Catholics for Choice is an organization that believes Catholic tradition supports one's right to follow her/his conscience in matters of sexuality and reproductive health, according to the group's Twitter account. This means, among other controversial opinions, that they believe in a woman's right to an abortion. They said it loud and proud on the cover of The Washington Post's Express newspaper Monday morning – a popular morning read for D.C. commuters.
The bishops want YOU to discriminate. Check out our @wapoexpress ad today on #Fortnight4Freedom. #ReligiousFreedomIs pic.twitter.com/O9euToZ0Mz
— Catholics for Choice (@Catholic4Choice) June 22, 2015On the inside cover, the group targets Catholic bishops' "Fortnight for Freedom," a campaign to defend religious freedom in an increasingly secular culture. One specific fight has squared Catholic institutions against the HHS mandate that requires them to provide employers contraceptive services. Little Sisters of the Poor, which operates nursing homes across the country and believes in the dignity of life, was the first group to file a lawsuit against the mandate.
Although the bishops leading the fourth annual Fortnight for Freedom are simply trying to protect their religious consciences, Catholics for Choice is dismissing their campaign as no more than a way to "discriminate against anyone who disagrees with them." Further down the page, they outline their own mantra.
At Catholics for Choice, we represent the majority of Catholics who reject discrimination. We placed this notice because we support birth control and reproductive choice, we believe in the rights of LGBT people and we do NOT support discrimination.
The Catholics for Choice call for "reproductive rights" is emphasized on their website. One press release, for instance, warns supporters to oppose the 20-week abortion ban introduced in Congress.
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The US House and Senate have introduced a 20-week abortion ban. This legislation is an extreme and heartless attack on a woman’s right to make a decision about what is best for herself and her family. Read CFC’s statements on the House and Senate bills and tell your Senator to oppose this ban.
Devout Catholics will tell you that a woman's "right to choose" is not part of religious tradition. I have many Catholic friends who are always the first to pray outside of abortion clinics and counsel young women into choosing life for their unborn babies. As for "discriminating," that is an accusation one could level against Catholics for Choice. Why should a religious institution be forced to provide birth control or abortion services to employees when doing so would violate their long-held beliefs?
The finger pointing, it seems, goes both ways.
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