Religious leaders sue to block Missouri's abortion ban

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JIM SALTER 58 minutes ago

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A group of religious leaders who support abortion rights filed a lawsuit on Thursday challenging Missouri’s law that bans abortions in nearly all cases, saying lawmakers openly invoked their religious beliefs while drafting the measure and thereby imposed those beliefs on others who don’t share them.

The lawsuit filed in St. Louis is the latest of many to challenge restrictive abortion laws enacted by conservative states after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. That landmark ruling left abortion rights up to each state to decide.

Since then, religious abortion rights supporters have increasingly used religious freedom lawsuits in seeking to protect abortion access. The religious freedom complaints are among nearly three dozen post-Roe lawsuits that have been filed against 19 states’ abortion bans, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.

The Missouri lawsuit brought on behalf of 13 Christian and Jewish leaders seeks a permanent injunction barring the state from enforcing its abortion law and a declaration that provisions of its law violate the Missouri Constitution.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-health-missouri-state-government-legal-proceedings-05d21a1234877ffcd358ad74bebe4472?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=TopNews&utm_campaign=position_07

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[Hekate]

1. This is not a "Christian nation," the Evangelicals are not the only religion, they don't speak for...

…all Christians, and they certainly don’t speak for the multitudes of people who are not Christian.

Thank God (if I may be so bold) that the woman-hating monsters are being vigorously challenged in courts on the same grounds they themselves set out: religion enshrined into law.

[OMGWTF]

7. I would argue that Evangelicalism is not a religion but a cult.

I have seen it up close and personal. Those people are irredeemable and unreachable.

[Aristus]

10. I don't know if that's 100% true.

When I met her, Mrs. Aristus was a conservative evangelical Christian who voted Republican 100% of the time. Don't ask me how we fell in love and remain deliriously happy to this day. But suffice it to say that such views were never a good fit for her; she's intelligent, compassionate, good-hearted, and the most clear-thinking person I know.

It was a long transformation for her, but today, she is a far-left, LGBTQ-friendly, gun-control supporting liberal Democrat.

[Ferrets are Cool]

14. I am so happy for you.

If I had not met wifey, I am positive she would still be a card carrying repug. It is rare, but it can happen.

[Rebl2]

11. 👆

[sakabatou]

2. Hmm... this could be a way of waging war against the bans

If they're basing the bans off of religion, then the bans are unconstitutional.

[NullTuples]

17. It started last Summer, in Florida. If enough lawsuits piled up & reached Federal courts...

"South Florida synagogue files lawsuit against overturning of Roe v. Wade, say it violates beliefs"
https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2022/07/04/south-florida-jewish-group-files-lawsuit-against-roe-v-wade-say-it-violates-beliefs/

"Faith-based groups sue to overturn Florida's 15-week abortion ban
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of multiple religious groups, including Reform Judaism, Buddhism, the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist Church."
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/02/florida-15-week-abortion-ban-faith-groups-00049241

[ProudMNDemocrat]

3. OPPOSITION to Abortion IS primarily Religious

Rather than being argued on Legal/Constitutional grounds.

Same goes for Marriage Equality.

[calimary]

9. Weren't we supposed to be a secular nation?

Leave the religious stuff in churches. If I wanted to hear religion promoted openly, that’s where I’d want to find it. In churches. NOT in City Council chambers or the mayor’s/governor’s offices.

[Rebl2]

13. We were supposed

to be, but people seem to ignore that anymore.

[BOSSHOG]

15. Let's do away with the separation of church and state

And turn loose the assessors. The radical right wing Christian conservative church’s in this country don’t give a damn about the separation and they have knuckle dragging republicans helping them push the envelope. Fine. Let’s assess the Catholic Church properties and send the bill to the pope, payable upon receipt with a note explaining why.

Catholics spent over 4 million tax exempt dollars in an attempt to ban abortion in Kansas. No one blinked an eye. The attempt failed miserably. That would have bought 800,000 meals on wheels to help feed old folk, ya know, a Christian gesture. WWJD. I’d say he’d kick some radical ass, as hard as any other fictional character would.

We are now finding religion in the voting. Time to turn loose the assessors.

[NullTuples]

18. The RCC also created & funded (w/ the LDS) California's Prop 8 against marriage equality...

But Churches are already breaking the law, specifically the Johnson Amendment that prohibits endorsement of candidates. They've been doing so since 2007 without being called on it (ie without being investigated and prosecuted) thanks to coordinated efforts over the years by various Republicans. By 2012, Catholic Bishops were posting YouTube videos endorsing republicans, and taking out full page purchased op-ed pieces in newspapers. By 2016, Evangelicals and Catholics were *daring* the IRS to investigate and prosecute them, knowing full well that DC Republicans had made that impossible.

[calimary]

21. And it's LONG PAST time to do so.

I remember attending Mass as a kid and just marveling at all the gold everywhere. And the brocades. And photos of the Pope wearing fabulous robed in velvets and fine silks, some with ermine trim.

And it always looked, to me, like “gee, Your Holiness, it sure doesn’t look like you and yours are hurting for money…”

[appalachiablue]

4. K/R

[republianmushroom]

5. like it

[mountain grammy]

6. Alito plus 5 decided to establish their religion

on the rest of us and they're not going to stop. They clearly believe they are superior beings.

[Fiendish Thingy]

8. I like it! Bravo! Nt

[Snackshack]

12. Why

Does religion still enjoy a tax exempt status in this country?

They were supposed to leave politics out of the pulpit instead they have wallpapered the church with politics. They should no longer enjoy tax exempt status.

There are many small basically family run churches throughout the country. Those that have respected the line between the church and state their status should be reviewed But these mega churches raking in millions, sponsoring candidates and now suing have worn out their welcome.

[NullTuples]

19. Why? Because they funnel money and loyalties into politicians coffers...

But also, churches are categorized as non-profit entities, none of which pay those taxes.

However, unlike ALL other non-profits, only churches get to keep their finances a secret. No filing money-in, money-out statements with the IRS like all other NPO's must do.

That is their weak point; if they had to file that paperwork it would hobble them as it would reveal just how political they are, and how blatantly they use donations for political ends (and more often than nearly anyone realizes, personal gain too).

[keithbvadu2]

20. Freedom of religion