Posted on 11/12/2019 7:48:44 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Lisa Amann, pastor at Skyline Wesleyan Church in La Mesa, California. | YouTube/Alliance Defending Freedom
Lisa Amann has attended Skyline Wesleyan Church in La Mesa, California for almost her entire life. Now, she works there as a pastor.
As a Christian, Lisa is passionate about protecting life—especially that of the unborn. “As Christians, we are fundamentally against the destruction of a person’s life and destiny.”
And yet, the state of California wants to force Lisa and Skyline Wesleyan Church to pay for abortions through the church’s healthcare plan.
Forcing a church to pay for abortions is another low for a state that lost at the U.S. Supreme Court after it tried to force pro-life pregnancy centers to advertise for abortions. But there’s more to this story.
At the Urging of Planned Parenthood
In 2014, the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) sent a letter to health insurers that rescinded existing religious accommodations and mandated immediate coverage of abortion, regardless of existing plan language.
Skyline Church was one of the religious organizations with an affected plan. The letter didn’t announce a notice and comment period typical of a government change in policy. And it certainly didn’t ask for the input of the organizations affected. Rather, the DMHC mandated that the healthcare plans of employers like Skyline Church include coverage for elective abortion.
But it gets worse. The DMHC changed its policy after being urged to do so by Planned Parenthood. Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) attorneys discovered a series of emails from Planned Parenthood to the DMHC asking agency officials to “fix” exemptions for religious organizations that oppose abortion.
This means that, driven by activists at Planned Parenthood, California has gone out of its way to force pro-life churches, like Skyline, to fund abortions. And in the process, California will force people of faith like Lisa to be complicit in something that fundamentally violates their deepest beliefs.
Forcing Christians to Act Against Core Beliefs
“The Bible, the foundation for my beliefs is crystal clear when it comes to abortion,” she says. From God’s creation of humanity in Genesis, to God calling Jeremiah in the womb (“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you…” Jerimiah 1:5 ESV), Lisa’s beliefs about abortion are rooted in biblical principles.
But now, the DMHC is trying to force Lisa and her church to act against these principles.
No matter where you stand on abortion, this is a violation of the First Amendment. We can all agree that every American should be free to live and work according to their faith without fear of unjust punishment by the government — especially a church like Skyline.
That’s why ADF filed a lawsuit against the state on behalf of Skyline Wesleyan Church. And last week, ADF argued this case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Please pray for this important case. Because what a Church does and does not fund should be decided by people like Lisa, not unelected bureaucrats.
Originally posted at Alliance Defending Freedom.
Maureen Collins is a Web Writer at Alliance Defending Freedom. Before joining ADF, Maureen worked in conservative think tanks in Washington, D.C. including The Federalist Society and The Heritage Foundation.
Just CANCEL your Health Insurance plan altogether
I’m old enough to remember when the Dims told us Christians not to freak out about abortion and such, to just let them do what they want and they won’t force us to do it too.
They are forcing Christians to choose to obey the law or their faith. The law is unjust, unfair, and therefore invalid.
If you want the whole USA like CA, vote for any of the democrats who are currently pretending to be candidates for the presidency.
One of a few contemporary forms of libellus imposed upon Christians in the USA.
Almost time to dust the shoes off and leave CA.
I am too but now realize how much the LEFT means their 'PROGRESSIVE' mantra! It isn't progress unless it is moving the goalposts in their direction!
Prayers for all the churches.
The nazi-Like progressives have morphed the “legality” of abortion to a “must agree with and suppoert abortion” demand on every citizen.
It was one thing to say “abortion is legal” in which everyone thought O.K. it’s legal, now you go your way - supporting it, and I’ll go mine - not supporting it. But that was not to be, the Progressives had no intention of leaving it there.
One by one they attacked that understanding in a reach to make abortion a demand that anyone in medicine or insurance or whom paid for insurance had to support, whether they agree with it or not.
We first have to take it back to the you go your way, I’ll go mine in which Roe V Wade means NOTHING more than O.K. it’s legal, but that is no demand at all on anyone, any person, any business, any medical facility, anyone in medicine, or any insurace plan that they MUST be supportive of, participate in or help provide abortions. Abortion must be left, if legal, to those who desire it and those who willingly chose to support it; it can be no legal demand on anyone else.
Rebellion time.
“Almost time to dust the shoes off and leave CA.”
I am so glad that I don’t have to “dust the shoes off and leave CA”....hubby and I nixed CA and opted for TEXAS. Tipee!
Thank you LORD for guiding us in the right direction.
Exactly.
The Lord does NOT like the wicked forcing His people to partake of their sin and the wicked will not like the judgment that is coming their way if they do not repent —and that judgment will be an exceptionally severe one.
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