There's a growing conflict in America over Catholic objections to contraception. The Catholic Church is free to condemn contraception all it wants, but that condemnation is affecting many people's ability to access contraception. Well, maybe there is a solution: use the law to enforce the Catholic Church's prohibition on contraceptives, but only on Catholics.
A forum member writes:
I propose a new law.
That it be against the law for Catholics to purchase or attempt to purchase contraceptives and also against the law for anyone to sell contraceptives to Catholics.
Any one purchasing contraceptives must present a photo ID and proof that they are not Catholic. A sworn staement "I am not now, nor have I ever been a Catholic" will be acceptable. Note ex-Catholics are not exempt since they are listed on the churches rolls for ever.
Penalties will be: One to five years celibacy for Catholics. Non Catholics will be sentenced to burn in Hell for eternity.
OK, so the idea is guaranteed to be found unconstitutional. There's no way that the court would allow such a law to stand. But what if they did - what would the benefit be?
Well, given the fact that the vast majority of Catholics use contraceptives, I think that they would have a huge problem with such a law. Ignoring legal challenges, what would their options be? First, they could force the Catholic Church to change its policies. Second, they could leave the Catholic Church and start a new religious organization.
Either one would probably benefit the rest of us (as well as them). In the first case, Catholic objections to birth control would cease and thus no longer harm others. In the second, the power and influence of the Catholic Church would weaken so much that no one would care what they objected to.
Either way, access to contraception won't be held hostage to the myopic ideology of Catholic bishops. Add your thoughts to the comments here or join the ongoing discussion in the forum.
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