All of the Bishops Reject Health Care Bill: It Fails To Protect Human Life

CNA reported this today:

All of the Catholic bishops in Texas released a statement on health care reform on Tuesday, warning that the legislation currently under consideration does not adequately ensure the protection of all human life.

The statement issued by the Texas Catholic Conference, which represents all 15 dioceses in Texas, said that the bishops “hope that our national leaders will work together to bring about genuine life-affirming reform to our nation’s health care system.” 


“Our Catholic moral tradition teaches that every human being, from the moment of conception to natural death, has an innate dignity that entitles him or her to certain rights and protections, including the fundamental right to life and the right to affordable health care, which flows from the right to life,” they stated. However, the bishops of Texas also said that they are concerned that the current proposed reforms do not respect these human rights. They singled out the Capps Amendment for criticism, saying that it “does not adequately ensure the protection of all human life.” 

Last night Marcel at Aggie Catholics shared this story with the blogosphere, and today, Thomas, The American Papist, adds these Bishops to the list he has been compiling for over a month now on U.S. Bishops who vigorously oppose the current health care reform proposals being debated in Congress. I agree with the point Thomas makes there -- that the message they are sending out is very clear -- it is against Catholic teaching to support the health care bill as it currently exists based on the above statement -- in short, it does not adequately protect all human life  -- from the moment of conception to natural death. 

The Bishops want "genuine life-affirming reform" not this phony and deceptive bill the Obama admisnistration is attempting to force upon us. The advocates and creators of this bill want us to believe that abortion isn't going to be covered (at the tax-payers expense) and  that there will not be rationing for the elderly and disabled and that this will all be done without massive tax increases. They are trying to make us believe that it is wise for us to give up our privacy and control (individual decision making) and let the government control this aspect of our lives. We'll be so much better off that way, they claim. These culture of death advocates think we can't see through their trickery, but God has gifted us with His wisdom and discernment so that we will remain faithful and obedient to His laws and His commands, not those of our secular society. I am grateful to these Bishops who have spoken out -- for, we as Catholics, look to the leadership of  the Church to shepherd us and to point us to the truth.