Friday, February 17, 2012
EPS Member Contributes to Panel for U.S. House Committee Hearing
Craig Mitchell, an EPS member, Philosophia Christi contributor and former member of the EPS Executive Committee had the privilege of testifying for a U.S. House committee panel ("On Oversight & Government Reform"), which testifying on the following topic: "Lines Crossed: Separation of Church and State. Has the Obama Administration Trampled on Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Conscience?"
The February 16th hearing focused on the morality and constitutionality of the Obama Administration's "mandate" that health insurance plans cover contraceptives.
Chairman Issa made the following remarks as a preview to the panel's presentation:
A full transcript is also available here.
As reported by the Baptist Press, Craig Mitchell told the committee, "The thing that concerns me is that if [administration officials] don't see this as a religious liberty issue, what do they see as a religious liberty issue? And where do they stop? What I see here is a hollowing out of what the concept of religious liberty is almost to the point of eventually it will be nonexistent."
The February 16th hearing focused on the morality and constitutionality of the Obama Administration's "mandate" that health insurance plans cover contraceptives.
Chairman Issa made the following remarks as a preview to the panel's presentation:
The Administration's actions have forced us to confront a more fundamental question about the proper role of government in our lives.Mitchell's presentation is about 58 minutes into the recording.
This hearing is about basic question of religious freedom, and whether or not protection will be afforded to religious institutions who wish to follow their conscience in refusing to pay for products they find morally objectionable.
A full transcript is also available here.
As reported by the Baptist Press, Craig Mitchell told the committee, "The thing that concerns me is that if [administration officials] don't see this as a religious liberty issue, what do they see as a religious liberty issue? And where do they stop? What I see here is a hollowing out of what the concept of religious liberty is almost to the point of eventually it will be nonexistent."
Labels: civil society, craig mitchell, political philosophy, political power, religious liberty
