Individuals such as Lynette Shero, who wrote a June 7 letter, “Affordable care mandate is a threat,” and many writing articles about the mandate regarding insurance coverage of prescription contraceptives appear to be wearing blinders, not seeing the whole picture, and concerned that they may fall to “temptation.” The mandate only requires those providing health insurance to carry the prescriptions. No one is forced or required to partake of the prescriptions. Do those mostly male religious leaders have little faith in their followers?
It would seem, so they say, that this mandate is against the separation of church and state — just like, in my opinion, it is against the separation of church and state for religious leaders to stand in front of their “followers” and tell them whom and what to vote for. I see nothing wrong for them going to the street corner, getting on a soap box and spreading their views — just don’t speak as a representative of a religious organization.
Religious leaders have for many decades interfered in our government. For information regarding this, please read Damon Linker’s book, “The Theocons: Secular America Under Siege,” and “One Nation Under Law: America’s Early National Struggles to Separate Church and State” by Mark McGarvie.
Bruce Arbuckle
Vancouver
