Church should be respectful of laws

We live in confusing, often contentious times. Nowhere is this more apparent than within the Catholic Church. The recent selection of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney’s vice presidential pick is an example. By now many Herald readers are aware of the controversial nature of the Ryan/GOP budget. Ryan’s budget proposes cuts to Medicaid, food stamps, welfare and Social Security, and the transitioning of Medicare from its present form to a voucher system. Ryan’s budget also cuts taxes for the wealthy, thereby awarding them some $4 trillion in tax cuts over the same period.

In response the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has repudiated Ryan’s budget proposals saying, “A just spending bill cannot rely on disproportionate cuts in essential services to poor and vulnerable persons ...” In their road shows, Nuns On The Bus have also added their condemnation of the Ryan budget. We also see the church attacking “Obamacare” as an affront to religious freedom in its dispensing of contraceptives.

As a Catholic of over 75 years I try to be respectful of the church’s teachings, but I have some difficulty accepting the church’s logic. No one, certainly not President Obama, is restricting Catholics or non-Catholics from the free exercise of their religion. What I see, however, is where the church wants the freedom to deny insurance coverage for contraception to Catholic and non-Catholic women in their employ in spite of their rights as citizens under the new law.

Jesus came into the world to forgive our sins and to show believers the way to salvation. He basically preached love and forgiveness. At no time did he advocate civil disobedience. I would hope the church would be mindful of Christ’s civic example and be respectful of the law to which all citizens are entitled.

Fred Arenas

Arlington Heights