The Attack of the Misogynistic Catholic Bishops

 Catholic Bishops and Newt Gingrich are incensed with the Obama administration.

 "The Obama administration has just launched an attack on Christianity so severe that every single church in Florida had a letter read from the bishops yesterday,"'
 Newt Gingrich

‘To Hell With You’
By Bishop David A. Zubik
It is really hard to believe that it happened. It comes like a slap in the face. The Obama administration has just told the Catholics of the United States, “To Hell with you!” There is no other way to put it.

To hell with your religious beliefs;
To hell with your religious liberty;
To hell with your freedom of conscience. 
Bishop David A. Zubick

Did the Obama Administration padlock the door to churches? Tax the churches?  Nope, the Obama administration refused to let catholic bishops dictate what American women can do with their bodies.   The catholic bishops feel that their religious liberty is being infringed upon by women accessing birth control at no cost.  Old white supposedly celibate catholic bishops believe they have the right to control what medications  American women have access to.  They feel the Obama administration is violating their religious liberty.  What about the rights of women?  The key difference between the two positions is clarifying.   The Obama administration is not forcing women to take birth control.  But the catholic bishops seek to deny women the opportunity to access affordable reproductive care.  If we truly believe in separation between church and state the Obama administration simply cannot enforce catholic doctrine.  It's understandable that the mostly forgotten, mostly ignored catholic bishops are incensed at their powerlessness and increasing irrelevancy, let their angry shouts echo in empty churches. 

6 things every woman and person of faith should know about this decision:

#1 Contraception is important for women's health
Scientists and medical experts agree that contraception is important for women's health. The fundamental belief behind this decision is that women should have access to this care, without having to worry about cost.

#2 Churches are exempt from the new rules
Churches and other houses of worship will be exempt. Other religious organizations that serve women regardless of their faith, like hospitals and universities, will have one year to transition to the new rules.

#3 Individual religious beliefs will be protected
Just as no woman will be forced to buy or use contraception, these rules will also cover the "conscience clause," meaning no doctor will be forced to prescribe contraception.

#4 More than 75 percent of Catholic women are actually behind this
There's widespread support for covering birth control at no cost: 71 percent of Americans, and 77 percent of Catholic women, support it. And 98 percent of Catholic women have reported using contraception.

#5 This will reduce employer costs
The National Business Group found that employers would pay 15-17 percent more not to provide contraception coverage.

#6 The President stands with the faith-based community These new rules are consistent with the President's commitment to religious liberty. The President is proud of his administration's partnerships and strong support of faith-based organizations.

Cartoon by Don Wright, Palm Beach Post

 ***Update***
added graph and link to the NRRI poll

Public Religion Research Institute Poll, 2/07/12

Obama Stands Up to Bishops. Finally.  by Kathy Pollitt, The Nation 

 "Forced to choose between God and man, choose women. This time round, let women’s health be about women’s health."

Related articles

• Catholics hear anti-Obama letter in church (cbsnews.com)
• Why Does the Catholic Church Enjoy IRS Protection? (themoderatevoice.com)
• Here Is The Anti-Obama Administration Letter That Was Read To Almost Every Catholic Sitting In Church Today (businessinsider.com)
• Pittsburgh bishop: contraception mandate tells Catholics 'To hell with you!' (catholicnewsagency.com)