{"id":1275,"date":"2011-10-03T13:30:10","date_gmt":"2011-10-03T17:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/faithandjustice\/?p=1275"},"modified":"2011-11-29T15:32:10","modified_gmt":"2011-11-29T20:32:10","slug":"jay-sekulow-new-assault-on-faith-based-organizations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/2011\/10\/jay-sekulow-new-assault-on-faith-based-organizations.html","title":{"rendered":"Jay Sekulow: New Assault on Faith-Based Organizations"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>It\u2019s a disturbing development \u2013 an assault on the conscience rights of people of all faiths. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed a potentially crippling policy change aimed squarely at imposing a pro-choice agenda on America\u2019s religious institutions in their role as employers.<\/p>\n

Under the Interim Final Rule on Preventive Services published by HHS on August 3, 2011, HHS has mandated that all health insurance plans cover prescription contraceptives, sterilization, and related patient education and counseling. Perhaps more troubling, the Interim Rule includes a narrow \u201creligious employer\u201d exemption that will extend to only a very select group of religious employers.<\/p>\n

That would mean that churches or other religious organizations that do not fit within the narrow exemption would be required to cover contraceptives in their employee health plans against their firmly held religious beliefs.<\/p>\n

The ACLJ has taken action to protect the conscience rights of those who object to this dangerous new rule<\/a>. We have filed formal comments, posted here, with HHS on behalf of the Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of St. Cecilia of Nashville, Tennessee, also known as The Nashville Dominicans.<\/p>\n

The Sisters, who teach in some 36 schools nationwide including Aquinas College in Nashville, currently employ nearly 300 people and would fall under the new rule\u2019s mandate. The comments urge HHS to abandon the coercive policy set forth in the Interim Rule.<\/p>\n

In our comments filed with HHS, we describe the potential harm that the rule will inflict on the Congregation and other faith-based organizations if left unchecked:<\/p>\n

In their 151-year history, the Nashville Dominicans have, with the help of God, survived a Civil War on their doorstep, deadly epidemics, devastating floods, economic depression and tumultuous social upheaval. Today, however, they face a new, more insidious threat \u2014 their own government. Should HHS persist in implementing the Interim Rule and its contraceptive mandate without major modifications, the Congregation will be forced to curtail its mission. What war and disease could not do to the Congregation, the government of the United States will do. It will shut them down.<\/p>\n

ACLJ Senior Counsel Francis J. Manion said it best, “The proposed HHS mandate is an outrageous assault on the religious liberty of all Americans. If allowed to stand, it would mean that the Obama Administration will be defining what is and what is not a ‘religious employer.'”<\/p>\n

This proposed regulation should be disturbing to people of all faiths. As Manion said, “The Administration’s narrow definition of ‘religious’ would exclude Jesus and his ministry and would have a devastating impact on the outreach efforts of religious organizations of all denominations. HHS must reverse this ill-considered and dangerous policy without delay.”<\/p>\n

The ACLJ will continue to fight to ensure that HHS reverses this ill-conceived and harmful policy.<\/p>\n

Stay in touch with ACLJ and our work on our website<\/a> and the Jay Sekulow<\/a> page.<\/p>\n

Jay Sekulow<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s a disturbing development \u2013 an assault on the conscience rights of people of all faiths. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed a potentially crippling policy change aimed squarely at imposing a pro-choice agenda on America\u2019s religious institutions in their role as employers. 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He is also Chief Counsel of the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ). Jay Sekulow is one of the leading defenders of constitutional rights and religious liberties in the United States. Over the past 25 years, Jay Sekulow has amassed an unparalleled record of accomplishment, arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court on 12 occasions. His aggressive litigation strategy before the Supreme Court has led to many landmark First Amendment victories. In his first case before the Supreme Court, Jews for Jesus, Jay Sekulow secured the right of religious groups to pass out tracks in airports. In Mergens, Jay Sekulow successfully protected the right of students to form Bible clubs and prayer groups on public school campuses. In Lamb\u2019s Chapel, Jay Sekulow cleared the way for churches to have equal access to public facilities in the same way that other groups are permitted to utilize those facilities. In the Bray and Operation Rescue cases, Jay Sekulow protected the free speech rights of pro-life advocates to be free from criminal prosecution for conveying their pro-life message. In McConnell v. FEC, Jay Sekulow protected the right of young people to engage in the political process by donating to the campaign of their choice. In Pleasant Grove, Jay Sekulow paved the way for governments to be able to display Ten Commandments monuments, and other monuments of their choosing, in public parks. Through the ACLJ, Jay Sekulow engages the political, legal, and cultural battles facing America today. He routinely works with Members of Congress, advising them on proposed legislation and representing them in critical legal matters. Jay Sekulow has also testified before Congress on the constitutionality of proposed legislation. Also, in addition to being a successful Supreme Court advocate, Jay Sekulow is a highly respected broadcaster. Jay Sekulow is the host of Jay Sekulow Live! which airs each weekday on over 850 radio stations nationwide, in addition Sirius and XM satellite radio. He brings insight and education to listeners daily through this national call-in radio program. He is also the host of the ACLJ This Week, the ACLJ\u2019s weekly television program. Jay Sekulow regularly appears on major media outlets, including FOX News, CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC, where he is sought out for his vast experience in constitutional law and his unique insight into many of the pressing legal and political issues facing America today. He is frequently quoted in the nation's leading newspapers and often contributes opinion editorials to national publications. Jay Sekulow has also published numerous law review and other scholarly articles. Jay Sekulow has received numerous honors for his groundbreaking legal work in the area of free speech and religious liberties. The Legal Times has named Sekulow one of \u201cThe 90 Greatest Washington Lawyers of the Last 30 Years\u201d and the National Law Journal has twice named Sekulow one of the \u201c100 Most Influential Lawyers\u201d in the United States. In addition, TIME Magazine listed Jay Sekulow as one of the \"25 Most Influential Evangelicals\" in America. Jay Sekulow\u2019s legal work in defense of religious liberties and human rights extends beyond the United States, having founded the ECLJ in Strasbourg, France, which maintains consultative status with the United Nations. He has also opened offices in Pakistan, Africa, and Jerusalem, Israel. Jay Sekulow is a staunch defender of Israel, presenting arguments before the International Criminal Court at the Hague. His efforts in support of Israel\u2019s right to defend itself from terrorist attacks have been commended by Israeli government officials, one official stating, \"Jay was instrumentally-involved in projects that the President of Israel and the Prime Minister put on our national agenda.\" Jay Sekulow also has a passion for educating the next generation of religious liberty advocates. He is a member of the Regent University Law School Faculty as a Distinguished Professor of Law and routinely teaches courses on constitutional law and presents guest lectures. Jay Sekulow has also started educational programs in international human rights law in Strasbourg, France and at Handong University in South Korea. Jay Sekulow is a graduate of Mercer University, earning both a bachelor\u2019s degree and doctor of jurisprudence. Sekulow served on the editorial staff of the Mercer Law Review and graduated cum laude. He later earned a Ph.D. from Regent University, writing his dissertation on American Legal History. Jay Sekulow also serves on the Board of Trustees for The Supreme Court Historical Society in Washington, D.C. Jay Sekulow, ACLJ Chief Counsels full biography and video. Jay Sekulow on Facebook. Jay Sekulow on Twitter. Jay Sekulow on YouTube.","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/author\/jay_sekulow"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1275","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/401"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1275"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1275\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1281,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1275\/revisions\/1281"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1275"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1275"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1275"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}