Try to remember what it is that the article said - that the bishops are willing to go to jail rather than comply with Obamacare and the HHS mandate.
My point was that this is false bravado because NO BISHOP WILL GO TO JAIL for failure to comply with Obamacare generally or the HHS mandate specifically.
The government will not criminally prosecute, just impose civil fines and penalties. And it's just a bit of paper shuffling to take the money.
Certainly, the faithful can pony up more money to the Church. And to the degree that the money they give exceeds what the government takes in fines, penalties and taxes, the bishops will have stuff left over.
But 1) don't think the federal government will not exact its tribute and 2) don't think they need to jail bishops to accomplish that task.
sitetest
Half the problem is that Conservatives won't get masses of pissed off people in the streets but that's all the left understands.
Fortunately, I feel sure this will be different. There are more than a few Bishops who would very publicly lead demonstrations over those Civil fines and/or asset seizures, and I suspect the crowds supporting them will get very big, very fast. US media or not, the international media will have plenty of "photo ops" with Bishops, Priests, and little old ladies, being arrested or attacked by violent counter-demonstrators.
If history is any guide, though, millions of people who claim to be Conservative Christians will ignore the First Amendment implications and snicker at Catholics getting the shaft from the government. That's they what they did in the 1870s when the Catholic Church warned that public schools rather than a voucher system would lead to a secular, atheist, society where religion would be suppressed by the government.
I agree no cleric will do any jail time. I was just pointing out the flaw in Evil’s plan to attack the Church. They’re gonna’ piss of the ACTUAL church. The faithful.