The FOCA and Rome

Marching As to War| November 12, 2008 | Family Research Council

Facing the most pro-abortion administration in U.S. history, the Catholic Church is mobilizing to respond. In a meeting yesterday, 220 Catholic bishops drafted an official statement, warning Capitol Hill and President-elect Obama that passing the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) would be viewed as a direct attack on religion. Back in July of 2007, Barack Obama announced at a Planned Parenthood banquet that signing FOCA was his first priority: “Well, the first thing I’d do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. …On this fundamental issue, I will not yield and Planned Parenthood will not yield.” With almost full control of Congress, Obama will be expected to live up to his promise as payback for the abortion community’s support. If successful, the newly expanded majority would abolish over 300 pro-life laws and restrictions — even reinstating partial-birth abortion.

Although the Catholic bishops have offered to work with the administration on a number of issues, the defense of life is non-negotiable. “This is not a matter of political compromise,” said Bishop Daniel Conlon of Steubenville, Ohio. “It’s a matter of absolutes.” For some leaders, the church’s forceful opposition to FOCA could be the excuse Catholic Democrats need to vote the legislation down.

If not for their conscience, members should be wary of the Bishops’ warning for the mere fact that Catholics are a powerful player in the U.S. health care system. As Ed Morrissey points out, Catholics run more than 550 hospitals and 415 clinics in America, spending billions out of pocket to help the disadvantaged get the care they need. Under FOCA, religious providers would have two options: either comply with the abortion mandate or end their services completely. Is Congress so intent on appeasing Planned Parenthood that it would jeopardize the health care of 90 million Americans? We’ll see.

 

Through the prophet Isaiah . . .

 My friend Rev. Toby Sumpter of Holy Trinity Reformed Church (CREC) in Greer wrote an excellent post about the culture of the church with regard to her worship.  The post is called “When Worship Becomes Liturgical Clap Trap.”  Here’s a snippet,

In nearly every letter of the New Testament, the apostles insist that Christians must live out the gospel in their families. As we seek to build this church, this must be one of the central results of our gathering here. Husbands who worship here must be characterized by loving their wives, cherishing their wives, and teaching and leading their wives just as Christ loves, cherishes, teaches, and leads us. Wives who worship here must be characterized by love and submission to their husbands, rejoicing in their callings just as we submit ourselves as the Church to the leading and teaching of our head, the Lord Jesus Christ. Likewise, children who worship here (whether they are three or eighteen) must be characterized by love and obedience to their parents just as we love and obey the Word of God declared here. If we are not being characterized by these things, we are not getting it. If our families are not living out this gospel then our worship here is useless at best and at worst a high handed blasphemy against God.

Read the rest of this insightful post here.