The Supreme Court has ruled 5:4 that Hobby Lobby has the right to withhold medical benefits which the Affordable Care Act mandates based upon the company’s religious beliefs. The ruling affects coverage for after the fact contraceptives such as the morning after pill, which under the ACA would be free of charge. Business and religious should not mix, there is no such thing as a religious for profit businesses. The five justices that voted for the ruling are Christians, abuse of power I’d say!
This ruling will almost certainly lead to more challenges to mandated ACA coverages by businesses based upon their religious beliefs. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dissented saying “Would the exemption … extend to employers with religiously grounded objections to blood transfusions (Jehovah’s Witnesses); antidepressants (Scientologists); medications derived from pigs, including anesthesia, intravenous fluids, and pills coated with gelatin (certain Muslims, Jews, and Hindus)?”
This ruling sets a very dangerous precedent; I believe religion and business should not be linked in any way, I believe religion is a personal preference and should not be applied to business where that belief can be forced onto it’s employees, it’s taking away people’s right to personal choice.
While Hobby Lobby claim to be a Christian company, they choose to ignore that faith when they do business with China which has terrible human rights and forceful abortion policies based upon their one child per family law. Hobby Lobby can’t claim one rule when it suits them, then ignore their religious beliefs when it benefits it’s profit margin. Yet the five justices choose to ignore that fact!