Religion vs. Obamacare: Obamacare on ‘Fast Track’ Back to Supreme Court on Religious Grounds

Obamacare is being challenged on religious grounds.

Obamacare on ‘Fast Track’ Back to Supreme Court

The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the individual mandate within the Obama health-care law seemed to be the last word in a fierce legal fight.

But on Monday, the Supreme Court ordered the Justice Department to respond to a suit filed by Liberty Counsel on behalf of Liberty University. The school contends both the individual and employer mandates are unconstitutional on the grounds that they infringe upon the freedom of religious expression.

The case was filed in March of 2010 on the very same day President Obama signed the bill into law. It’s been stalled because a federal appeals court ruled that the suit could not proceed because no one had been penalized or taxed yet through the mandates. The recent Supreme Court decision essentially struck down that ruling.

Liberty Counsel Chairman Mathew Staver says no court has ever ruled on the constitutionality of the employer mandate or the religious freedom concerns. Abortion funding is at the heart of the contention that the mandates violate the right to religious expression — something Staver says he saw right away but others didn’t notice until the new government rules on mandatory contraception coverage.

Is a religious exemption the only way around Obamacare?  More to the point, Obamacare includes damn few religious exemptions.

If The Amish Are Exempt From Obamacare Tax, Why Isn't My Religion?

I am a Christian Scientist. I do not take medicine, get regular check-ups, or go to the emergency room. When it comes to medical concerns, I rely solely on prayer for treatment.

When a particular case is challenging and requires advanced help, Christian Scientist’s utilize Christian Science practitioners. Practitioners are employed in the full time practice of Christian Science prayer and are available for Christian Scientist’s by phone or appointment for prayerful work.

When I seek out practitioner work, I pay out-of-pocket. The government mandating that I pay a tax for something I don’t use and is direct violation of my religious creed is an over-extension in their “limited” power.....

I don’t pay for OR use health insurance. If the Amish are exempt from this , why can’t I be?

I believe the greater issue here that supports why the Liberty Counsel's lawsuit will probably lose in a court of law is that the pro-life religious right is attempting to use the first amendment to selectively support government healthcare. America's religious right has never come out against entitlements or government healthcare, just the use of public money to fund abortion.

While I absolutely agree that taxpayers should not be compelled to fund abortion because it's not an appropriate use of public money, it's also my personal view that no taxpayer should be compelled to fund wars and the murders of foreign men, women and children and babies.

Meanwhile, America's religious right remains one of the biggest proponents of US foreign policy. They hardly have the moral high ground on issues of life.