I sent the below letter to Robert Casey's office about recent actions by the Obama administration that diminish 1st amendment religious rights:
Honorable Senator Robert Casey Jr.
Thank you for representing Pennsylvania in the US Senate. Some recent events in Washington DC have raised some concerns for my family and more generally our church. Recently President Obama has said that everyone, including Catholic hospitals and universities, will be required to administer contraception and some abortion pills, even though this goes against their religious beliefs.
It is or was our understanding that we have freedom of religion in this country. A person could not be compelled by the federal government to act against one’s own genuine religious beliefs. In the past, Mennonite church members have been exempted from military service, and instead served in alternate 1-w service. Also some Mennonite and Amish school children are exempted for religious reasons from high school to apprentice at family or friends small businesses.
If Catholics are now required by the Federal government to act against their religious beliefs, how can Mennonites be sure our rights will be preserved? Religious liberty was the primary reason that the Mennonites and Amish emigrated from Europe to Pennsylvania centuries ago.
Now that Obama is President, have these rights expired? More importantly, if the Mennonites fell out of favor with the President, and he declared that military service was mandatory for everyone, would we have an advocate in the US Senate? If a Catholic Senator will not speak up for Catholic religious liberty, how can we be confident that the same Senator will speak up for Mennonite religious liberties?
Thank you for your time and we look forward to your response.
Jeremy Martin
Middletown, PA
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Thoughts on the letter?
