Some, including apparently the Church, have resorted to lies to in their efforts to oppose the health care law. Contrary to wild-eyed cries to the contrary, IT DOES NOT FORCE EMPLOYERS TO ACT CONTRARY TO THEIR BELIEFS.

Questions about the government requiring or prohibiting something that conflicts with someone’s faith are entirely real, but not new. The courts have occasionally confronted such issues and have generally ruled that the government cannot enact laws specifically aimed at a particular religion (which would be regarded a constraint on religious liberty contrary to the First Amendment), but can enact laws generally applicable to everyone or at least broad classes of people (e.g., laws concerning pollution, contracts, fraud, negligence, crimes, discrimination, employment, etc.) and can require everyone, including those who may object on religious grounds, to abide by them. Were it otherwise and people could opt out of this or that law with the excuse that their religion requires or allows it, the government and the rule of law could hardly operate. When moral binds for individuals can be anticipated, provisions may be added to laws affording some relief to conscientious objectors.

Here, it may be questioned whether there is real need for such an exemption, since no one is being "forced," as some commentators rage, to act contrary to his or her belief. In keeping with the law, those with conscientious objections to providing their employees with qualifying health plans may decline to provide their employees with any health plans and pay an assessment instead or, alternatively, provide their employees with health plans that do not qualify (e.g., ones without provisions they deem objectionable) and pay lower assessments.

Catholic are making a big deal about the fact that 142 bishops have now spoken up about this, but there are 271 bishops, so only half even want this.

The Catholic church is obsessed with sex, and ought to stay out of the business of the individuals, and start correcting their own crimes of rampant child rape.

But you see nothing wrong with demanding that I pay for your religious schools to teach YOUR doctrine. You see nothing wrong with demanding that I pay for wars that I disagree with, or for anything else.

We live in a representative democracy; which means that we all live by the laws passed by our representatives and we pay for them. No one gets an "opt-out," so please stop whining when YOUR ox is gored.

Second. When a religious institution hires from the general public, for a non-religious purpose, it is, and should be, bound by the same employement laws that everone is bound by. This includes schools that employ lay teachers, it includes hospitals that employ lay doctors (and other staff), etc. If it doesn't want to play int he world at large, then it shouldn't go there. The laws I refer to are the ones that control things like employee safety, pay, etc. That's the way it works. And the way it must work.

The headline of this article is completely misleading. No one is forcing anyone to pay for abortions. If anything, the law will provide more BIRTH CONTROL which means more abortions will be PREVENTED.

Typical rightwing zealots!!!! So if you don't like something......no one should have access to it??

So you don't want national healthcare programs to provide birth control or contraceptives.....so therefore no one should be able to have them

Are you all really this F'ing stupid???