I'm a Catholic with split thoughts on abortion - I believe they should be legal for practical reasons (no one wants to return to days of back-alley abortion clinics), but we should do anything in our power to reduce the need for them. This includes increasing the availability of contraceptives to those who don't want to have children, but also support for single mothers and other struggling families.

I've had quite a few thoughts about this issue since it was brought up a few weeks ago during a sermon by our priest. (Want to talk about separation of Church and State, btw? What happened to no politics on the pulpit?) After some looking into it, I think the mandate is fine.

First, let's get it in the open - they are opposed to mandate that insurers cover abortion. The vast majority of Catholics support and use birth control (something like 98% of sexually active Catholic women have used it). If bishops and priests don't get that, they need to get their asses and get out of the 18th century.

Next, notice that they always mentions "Religious Institutions" having to pay for the insurance, implying that they are talking about Churches. This is false, Churches, religious organizations and other places of worship are allowed to get exemptions. It's places like Church run schools and hospitals, places where the majority of employees may not even be of the religion, that the insurance mandate affects.

Secondly, I don't see the outcry coming from them about having to fund executions and wars. They always say "pro life from contraception til natural death," but the truth of the matter is that the majority of their complaints come in opposition to abortion.

Finally, where does it end? Should Jews and Muslims not be required to pay taxes for meat inspectors for non Kosher/Halal meat? What about Quakers funding the armed forces? Amish people funding roads?!

The truth of the matter is that, for better or worse, we all pay in part for things we morally oppose or don't use. That's just the nature of government. You can't make a successful government run purely on donations, and I wouldn't want to live somewhere where the only form of voting is done with your wallet.