Under a new rule recently announced by the Obama Administration, all organizations offering health insurance plans to their employees, including religious organizations, must cover contraceptives including birth control and the controversial morning after pill.
The decision has outraged many Christians who say the rule violates their conscience. Some Catholic leaders are now mobilizing to fight back. Catholic Advocate, a grassroots organization run by former Bush administration officials, calls the rule an "overt attack on the Catholic Church" and is calling on Catholics and all Americans who feel their religious beliefs are being trampled to take action.
The organization has created a website called, Protect Our Conscience, to arm concerned Christians with information. They're also urging folks to flood Congress with letters, calls, and emails of support for several bills aimed at overturning the rule.
Catholic Advocate President Matt Smith said, “There are 17,782 parishes in the United States. If faithful Catholics were able to average 115 letters per parish to their representative and each senator, Capitol Hill would receive over six million contacts on this issue. We would send a powerful message that cannot be ignored.”
Beltway Buzz talked to Smith about Catholic Advocate's campaign. He said the Obama Administration's decision is inspiring people who've never been activists to take action.
Smith says he was hopeful religious organizations would always enjoy conscience protections, but isn't surprised they've been stripped.