Letter to the editor: Measure needed to protect religions from the goverment

Last week in the newspaper I read an informative letter by former North Dakota Gov. George Sinner opposing Measure 3 concerning religious freedom. Until that letter, I was undecided, but now I know how I’ll vote: Yes.

After his letter (and TV scare ads suggesting it will legalize wife-beating, etc.), I went to Measure 3’s website. It laid out facts well, I thought, explaining what terms in the measure would mean if situations go to court after it’s in effect.

Sinner wrote: “The bishops’ plan is clear: any person, Catholic or not, who enters a hospital, a nursing home, a school, or some other institution with historic ties to Catholicism, will have to accept the rules and even medical limitations established by the bishop ... like it or not.”

As a Catholic, I follow Catholic teaching — so should bishops and Catholic facilities. In some areas, Church-connected child adoption agencies have closed because of rules forcing them against Catholic teaching to place children in homes of gay couples. Also, we know President Barack Obama is trying to force institutions to provide contraceptive and even abortion-causing drugs to employees — definitely against church teaching.

What if a Catholic hospital is in a state (now or in the future) which condones euthanasia? Would it have to comply? Another that might seem far-fetched is that babies be eligible for abortion for a period after birth if serious medical problems are found.

Thank you for helping me decide.

Duane Stahl

Valley City, N.D.

Tags: measure 3, opinion, letters