Is It "Of" or "From"?

You may have heard of 'Reverend' Barry Lynn, director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State?  Well, it seems he has filed a complaint with the IRS against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria, Ill. claiming the diocese broke federal rules when the Bishop spoke out against the President's 'unconstitutional' mandate forcing Catholic institutions to pay for birth control for employees, against church doctrine.   

It appears the Bishop criticized the policies proposed by the Obama administration requiring all employers including religious groups to provide free birth control coverage in their health care plans and pointed out other government challenges the Catholic Church has previously overcome including campaigns by Hitler and Stalin.

Additionally,  Bishop Daniel Jensky, in his homily to the congregation, reminded them of the vote this fall and said that every practicing Catholic must vote and they should vote their Catholic consciences or by the following fall their Catholic schools, hospitals, Newman Centers and all their public ministries - except the church buildings - could easily be shut down.  (This is true as all religious affiliates, as mentioned, have one year to come into compliance with the contraceptive mandate.) 

Churches do have the ability to "educate members of the public about viewpoints of candidates" and "discuss church doctrine pertaining to candidate views such as abortion, homosexuality and marriage".    (see lc.org  under Resources).  The Bishop may have tread a fine line but it is my opinion that church leaders, Catholic and otherwise, have been remiss in reminding their congregants of  their moral obligations  far too long.  This is where silence has gotten us!

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According to news reports, Christian students at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. have their own religious intolerance to deal with.   It would seem a new administration policy requires that "all comers" be eligible for leadership in student organizations, even if they don't share the group's faith.  Under this  policy, campus groups' leadership requirements can no longer discriminate on race, faith, gender or sexual orientation.   Already, an existing group's application to keep its recognition has been denied because its constitution lists one of its criteria for officer selection be a "personal commitment to Jesus Christ".  Eleven Christian student organizations at the university issued a joint statement refusing to comply with the "all comers" policy as they are faith-based groups dedicated to sharing the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ on campus and as such cannot allow those who do not share their faith to lead their ministries.

The university maintains that its "all-comers" policy encourages tolerance (is that the same as 'tolerance for thee but not for me?).  The Vice Chancellor for public affairs at the university, Beth Fortune, said the policy is about nondiscrimination, not religious freedom!  Huh?

According to the Nashville City Pages, 23 Republicans in the Tennessee House have addressed a letter to the board of trustees urging reconsideration.

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 So, what does the 1st Amendment to the Constitution say again?

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,

or prohibiting the free exercise, thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech....."