition and the opportunity to speak privately with him is an important step. They say Benedict met with victims, but it didn't get the kind of press this is getting.

Mandatory reporting seems like a no-brainer and could be implemented immediately. It's not just teachers that are mandatory reporters, but generally anyone that has professional relationships with children. If laws do not include the clergy, they certainly should. In the medical fields, not reporting is considered almost as bad as participating and has serious consequences.

[longship]

3. A teacher who does not report gets fired.

And that ends their career. Period.

More serious consequences can ensue after that, too.

They make no bones about it. None at all.

Child abuse is the one thing that you don't mess with. If you suspect it, you must report it. There are no other options.

[intaglio]

4. Interesting article - if sickening considering this other report of Vatican behaviour

Child sexual abuse royal commission: Vatican declines request to provide all documents relating to Australian priests
The Vatican has declined a royal commission request to hand over documents about child sexual abuse committed by Catholic priests in Australia.

/snip

The Vatican has provided documents to the royal commission relating to two cases, but Justice McClellan wanted more information to find out how church authorities in Australia, under the guidance or direction of the Vatican, responded to allegations of abuse.

In a written response, the Vatican says the Holy See maintains the confidentiality of internal deliberations, adding that it would be inappropriate to provide such documents.

A feel-good meeting does not answer the needs of society to find the reasons why the Holy See failed so miserably in its responsibilities to its congregations.

[cbayer]

5. You are, of course, correct.

If they really and truly want to address this they need to agree to total transparency. Without it, it just rings hollow.

[eomer]

6. "And protecting religious expression was indeed a major focus of the [Hobby Lobby] decision."

No, I don't think so. It was about the ability of a privileged elite in our country to impose their religious beliefs on others.