"You don't adapt to injustice; you oppose it"

That statement above is probably the most necessary and most striking statement people need to hear during these times. During these times of what? Well, in an era where it is easy to forget that all persons are to be protected from harm, and that a tiny baby's being inside his mother's womb since he's not due to be born yet does not wipe out his personhood (in the same way, personhood is not magically bestowed the moment a baby makes it to the "outside world" -- he is a person from day 1, and by "day 1" I am referring to conception).

Justice in all forms and in all aspects of daily life is what we ought to be striving for, and yet we know that for one reason or another, things are done -- sometimes on a grand scale -- which show that some people's sense of fairness seems to be based on extra-terrestrial standards. Who knows what their motivations are? It's only God who ultimately knows -- and knows completely -- what is in their heart. Still, we do what we can so that fairness prevails as much as possible.

Right now there is so much going on pertaining to the birth control mandate in the US; in fact, developments are happening so fast that it's hard to keep up. Plus, there's the wealth of information one has to sift through to know what's going on and to make sure you're getting the facts and sound analyses. So, I've gathered some of the (I believe) most factual accounts and analyses of the issue, from sources I trust. But first, something which should make you think, no matter what part of the culture of life/culture of death spectrum you're on right now:

"Think about this: the pro-abortion side has always cried for Christians to 'keep your rosaries off my ovaries,' yet they want Churches and religious organizations to fund their sex lives. Do you see the irony in this?

Imagine if the President mandated that all companies pay for every employee’s Bible, religious supplies and gas money to get to church. It is ludicrous to think we can force anyone to pay for this, so why is it ok to force companies to fund its employees’ bedroom activities?"

You'll find that in one of the articles I'm sharing below.

To start off, here's a graphic that illustrates the situation concisely:

This post from Mommy Life has an article dated Jan. 24 containing a statement from a US bishop about Obamacare's violence against Americans' First Amendment rights (for those who are still catching up on what the entire issue is all about, there's a bit of basic summary here).

Here's a piece from The Wall Street Journal that analyzes the situation, pre-"compromise". There's quite a bit of background information here as well. Dated. February 8.

Pro-life leader Bryan Kemper weighs in on the contraception mandate, too, and shares the official statement issued by Priests for Life National Director Fr. Frank Pavone about the lawsuit the organization is filing against the US government. If you'd like to go directly to the statement, it's here.

EWTN Global Catholic Network has also filed a lawsuit to stop the contraception mandate.

Though it has been mostly Catholics expressing their opposition to the trampling of constitutional rights, Evangelical Christians have begun to voice out their rejection of the mandate as well -- a most welcome and edifying development! Know more about it from here and here.

Then came the "accommodation" or "compromise" from the government as a result of the firm resistance from the people a couple of days ago. Is it any better? Judging from the response, it indicates a disdain for religious liberty even more.

Why abortion groups opposed the religious exemption but support the "compromise" (Jill Stanek)

Unacceptable -- former Vatican ambassador, Prof. Robert George, others respond (CatholicVote)

Update: President Obama's FALSE accommodation on birth control mandate -- it is actually worse. (Bryan Kemper)

"Adjustment" to HHS mandate nothing but a shell game (Pro-Life Action League)


Fr. Frank Pavone's statements should really be some kind of road map in these exciting times:

"The rule is unjust. You don't adapt to injustice; you oppose it."

On our own shores, the Philippines, the same thing is happening.

So, since Filipinos are basically great imitators, I rejoice over the vigorous opposition that defenders of life and liberty are carrying out against the tyrannical policies of the leader of the "Land of the free."