Obama moving US towards despotism say bishops as huge clash with Catholic Church looms

The following is an article taken from Alive.

A major confrontation between US Catholics and Barack Obama is looming over freedom of conscience and religion.

In a stark warning released on video on the internet, America’s bishops say that the US is in danger of moving towards “despotism” under Obama.

The bishops were responding to the news that the Obama administration intends to abolish rules which guarantee that health workers cannot be forced to do what they believe is evil.

“As Catholic bishops and American citizens, we are deeply concerned that such an action would be the first step in moving our country from democracy to despotism,” says spokesman Cardinal Francis George.

“Respect for personal conscience and freedom of religion ensures our basic freedom from government oppression,” says the Chicago Cardinal. “No government should come between an individual person and God.”

Noting that this was common ground for all Americans, he continues: “We need legal protection for freedom of conscience and of religion—including freedom for religious health care institutions to be true to themselves.”

“Why shouldn’t our government and our legal system permit conscientious objection to a morally bad action, the killing of babies in their mother's womb?” he asked.

“People understand what really happens in an abortion—a living member of the human family is killed, ... and no one should be forced by the government to act as though he or she were blind to this reality.”

He urged Catholics to tell the Department of Health “that you stand for the protection of conscience, especially now for those who provide the health care services so necessary for a good society.”

Earlier, speaking in Oxford, Cardinal Pell of Sydney warned of “a major escalation in the culture wars” if Obama goes ahead and signs into law a proposed ‘Freedom of Choice Act’.

This would sweep away all state restrictions on abortion. It would also “remove any protections in legislation for doctors, nurses, and hospitals with moral objections to abortion.

“I am still hoping,” said the Cardinal “that the President will not trigger such a massive confrontation with pro-life Christians

Obama plans to trample on the Freedom of Conscience of Doctors and Nurses who refuse to participate in abortions

On January 20th 2009 The Bush administration introduced a federal rule that allows doctors and nurses to decline to perform abortions for moral or religious reasons. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare workers can refuse to participate in any procedure they find morally objectionable. Without the policy, doctors, nurses and others could be forced to participate in abortions or to dispense the abortifacient morning after pill, even if to do so would violate their core beliefs. This was a major step forward in the fight to protect the life of the unborn.
Unfortunately Barack Obama-who is a pro abortion extremist-has decided to rescind a policy that protects the conscience and rights of American health care workers. On February 27th 2009 the proposal to rescind the Bush rule was quietly put forward by the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department.
The following appears in the Susan B Anthony List and emphasizes the gravity of the situation:

I recently received an e-mail from Mary, health care worker and SBA List member, in Virginia, who told me,
“I can assure you that my colleagues and myself will leave the profession rather than be forced to participate in such activities...I will not go against the beliefs I have lived my entire life following. Our country already has a critical shortage of nurses, doctors, and technicians to care for the growing population who require experienced, dedicated workers to provide the extremely difficult and highly technical procedures available. We have to take an oath to 'do no harm' before we receive our license to work. I honor my promises, no matter the cost to me personally."

A petition against Obama's proposals may be signed here. Obama is prepared to trample on the rights of the unborn and healthcare workers to fulfil his culture of death agenda. Has the man no regard to the Fifth Commandment?