"BlackWater" <bw@barrk.net> wrote in message
news:uds8405r3ajmhdlfkjmj6aceumaan1rs6s@4ax.com...

(CNN)
SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- In a precedent-setting
decision, the California Supreme Court ruled Monday that a Roman
Catholic charity must offer birth-control coverage to its
employees even though the church considers contraception a sin.

The 6-1 decision marked the first such ruling by a state's
highest court. Experts said the ruling could affect thousands of
workers at Catholic hospitals and other church-backed
institutions in California and prompt other states to fashion
similar laws.

California is one of 20 states to require that all
company-provided health plans must include contraception coverage
if the plans have prescription drug benefits.

The high court said that Catholic Charities is no different from
other businesses in California, where "religious employers" such
as churches are exempt from the requirement. Catholic Charities
argued that it, too, should be exempt.

But the Supreme Court ruled that the charity is not a religious
employer because it offers such secular services as counseling,
low-income housing and immigration services to people of all
faiths, without directly preaching Catholic values.

In fact, Justice Kathryn Werdegar wrote that a "significant
majority" of the people served by the charity are not Catholic.
The court also noted that the charity employs workers of
differing religions.

The California Catholic Conference, which represents the church's
policy position in the state, said it was disappointed with the
ruling and feared that it could open the door to mandated
insurance coverage of abortion.

"It shows no respect to our religious organizations," said
spokeswoman Carol Hogan.

The American Civil Liberties Union applauded the ruling and
called it "a great victory for California women and reproductive
freedom."

. . . . .

As an ACLU member, I'm deeply ashamed of this
"great victory" - and plan to tell them about it.

This is the key:

But the Supreme Court ruled that the charity is not a religious employer
because it offers such secular services as counseling, low-income housing
and immigration services to people of all faiths, without directly

Catholic values.

If they are to be considered religious, they have to be consistent. They
can't be "faith based," they have to be religious or not religious.