Why do Catholics care if birth control is covered by health insurance?

[smp501]

I’ve been on this forum for a while now, and I’ve noticed that a lot of people are really upset about the Administration’s plan to require health insurance companies to cover birth control. Why is that? I realize that the Church teaches that birth control is a sin, but isn’t the responsibility solely on the individual? What does it matter if it is on the list of covered prescriptions if you don’t use it? (Also, I’m not talking about the abortion pill. I completely understand that, as it is killing a human life.)

Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to upset anyone or start a fight. I’ve just got 20 years of experience as a Protestant Evangelical (where abortion is still wrong, but birth control is fine) and only 3 months Catholic, and this is an issue I really don’t understand

 

[LilyM]

I’ve been on this forum for a while now, and I’ve noticed that a lot of people are really upset about the Administration’s plan to require health insurance companies to cover birth control. Why is that? I realize that the Church teaches that birth control is a sin, but isn’t the responsibility solely on the individual? What does it matter if it is on the list of covered prescriptions if you don’t use it? (Also, I’m not talking about the abortion pill. I completely understand that, as it is killing a human life.)

Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to upset anyone or start a fight. I’ve just got 20 years of experience as a Protestant Evangelical (where abortion is still wrong, but birth control is fine) and only 3 months Catholic, and this is an issue I really don’t understand

It’s the fact that Catholic owned and run insurance companies (and eg Catholic employers who provide health insurance for their employees) are being forced to fund practices that are antithetical to their religious convictions.

Like the push to force Catholic doctors and pharmacists to agree to prescribe or dispense ABC, or Catholic adoption agencies to go against their beliefs and assist gay couples to adopt, or Catholic hospitals to agree to provide abortion services, or Catholic priests to agree to marry gay couples in their churches.

 

[Incomplete]

I’ve been on this forum for a while now, and I’ve noticed that a lot of people are really upset about the Administration’s plan to require health insurance companies to cover birth control. Why is that? I realize that the Church teaches that birth control is a sin, but isn’t the responsibility solely on the individual? What does it matter if it is on the list of covered prescriptions if you don’t use it? (Also, I’m not talking about the abortion pill. I completely understand that, as it is killing a human life.)

Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to upset anyone or start a fight. I’ve just got 20 years of experience as a Protestant Evangelical (where abortion is still wrong, but birth control is fine) and only 3 months Catholic, and this is an issue I really don’t understand

It matters because the birth control they buy (and the sterilizations and abortions they procure) will now come through Catholic organizations. It is helpful that you understand the abortion pill. Because that’s on a list of covered prescriptions doesn’t mean it has to be used either. If it is used, though, the Church is culpable by providing it. It’s the same with birth control and sterilization. We cannot provide the means to sin against God.

 

[larsenl1]

I’ve been on this forum for a while now, and I’ve noticed that a lot of people are really upset about the Administration’s plan to require health insurance companies to cover birth control. Why is that? I realize that the Church teaches that birth control is a sin, but isn’t the responsibility solely on the individual? What does it matter if it is on the list of covered prescriptions if you don’t use it? (Also, I’m not talking about the abortion pill. I completely understand that, as it is killing a human life.)

Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to upset anyone or start a fight. I’ve just got 20 years of experience as a Protestant Evangelical (where abortion is still wrong, but birth control is fine) and only 3 months Catholic, and this is an issue I really don’t understand

It is well known that Catholics do not find contraception to be right. So people who work in a Catholic Church or for a Catholic charity are held to a different standard and that company should not be forced to provide insurance coverage for an employee to be on contraception.

Does the federal government mandate that Christian Scientists treat cancer with chemo or that Christian Scientist employers must provide medical care that goes against their beliefs?

The government honors the Quakers right to be a conscientious objector in times of war.

So if a secular company provides insurance coverage for birth control for their employees, no problem. But don’t make a church provide this to their employees if it is against their beliefs.

Does that help?

 

[SurlyMermaid]

Thanks for this thread. I’m new as well and having trouble explaining this to my husband. (I’m blaming it on new mommy brain!)

Thank you guys. :grouphug:

 

[larsenl1]

Also, it is important to make mention that birth control was not okay in any church until the Church of England allowed it in the late part of the first half of the 20th century. I don’t know the exact year, but between 1930 and 1950.

Then, many other protestant denominations began to condone the practice of limiting the number of children in a family.

We see children as a precious gift from God, not a burden. Each life is blessed. God calls each of us by name before we were knitted in the womb.

To interfere with God’s miraculous work is to show great hubris, to play God.

This is mainly for the benefit of all the readers, not necessarily for the original post.

 

[Speedypizza]

The thing I find so hard to understand is that as strong as the people on here seem to feel about this issue, I have to wonder how many people on here have ever spoke to their Priest about WHY this issue is never brought up at Mass, RCIA, or in the Parish newsletter. In fact I have NEVER once heard this issue talked about in any Parish I have ever set foot into. We know from different surveys that MOST Catholic woman and teens use birth control. What am I missing here? Either this is a very important issue, or its not. It is either a sin, or its not. It is either okay, or its not. If it is wrong, WHY are we doing so little to teach it?

I also find it odd how I don’t ever hear of Catholics bringing this issue up with any Protestants. I have brought it up a few times with them, and at first as I am sure you would guess, they were very cold on the idea. They said it was just another example of how us crazy Catholics just follow whatever crazy thing our crazy old Pope says. When I started to explain to them the reasons for this belief, most of them were shocked as they said they have NEVER had a Catholic explain WHY we believe what we do. Even more so, when I explained how abortion is just the ultimate form of birth control, that logically one will follow the other, and that if you look at world history, one DOES follow in the footsteps of the other.

I then bring up the attitude that birth control leads to about children. How in the Bible, children are spoken of as a blessing and a joy, and how now they are seen as a nuisance and a financial obligation. To others I have brought up how once birth control became normal, woman stopped being seen as our mothers, sisters and daughters. How woman were treated with respect and admiration, and now they are treated worse then prostitutes were 200 years ago. Birth control has changed woman from the mothers of our children into objects to be used by men for sexual gratification.

 

[St_Francis]

The thing I find so hard to understand is that as strong as the people on here seem to feel about this issue, I have to wonder how many people on here have ever spoke to their Priest about WHY this issue is never brought up at Mass, RCIA, or in the Parish newsletter. In fact I have NEVER once heard this issue talked about in any Parish I have ever set foot into. We know from different surveys that MOST Catholic woman and teens use birth control. What am I missing here? Either this is a very important issue, or its not. It is either a sin, or its not. It is either okay, or its not. If it is wrong, WHY are we doing so little to teach it?

I also find it odd how I don’t ever hear of Catholics bringing this issue up with any Protestants. I have brought it up a few times with them, and at first as I am sure you would guess, they were very cold on the idea. They said it was just another example of how us crazy Catholics just follow whatever crazy thing our crazy old Pope says. When I started to explain to them the reasons for this belief, most of them were shocked as they said they have NEVER had a Catholic explain WHY we believe what we do. Even more so, when I explained how abortion is just the ultimate form of birth control, that logically one will follow the other, and that if you look at world history, one DOES follow in the footsteps of the other.

I then bring up the attitude that birth control leads to about children. How in the Bible, children are spoken of as a blessing and a joy, and how now they are seen as a nuisance and a financial obligation. To others I have brought up how once birth control became normal, woman stopped being seen as our mothers, sisters and daughters. How woman were treated with respect and admiration, and now they are treated worse then prostitutes were 200 years ago. Birth control has changed woman from the mothers of our children into objects to be used by men for sexual gratification.

Wow, I am so impressed! You really have a great way of explaining this .)

 

[SteveGC]

The thing I find so hard to understand is that as strong as the people on here seem to feel about this issue, I have to wonder how many people on here have ever spoke to their Priest about WHY this issue is never brought up at Mass, RCIA, or in the Parish newsletter. In fact I have NEVER once heard this issue talked about in any Parish I have ever set foot into. We know from different surveys that MOST Catholic woman and teens use birth control. What am I missing here? Either this is a very important issue, or its not. It is either a sin, or its not. It is either okay, or its not. If it is wrong, WHY are we doing so little to teach it?

Good post.

I have heard some priests say that the people that are in the pews, who read the newsletter and bulletin, are not the ones that need to be reminded that contraception is a grave sin. To some degree, I think they’re right. It’s the Easter/Christmas Catholics that need to know this, and it seems quite out of place to admonish contraceptive users during homilies intended to expound upon some of our most profound and pivotal Gospel readings.

But I’m not sure I buy into this theory. I think there are plenty of “sometimer” Catholics on any given Sunday that could use a healthy dose of spiritual shock treatment from the pulpit. Plenty of them find time now and again to read the publications (especially if the parish puts them online), and this is prime ground to reiterate Church teaching.

So, I’m with ya. But as you have also expressed, we faithful and practicing lay folk have a duty to inform and even admonish, especially within our own circles of family/friends. We need gut checks ourselves to build up the courage to bring them home.

 

[Incomplete]

The thing I find so hard to understand is that as strong as the people on here seem to feel about this issue, I have to wonder how many people on here have ever spoke to their Priest about WHY this issue is never brought up at Mass, RCIA, or in the Parish newsletter. .

I can’t speak for other people’s RCIA, but our priest did bring it up in RCIA. And we don’t have a parish newsletter. And my priest has given so many homilies that have changed my life that I never considered talking to him about what to bring up at Mass. It never crossed my mind.

Beyond that, though, this is a different issue. Even people who don’t agree with us disagree with the HHS ruling, because this is about freedom of religion. Those of other faiths largely seem to support Catholics in this because they know that it is about so much more than contraception.

 

[bmullins]

Our priest brings it up a few times a year. Not to mention we have a council called “Respect for Life” that is responsible for bringing awareness to abortion and contraceptive issues. We have various ministry responsibilities through the year to do just that, and to make sure that the parish members are educated through hand outs, readings, and ‘homilies’ geared to that effect. If your Parish isn’t doing anything in that respect, maybe it is a good time to step up and volunteer to help lead a group to do so.

 

[Jeanne_S]

The issue of contraception,abortion was part of a homily given to the youth of our parish at the Lifeteen Mass this past Sunday. The week before,this same priest(newly ordained,this past summer),also gave a homily on marriage being one man one women. Leading a virtuous life,etc. He received a standing ovation

 

[Nate13]

I’ve been on this forum for a while now, and I’ve noticed that a lot of people are really upset about the Administration’s plan to require health insurance companies to cover birth control. Why is that? I realize that the Church teaches that birth control is a sin, but isn’t the responsibility solely on the individual? What does it matter if it is on the list of covered prescriptions if you don’t use it? (Also, I’m not talking about the abortion pill. I completely understand that, as it is killing a human life.)

Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to upset anyone or start a fight. I’ve just got 20 years of experience as a Protestant Evangelical (where abortion is still wrong, but birth control is fine) and only 3 months Catholic, and this is an issue I really don’t understand

You need to understand scandal:

2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. the person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor’s tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.

2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."85 Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep’s clothing.86

2286 Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions, by fashion or opinion.

Therefore, they are guilty of scandal who establish laws or social structures leading to the decline of morals and the corruption of religious practice, or to "social conditions that, intentionally or not, make Christian conduct and obedience to the Commandments difficult and practically impossible."87 This is also true of business leaders who make rules encouraging fraud, teachers who provoke their children to anger,88 or manipulators of public opinion who turn it away from moral values.

2287 Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged. “Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!”

Jesus spoke out on this himself multiple times. It would be a incredible matter for the Church to be responsible (even indirectly) for helping for people to do something that is a grave sin that could lead someone to hell. You better believe the Church is going to fight this tooth and nail, and if the administration does not budge this could get ugly.

 

[Khalid]

Because, under government healthcare, every single taxpayer’s money will help buy contraception (and, some point down the road, baby-murder) for atheists or others who engage in the practice, and will thereby be complicit in and forced to directly aid sin.

 

[Speedypizza]

I have heard some priests say that the people that are in the pews, who read the newsletter and bulletin, are not the ones that need to be reminded that contraception is a grave sin. To some degree, I think they’re right. It’s the Easter/Christmas Catholics that need to know this, and it seems quite out of place to admonish contraceptive users during homilies intended to expound upon some of our most profound and pivotal Gospel readings.

But I’m not sure I buy into this theory. I think there are plenty of “sometimer” Catholics on any given Sunday that could use a healthy dose of spiritual shock treatment from the pulpit. Plenty of them find time now and again to read the publications (especially if the parish puts them online), and this is prime ground to reiterate Church teaching.

The numbers sadly do not back this idea up. Most Catholics in the pews on every given Sunday are caught up in any number of mortal sins. I also do not feel that a doctor is doing anybody any good because he does not tell his patients the truth. As for the Easter/Christmas crowd, they are the least of my worries. Not going to mass every week is already a mortal sin, so I am not that worried if they commit another one on top of it. I wonder why these people even bother to show up at all? Do they think they will get a better spot in hell for showing up 2 times a year? Now please understand that I know each one of them is a soul that God loves beyond reason, however if the priest who is there does not say anything, what am I in the pews support to do?

The part that is almost funny if it were not so sad, is that I think priests get like this in an attempt to keep/draw more people into the Church. I believe that teaching a watered down faith does that a lot more. If all Church is is a happy clappy place where I get to sing some music and feel good about myself, why bother to show up? I could go to the beach and feel the same way. Now let us contrast this with Blessed John Paul the Great. Was he short on people to see and talk to? HARDLY! He had people, even young people my the millions wanting to be near him, why? Because he taught a happy-go-lucky watered down version of the faith? Not on your life! He taught the whole truth, even when the rest of the world was against him, he stood firm.

There is a saying that the youth in this country use a lot these days, it is called “bein’ real” and not being a “fake” or a “poser” Teens can tell if somebody is walking the walk or just talking the talk, and they respond to people who are willing to give them the real truth. For the last 5-10 years or so, there were not nearly as many recruits as were needed for the military as a whole. If you remember the ads on tv then and now, most of them were stuff like, Join the Army and you will get your collage paid for. Join the Navy, and you get to be on a ship and have a nice paycheck too. What did the Marine ads look like? If you join the Marines you can jumpstart your life?Hardly! They were ads of knights fighting dragons and call bootcamp a trial by fire. How did these ads end? If you make it, you will be one of the few, the proud, the Marines! The result? They had more people wanting to sign up then they knew what to do with!

We need to be getting our youth worked up about the faith, not because it is easy, but because it is hard. It is truth, and truth is always hard. If you want to keep our kids away from drugs and sex, the answer is not to tell them how these things are naughty and they should not do them. The answer is not to lie to them and tell them that condoms don’t work! The answer is the present the saints to them, not as smilly people who were happy to be alive because their lives were easy, but as superheros! You also want to present chastity not as something to be pure and innocent, but as a hard challenge that only those with real guts will be able to complete. Teens by their very nature are rebels anyways, let us tap into that energy and tell them how to rebel against the entire culture of death!

Start to do this, start to present the priesthood and consecrated religious life not as easy with nice perks but as the ultimate challenge that most people are not strong enough to do. You do that, and we will be setting up seminary’s and monasteries with mobile homes because we cannot build stone ones fast enough to keep up!

 

[larsenl1]

The thing I find so hard to understand is that as strong as the people on here seem to feel about this issue, I have to wonder how many people on here have ever spoke to their Priest about WHY this issue is never brought up at Mass, RCIA, or in the Parish newsletter. In fact I have NEVER once heard this issue talked about in any Parish I have ever set foot into. We know from different surveys that MOST Catholic woman and teens use birth control. What am I missing here? Either this is a very important issue, or its not. It is either a sin, or its not. It is either okay, or its not. If it is wrong, WHY are we doing so little to teach it?

I also find it odd how I don’t ever hear of Catholics bringing this issue up with any Protestants. I have brought it up a few times with them, and at first as I am sure you would guess, they were very cold on the idea. They said it was just another example of how us crazy Catholics just follow whatever crazy thing our crazy old Pope says. When I started to explain to them the reasons for this belief, most of them were shocked as they said they have NEVER had a Catholic explain WHY we believe what we do. Even more so, when I explained how abortion is just the ultimate form of birth control, that logically one will follow the other, and that if you look at world history, one DOES follow in the footsteps of the other.

I then bring up the attitude that birth control leads to about children. How in the Bible, children are spoken of as a blessing and a joy, and how now they are seen as a nuisance and a financial obligation. To others I have brought up how once birth control became normal, woman stopped being seen as our mothers, sisters and daughters. How woman were treated with respect and admiration, and now they are treated worse then prostitutes were 200 years ago. Birth control has changed woman from the mothers of our children into objects to be used by men for sexual gratification.

In my parish we teach the Theology of the Body for teens twice a year and this is part of the discussion. I teach RCIA and it is discussed. I think it depends on your pastor.

 

[Jeremiah1278]

I’ve been on this forum for a while now, and I’ve noticed that a lot of people are really upset about the Administration’s plan to require health insurance companies to cover birth control. Why is that? I realize that the Church teaches that birth control is a sin, but isn’t the responsibility solely on the individual? What does it matter if it is on the list of covered prescriptions if you don’t use it? (Also, I’m not talking about the abortion pill. I completely understand that, as it is killing a human life.)

The First Amendment prevents Congress from passing a law that impedes the free exercise of religion. The Catholic Church exercises religion in many ways. One way is through teaching and leading on current issues facing the lay faithful. Catholic organizations, like Catholic hospitals, are Catholic ministries. They are the Church carrying out its social justice duties. Because we are so incredibly good at delivering services like medicine and education, people think that we are public institutions and forget that these places are Catholic ministries. As a Catholic ministry it is incumbant upon those running the hospital or the school to follow Catholic teaching. The Church teaches that birth control is immoral. It impedes the free exercise of our religion for the state to come in and force us to use medical insurance that covers something antithical to our teachings. Until now, these Catholic ministries have been able to purchase medical insurance for their employees that doesn’t cover abortions or birth control. This otherwise benign task (in the secular world) of selecting a medical insurance plan for employees, is actually a teaching tool for the Church.

Being forced to fund birth control is one important matter others have brought up. Being prevented from selecting ethical medical plans to teach the faithful and non-Catholic employees about the Church’s thinking on Life impedes our free exercise of our religion for no good reason that I’ve heard yet.

Soon, Catholic institutions will need to decide: provide insurance and violate our own teachings, or don’t provide insurance, watch a sea of good employees flee to secular versions of their employment so they can get insurance, and pay hefty fines for failing to provide insurance. My guess is that we will provide the insurance so that we can continue to effectively serve humanity through medicine and education. My other guess is that the whole Act is going to be declared unconstitutional this summer when it hits the Supreme Court. Free citizens can’t be forced to buy health insurance. That’s insane. If I saved up a million dollars in my own personal self-insurance account, there’s no reason I should be forced to buy insurance. As one appelate court justice put it: “Never before has Congress required that everyone buy a product from a private company (essentially for life) just for being alive and residing in the United States.”

 

[Nate13]

Soon, Catholic institutions will need to decide: provide insurance and violate our own teachings, or don’t provide insurance, watch a sea of good employees flee to secular versions of their employment so they can get insurance, and pay hefty fines for failing to provide insurance. My guess is that we will provide the insurance so that we can continue to effectively serve humanity through medicine and education.

Catholic hospitals serve 1 in 6 people in the U.S and employ close to 3/4 of a million people. The cards are on our side.

 

[Incomplete]

My guess is that we will provide the insurance so that we can continue to effectively serve humanity through medicine and education. My other guess is that the whole Act is going to be declared unconstitutional this summer when it hits the Supreme Court. Free citizens can’t be forced to buy health insurance. That’s insane. If I saved up a million dollars in my own personal self-insurance account, there’s no reason I should be forced to buy insurance. As one appelate court justice put it: “Never before has Congress required that everyone buy a product from a private company (essentially for life) just for being alive and residing in the United States.”

But if we do, doesn’t that mean we have decided to go against God? Choosing an evil, no matter the purpose, is not what we teach.

I do so hope you are right in your hopes about the Supreme Court.

 

[Incomplete]

Catholic hospitals serve 1 in 6 people in the U.S and employ close to 3/4 of a million people. The cards are on our side.

Some Catholic hospitals are Catholic in name only. I recently visited someone at our Catholic hospital after she had a baby, and she casually mentioned that she had had her tubes tied while she was at it because she wanted no more kids.

There is certainly a possibility that Catholic hospitals will just become non-Catholic. Some have done that for financial reasons already. Personally, I think that’s a loss.

And then what happens to all of the other Catholic organizations?