We dont need any extra help from the government
This letter is in response to one by K.J. Walters, under the title Render unto Caesar, published in last weeks Photo News:
The First Amendment of The United States Constitution prohibits the making of any law respecting the establishment of religion, or impeding the free exercise of religion. The amendment goes on to numerous other protections including freedom of speech and press. It has nothing to do with giving unto Caesar what is Caesars and giving unto God what is Gods. In fact this mandate makes it impossible for any Catholic to give unto God what is Gods.
The Catholic faith believes that contraception is a sin; furthermore, they believe that by paying for someone elses contraception they are in fact contributing to that sin and are just as culpable to God.
What you and the President are asking Catholics to do is choose government over God and place our souls in jeopardy.
Do 98 percent of Catholics use contraception? I dont know, but I will say this. If only 2 percent of Catholics want to actually follow their faith, then the Constitution protects them just as much as it protects your freedom to write this letter or to speak your mind.
At the end of the day we all have to answer to God for our sins. We dont need any extra help from the government.
On that note, my bible-twisting friend, let me leave you with a nice Bible verse to ponder (Deuteronomy 4:2): Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
Craig Collopy Central Valley