Has Obama Waged A War On Religion?

[rug]

by Barbara Bradley Hagerty
January 8, 2012

Americans' religious liberties are under attack — or at least that's what some conservatives say.

Newt Gingrich warns the U.S. is becoming a secular country, which would be a "nightmare." Rick Santorum says there's a clash between "man's laws and God's laws." And in a campaign ad, Rick Perry decried what he called "Obama's war on religion," saying there is "something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly ... pray in school."

Of course, children can pray in school, but Perry is echoing a larger argument: that religious freedom is at risk. The story is much more complicated than either side makes out.

If you're looking for evidence that the Obama administration is hostile to faith, conservatives say, the new health care law is Exhibit A. The law requires employers to offer health care plans that cover contraceptives. Churches don't have to, but religiously affiliated charities, hospitals and colleges do. That doesn't sit well with the Catholic monks at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina.

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/08/144835720/has-obama-waged-a-war-on-religion

(The answer is no.)

[LeftishBrit]

1. As you say. no.

Certain people claim that it's a 'war on religion' if they are prevented from excluding or, worse, bullying gays; or from denying access to birth control.

It's as though a vegetarian accepted a job as a grocery shop assistant and then refused to serve meat because it was against their principles, and claimed persecution if they were denied this right. Few would consider this as reasonable.

Also, some of these people act as though there are just two commandments: Thou shalt not be gay; and Thou shalt not have abortions (or in some cases even birth control). Even just from the point of view of religiously-motivated social conservativism, they are amazingly selective. For example, we don't often hear of wedding photographers refusing to photograph a wedding between a divorced man and his second wife; or religiously-motivated teetotallers complaining because alcohol was served at the workplace party.

[rug]

2. Having lived through the military draft, I'm a big supporter of conscientious objection.

But most of the complaints about the Administration's actions in these areas aint that. They're using it as political footballs.

[skepticscott]

7. There's a fundamental difference

between objecting to something that your compelled to do and objecting to aspects of something you've chosen to do voluntarily.

But you know this, so I can only assume your slinging bs

[rug]

9. There are many things outside the military that are compulsory.

But you know this, so I can only assume you're stirring shit.

[TigerToMany]

3. Lol Hardly

Obama might not be as religious as white, right-wing conservative Christians, but he is certainly not waging a war on religion.

Being less religious, non-religious, or a non-believer is just that. It's much like not owning a TV. If you don't watch TV, you're not waging a war on TV, actors, directors, or people who watch TV. You just don't have a TV. Many fundies can't seem to grasp this very simple concept.

[cbayer]

4. Why do you expect from a muslim from Kenya?

[cleanhippie]

5. The only ones waging a "war on religion" are the conservative Christians.

They are waging war on everyone elses religious beliefs.

[rrneck]

6. +1000 nt

[Deep13]

8. Sadly, no. nt