In birth control debate, a sacred question

[rug]

By Sally Blount, Published: February 13

It’s a confusing time to be a religious leader.

The Obama administration’s controversial decision mandating that all employers provide insurance coverage for birth-control services flew in the face of the recent Supreme Court decision exempting religious groups from certain employment laws.

These contradictory decisions raise questions about how our country regulates religious leaders versus corporate and government leaders. At the heart of this debate is the issue of how we as a civil society give voice, meaning and influence to the discussion of the sacred. And as recent events show, it’s rarely a straightforward process.

Negotiations jujitsu

The late-in-the-week reframing of the birth-control decision by the Obama administration, pushing coverage from the religiously affiliated employer to the health insurer, was clever. It offers a nice example of a classic negotiations move, where one party seeks to deftly recast the narrative by shifting accountability from the other party at the table to one who is not. This move often serves to reduce the tension between the conflicting parties as they move closer to a common ground.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-leadership/in-birth-control-debate-a-sacred-question-for-religious-leaders/2012/02/13/gIQAp1bABR_story.html

[PassingFair]

1. "Sacred" my ass.

Bunch of guys in black thinking THEY should determine what goes into a woman's body.

One of the catholic hospitals near me employs nearly 20,000 people in my state.

Women are probably the majority of those.

If the church doesn't want to hand out birth control at the altar, they don't have to.

But women who work for the "church" in broader circumstances, shouldn't be denied
the coverage by their "employer" just because the ROOT employer happens to be, for
tax purposes, a CHURCH.

[cbayer]

2. Good synopsis and analysis of this situation.

It has been really interesting to watch it develop, and, FWIW, I think Obama played it brilliantly and will not be hurt by this.

[Thats my opinion]

4. How come you got 17 hearts and I got 3?

This younger generation is arrogant!

[cbayer]

5. I've been a DU lightning rod for far longer than you. Happy Valentines Day, Dad!

Hope you and your love have a wonderful day.

[Thats my opinion]

3. Nobody anywhere in this controversy is forced to use any birth control pill or device.

There is no denial of anyone's freedom. If private firms--including religious ones--want to use government money they should not discriminate on the basis of doctrine. If the regulations stipulated that the nuns are forced to take birth control pills, that would be another matter.