Create an Issue

Now that the political campaigns are in full swing we are experiencing the new game called create an issue. Today’s players are gathering to blab about the requirements of health insurance to provide females with contraceptives. Of course, many on the right will label this a war against religion. (The right really likes wars as in war against drugs, class warfare, etc.) Those up in arms and blaming Obamacare for this attack on religious freedom have failed to first acknowledge that already 28 states already require insurance coverage to provide for contraception (13 of which do not exclude churches). Those who claim the attack on religion also fail to acknowledge that churches and other houses of worship are excluded from having to provide contraceptives to their employees. The real point of this issue is and should be when does a church cease to be a church. This is really an issue between employer and employee and is no different from the government mandated requirement that an employer provide worker’s compensation or pay the employer's share of FICA. Church ownership of an enterprise does not and should not make that enterprise a church nor should it entitle that enterprise to the privileges granted houses of worship. It is not beyond reason to expect employees of a house of worship to be expected to follow the teachings of that organization, but that reason leaves the argument when the enterprise leaves the shelter of the house of worship. Hospitals, schools, colleges, universities may be owned and even run by a religious organization, but if any of these organizations receive taxpayer funds in any form they should be expected to give up any and all shelters granted houses of worship. Their employees should be entitled to any and all benefits available to an employee of a similar, non-religious entity. Making a big deal of this issue on the part of Republicans is a perfect example of creating an issue strictly for political purposes.