"Almighty God Hath Created the Mind Free"

There's been a whirlwind of discussion the past few days, surrounding Tuesday's oral arguments at the Supreme Court in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby and Sebelius v. Conestoga Wood.  Well, more like a whirlwind the past 3 years as dozens of similar cases have been going through the courts.

I braved the freezing temps and snow to speak up for religious freedom while the cases were being argued! 

While Hobby Lobby's Green Family has been much more outspoken, I think this quote from Conestoga Wood's CEO Steve Hahn sums it up perfectly.  He begins, "We didn't pick this fight."

As I've been reading through commentary on the cases and the issue, I came across this article from a recently discovered website called, "Think Christian" - "Hobby Lobby's High Horse."

This particular statement prompted me to respond:

"By seeking to deny its employees the opportunity to exercise their own religious freedom, Hobby Lobby’s owners are elevating their personal beliefs (Scripturally tenuous ones, I might add) above a “moral good” for society at large. In a pluralistic setting, that’s sitting on an awfully high horse."

I've cut and paste my comments below:

Josh, I appreciate that your being thoughtful about this and willing to dialogue but I am getting frustrated by the Christian voices who are essentially making fun of Hobby Lobby and accusing them of being on a "high horse" You in fact, call their views "Scripturally tenuous ones". Look, I am a 20 something female, and I don't oppose most types of contraception. However, I cannot ignore science - that life begins at conception (check out the Endowment for Human Development) and that certain drugs and devices (the 4 that the Hahns and Greens object to) can cause early abortions: (Side note - less and less late term abortions are happening (praise God) and the real debate on abortion will be with chemical abortions that are happening at earlier and early stages, so this dialogue is going to continue.)

I would LOVE to start my own business one day - so do you really mean to tell me that if I'm able to do that, I should participate in/pay for/encourage something that I believe absolutely contradicts my conscience (murder of unborn babies)?  I think everyone keeps missing the point too, that the government has to show "compelling interest" that Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood must comply with this mandate. For instance, if they were making claims of religious liberty to not provide health care at all, or not hire women, or insert another ridiculous example, of course that wouldn't fly and would violate various anti-discrimination laws. However, when these drugs can be picked up at Wal Mart, CVS, Walgreen, etc it doesn't quite seem as much like a "violation of women's rights" for the company to not provide it, does it?

I also was going to point out that Hobby Lobby pays much more than the minimum wage, but I see someone else did.  Now maybe we can continue to disagree on this particular issue, but can't we agree that believers, and people in general, must answer to their own conscience?

One other thing I'd like to add - while this case has the specifics of an Evangelical and Mennonite family and their religious faith - it is about conscience.  Do not all CEO's have some sort of belief system or conscience?

What if the government in the future amended the ACA, that every health plan must include a diet of red meat because the population needs more protein.  Would not a Vegan-owned business object to that? (I just googled Vegan businesses, and apparently there are many! ) Would not those employees be able to get their meat intake elsewhere, easily? So why can't the Vegan business owner be allowed to "obey his conscience."  He or she should be able to! 

That's why the Pilgrims came to the "new world!"  I recently visited the Jefferson Memorial and was struck by one the author of the Declaration of Independence's quotes: "Almighty God hath created the mind free. All attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens...are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our religion...No man...shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but all men shall be free to profess and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion. I know but one code of morality for men whether acting singly or collectively."

Everything about these families faith has informed how they started their business - if I am blessed with that opportunity in the future, it will be the same for me.  You say, "By seeking to deny its employees the opportunity to exercise their own religious freedom, Hobby Lobby’s owners are elevating their personal beliefs above a “moral good” for society at large."  Hobby Lobby has given their employees jobs!  God bless them for creating jobs and giving men and women the ability to work, have dignity, and provide for their families!  A job is not a divine right, nor is a health plan that covers a drug that will kill a baby.

Now all we can do is pray as the judges decide and deliberate.  For a good summary, check out the wise words from the ladies at Women Speak for Themselves.