Mar 15, 2012
March 14, 2012‘Earthquake swarm’ shakes New Brunswick village- like ‘a bunch of dynamite going off,’ resident says
March 14, 2012 – CANADA - Residents in a small southwestern New Brunswick community may continue to feel minor earthquakes for several more days or even weeks, according to a Natural Resources Canada seismologist. McAdam has been hit with four small earthquakes since Saturday in what is known as an “earthquake swarm.” “Certainly we are seeing what we are calling an earthquake swarm,” said John Adams, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada. “It is a number of earthquakes all of similar and small size all happening in the McAdam area.” The first earthquake happened at 1:40 a.m. on March 10, which had a magnitude of 2.4. Three minutes later, an aftershock with a magnitude of 1.4 was recorded. Two more earthquakes were recorded on Tuesday within roughly 20 minutes of each other. The small quakes had magnitudes of 2.0 and 1.9 respectively. Adams said these small earthquakes could happen for several more days or even weeks. “We are absolutely certain that they are earthquakes that are underground. They are unpredictable. Of course you don’t know when the next one is going to happen,” he said. Earthquake swarms often happen in Ontario and Canada’s North, Adams said, but do not pose risks. These minor quakes are still unsettling for many people who live in the area. Gloria Nason said her house hasn’t sustained any damage and the only noticeable effect was a picture falling from the wall. But she said the events are scary. “We had two very large bursts of something, they are just like great big bangs like an explosion, very eerie, very scary,” she said. She said it felt like “a bunch of dynamite going off.” –CBC
Alaska Aleutian Island Cleveland volcano explodes for third time in a week
March 15, 2012 – ALASKA (Aleutian Islands) - Cleveland Volcano has exploded for the third time in just over a week. The latest eruption of the Aleutian volcano Tuesday afternoon was relatively small, according to a release from the Alaska Volcano Observatory. Scientists at the Observatory weren’t able detect an ash cloud associated with this event or either of the other two. There’s no real-time monitoring equipment on Cleveland. None of the recent eruptions have interrupted air travel in the region. Cleveland’s last major eruption in 2001 sent ash clouds as high as 39,000 feet. The volcano is on uninhabited Island, about 160 miles west of Unalaska. –Alaska Public
Indonesia's Lamongan Volcano Awakens From Sleep After 114 Years
March 15, 2012 – INDONESIA - A new volcano in Indonesia, Lamongan volcano in Eastern Java, is showing signs of unrest: weak steaming from its active crater and increasing earthquakes were reported by Indonesian scientists. The increase in earthquakes started on 23 February and seismicity increased again significantly on 8 March when tremor was recorded continuously the next day. CVGHM raised the Alert Level to 2 (on a scale of 1-4) on 9 March. Residents and tourists were prohibited from going within a 1-km-radius of the active crater. Lamongan is a small, relatively unknown stratovolcano east of the large Tengger massif (which contains the famous Bromo volcano). It was very active in the 19th century when it produced several lava flows, but has remained more or less silent during the past 110 years. It’s last eruption was recorded in 1898. –Volcano Discovery
Mexico's Popocatepetl Volcano Unleashes 9 Low-Level Emissions
Mexico’s Popocatépetl volcano unleashes 9 low-level emissions
March 15, 2012 – MEXICO – The National Center for Disaster Prevention (Cenapred) reported that in the last hours, the volcano Popocatepetl has expelled nine low-intensity exhalations accompanied by emissions of water vapor and gas, and sometimes small amounts of ash. The body of the Ministry of the Interior (Interior Ministry) reported that the monitoring parameters remain without important changes. He explained that at night, a glow was observed in the crater of the volcano and that for now; there has been a constant emission of steam and gas. He said the advisory code remains yellow in color phase 2 and the likelihood of prevailing moderate exhalations, some with ash emissions, and sporadic bursts of low to moderate probability of emission of incandescent fragments could be expected within walking distance of the crater. The Cenapred called for authorities to continue the safety radius of 12 kilometers around the volcano. Civil Protection has been urged to maintain preventive procedures in place, according to their operational plans and that people should keep advised to the latest news bulletins. –Cronica (translated)
Breeding Robots? Eternal Life? Who Needs God When We Will Become Gods?
File this under the madness of men. To stretch past our realm into that of God is to seek to attain His level, to become like Him, and then to overthrow Him...Psalms 2
By Megan James
Imagine uploading the contents of your brain to a supercomputer, so that even after death, you could live on in a virtual world — hanging out with your resurrected friends and family, having sex with whomever you wanted, feasting on perfected versions of your favorite foods and reaching a kind of digital enlightenment.
It sounds a lot like heaven, no?
It’s actually the vision of robotics professor and futurist Hans Moravec, who, along with popular science authors such as Ray Kurzweil, believes that our exponentially improving technology will eventually lead to what they call “singularity,” a phenomenon in which the human brain becomes one with technology. The anticipated results: greater-than-human intelligence and perpetual happiness.
“If you look at popular science books on [robotics], they tend to tell functionally religious narratives,” says Robert Geraci, a religious studies professor at Manhattan College who explores the idea that advancements in technology could grant us eternal life. He’ll join University of Vermont assistant professor of computer science Josh Bongard on Wednesday afternoon for the first in a series of conversations at Shelburne’s All Souls Interfaith Gathering that will explore the convergence of technology, humanity, spirituality and art.
The talks, moderated by the former host of “Profile” on Vermont Public Television, Fran Stoddard, are cosponsored by the Shelburne Museum, Shelburne Farms and All Souls, in conjunction with the museum’s upcoming exhibit, “Time Machines: Rockets, Robots and Steampunk.” Other speakers include Aubrey Shick, a researcher at Carnegie Mellon University who is developing a therapeutic robot for children with disabilities (she’ll bring the robot along); and Shelburne resident John Abele, the founder and cochair of medical-device company Boston Scientific.
Though it may seem counterintuitive, the crossover of religion, science and technology is fundamental, says Geraci. “Just believing that the scientific method is functional” and that the laws of physics are the same everywhere takes a leap of faith, he says. “There are certain things you have to believe in order to make science work.”
Think of our culture’s unwavering faith that pouring money into nanotechnology and robotics is going to solve humanity’s problems, Geraci suggests. “That particular faith, that technology can save us from ourselves, is really old but doesn’t have a good track record.”
Take, for instance, predator drones. “We could use robots to send them to Mars, to send them to deep-sea canyons to teach ourselves about the world,” Geraci says wistfully. “Or we could send them to kill people in other parts of the world.” The last option, he says, is a mistake.
As for that mind-uploading thing, Geraci is skeptical. While he believes that in the next few decades we may be able to begin learning languages by uploading dictionaries to our brains, he has his doubts about singularity.
Sure, we can continue to increase our machines’ computational power, but there are limits. “A really simple computer tends to work a heck of a lot better than a complicated one,” Geraci notes. “All you need to do is compare your laptop to your calculator and see which one breaks down more often.”
We may never be able to craft a machine as failsafe as the human brain. “For most of us, the brain keeps working, and it doesn’t seem to miscompute in horrible, distressing ways,” he says. “I wonder whether it’s really plausible to have software that complex that’s not incredibly brittle.” When Geraci imagines the great mind-uploaded robot, “It says about three words and then it breaks,” he says. “Or it opens its robotic eyes … and then breaks.”
With robotics rock star Bongard behind such a hypothetical project, though, you never know what could happen. Last fall, Bongard was named one of 94 winners of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, which came with a $500,000 research grant. He doesn’t build robots; he breeds them, creating virtual environments in which digital creatures can evolve.
It sounds a lot like playing God, but Bongard sees his experiments through a practical lens. “As a scientist, I’m agnostic,” he says. “I like to build machines.” Ultimately, he says, he’s interested in developing technology that helps people and exploring what it means to be adaptive.
“We often breed robots that look like they have intelligence,” says Bongard. “That’s where the philosophy comes in — what is the difference [between us and them]? When you interact with someone, they seem to have consciousness, but how do you know?”
As for the future, Bongard notes that the blending of human and technological systems has already begun. Just look at the development of retinal and cochlear implants and glasses that allow the wearer to project the internet right onto their lenses.
“The whole cyborg vision … it’s already occurring,” Bongard says.
It sounds a lot like heaven, no?
It’s actually the vision of robotics professor and futurist Hans Moravec, who, along with popular science authors such as Ray Kurzweil, believes that our exponentially improving technology will eventually lead to what they call “singularity,” a phenomenon in which the human brain becomes one with technology. The anticipated results: greater-than-human intelligence and perpetual happiness.
“If you look at popular science books on [robotics], they tend to tell functionally religious narratives,” says Robert Geraci, a religious studies professor at Manhattan College who explores the idea that advancements in technology could grant us eternal life. He’ll join University of Vermont assistant professor of computer science Josh Bongard on Wednesday afternoon for the first in a series of conversations at Shelburne’s All Souls Interfaith Gathering that will explore the convergence of technology, humanity, spirituality and art.
The talks, moderated by the former host of “Profile” on Vermont Public Television, Fran Stoddard, are cosponsored by the Shelburne Museum, Shelburne Farms and All Souls, in conjunction with the museum’s upcoming exhibit, “Time Machines: Rockets, Robots and Steampunk.” Other speakers include Aubrey Shick, a researcher at Carnegie Mellon University who is developing a therapeutic robot for children with disabilities (she’ll bring the robot along); and Shelburne resident John Abele, the founder and cochair of medical-device company Boston Scientific.
Though it may seem counterintuitive, the crossover of religion, science and technology is fundamental, says Geraci. “Just believing that the scientific method is functional” and that the laws of physics are the same everywhere takes a leap of faith, he says. “There are certain things you have to believe in order to make science work.”
Think of our culture’s unwavering faith that pouring money into nanotechnology and robotics is going to solve humanity’s problems, Geraci suggests. “That particular faith, that technology can save us from ourselves, is really old but doesn’t have a good track record.”
Take, for instance, predator drones. “We could use robots to send them to Mars, to send them to deep-sea canyons to teach ourselves about the world,” Geraci says wistfully. “Or we could send them to kill people in other parts of the world.” The last option, he says, is a mistake.
As for that mind-uploading thing, Geraci is skeptical. While he believes that in the next few decades we may be able to begin learning languages by uploading dictionaries to our brains, he has his doubts about singularity.
Sure, we can continue to increase our machines’ computational power, but there are limits. “A really simple computer tends to work a heck of a lot better than a complicated one,” Geraci notes. “All you need to do is compare your laptop to your calculator and see which one breaks down more often.”
We may never be able to craft a machine as failsafe as the human brain. “For most of us, the brain keeps working, and it doesn’t seem to miscompute in horrible, distressing ways,” he says. “I wonder whether it’s really plausible to have software that complex that’s not incredibly brittle.” When Geraci imagines the great mind-uploaded robot, “It says about three words and then it breaks,” he says. “Or it opens its robotic eyes … and then breaks.”
With robotics rock star Bongard behind such a hypothetical project, though, you never know what could happen. Last fall, Bongard was named one of 94 winners of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, which came with a $500,000 research grant. He doesn’t build robots; he breeds them, creating virtual environments in which digital creatures can evolve.
It sounds a lot like playing God, but Bongard sees his experiments through a practical lens. “As a scientist, I’m agnostic,” he says. “I like to build machines.” Ultimately, he says, he’s interested in developing technology that helps people and exploring what it means to be adaptive.
“We often breed robots that look like they have intelligence,” says Bongard. “That’s where the philosophy comes in — what is the difference [between us and them]? When you interact with someone, they seem to have consciousness, but how do you know?”
As for the future, Bongard notes that the blending of human and technological systems has already begun. Just look at the development of retinal and cochlear implants and glasses that allow the wearer to project the internet right onto their lenses.
“The whole cyborg vision … it’s already occurring,” Bongard says.
Freemasonry and the Altar of Pluralism
By logosapologia.org
My wife and I visited our nation’s capital last week. Along with perusing Smithsonian museums, the Capital building and various monuments we did something off the beaten path and visited The Hall of the Temple which is the headquarters of Scottish Rite freemasonry. Mammoth sphinxes guard the massive building styled after classical Greek temples. This YouTube clip will give you an idea of the size of the building. Completed in 1915, it was designed by John Russell Pope, architect of other notable Washington buildings, including the National Gallery of Art and the Jefferson Memorial. Many of our nation’s leaders like George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, Gerald Ford and 13 other presidents as well as Senators Charles Schumer and Robert Dole; Chief Justice Earl Warren and other Supreme Court justices have been and are Masons and Masonry is a major influence American policy. The Scottish Rite is for those who progress beyond the initial degrees of the blue lodge to more advanced involvement.We happened to arrive at a time when there were no other tourists so we were able to
get a private tour. Our tour guide was an American University intern who said he was not a Mason although I got the distinct impression that it was his ambition to become one. Once inside, Egyptian hieroglyphics and numerous esoteric symbols adorn a vast atrium. As you ascend the central staircase you discover the building’s nine-foot-thick walls hold the remains of Albert Pike and John Henry Cowles.In a second-floor inner sanctum called the Temple Room, coiling snakes of bronze flank a large wooden throne, canopied in purple velvet, referred to as the seat of the sovereign grand commander. Our tour guide generously offered that we take a seat. The room is impressive and has all of the trappings one would expect of a mystical ritual room. What I found most interesting was the central altar which featured religious texts from Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Our guide was quick to inform us that one can be a monotheist or a polytheist, as along as one believes in a creator god, one can be a mason. He also said, “…any religion other than Satanism is acceptable for obvious reasons.”
Accordingly, the details of a Mason’s religious faith are irrelevant as it pertains to membership in the Lodge. It is only necessary that he affirm a deity. So the Lodge includes Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and followers of other religions. The problem with this is obvious because most all of those religions make exclusive truth claims. It seems to me that if you are a consistent follower of any of those religions (except Hinduism) that you cannot embrace the pluralism of Masonry. As we moved through the building, we entered another smaller meeting room and it also featured a central altar with the holy books of Islam, Judaism and Christianity (see smaller altar pictured below). Is this compatible with Christianity? Most denominations say no but the Southern Baptist Convention offered a statement concluding that membership in the Lodge is “a matter of individual conscience.”[i] This anemic evaluation by the SBC has effectively served as an endorsement of the Lodge in the eyes of Masons. In The Scottish Rite Journal one Mason has concluded:
Because of your support, the vote of the Southern Baptist Convention is a historic and positive turning point for Freemasonry. Basically, it is a vitalization of our Fraternity by America’s largest Protestant denomination after nearly a year of thorough, scholarly study. At the same time, it is a call to renewed effort on the part of all Freemasons today to re-energize our Fraternity and move forward to fulfilling its mission as the world’s foremost proponent of the Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God.[ii]I think the SBC has made a grave error with such a weak statement. An overwhelming majority of denominations denounce Freemasonry as incompatible with Christianity and sources have reported that 1993 convention was overrun with masons. As a Bible believing Christian, I want to offer and argument as to why the Masonic view of the God of the Bible is inconsistent with the Bible’s claims.
The central altar contains many divergent holy books
The Apocalypse is, to those who receive the nineteenth Degree, the Apotheosis of that Sublime Faith which aspires to God alone, and despises all the pomps and works of Lucifer. LUCIFER, the Light-bearer! Strange and mysterious name to give to the Spirit of Darkness! Lucifer, the Son of the Morning! Is it he who bears the Light, and with its splendors intolerable blinds feeble, sensual, or selfish Souls? Doubt it not! for traditions are full of Divine Revelations and Inspirations: and Inspiration is not of one Age nor of one Creed. Plato and Philo, also, were inspired.[iii]In this paragraph, Pike is speaking of the book of Revelation (Apocalypse) and offers some disturbingly vague thoughts about Lucifer (from the Vulgate rendering of Isaiah 14). Many argue this is a cryptic endorsement of Luciferianism. Although it seems to be in the form of rhetorical question, the words “Doubt it not!” are not too ambiguous. Even so, what is not at all cryptic is the view that all traditions are divine revelations. Thus, we see that pluralism is inherent in and foundational to masonic philosophy. At a minimum, Freemasonry is Universalist and deistic at its core.
The Christian faith requires its adherents to give exclusive deference to the Bible. It follows necessarily that to deny the Bible’s
exclusive authority is to deny its purpose to declare that Jesus Christ alone has provided the means of salvation through his sacrificial substitutionary atonement for the sins of the world. Christians regard the Bible as the exclusive and authoritative Word of God and Jesus affirmed:Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”(Lk 24:44)The Bible claims inspiration of the Old Testament (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:19-21) and the New Testament (1 Thes 2:13; 1 Cor 2:13; 2 Pet 3:16) and it claims that salvation is exclusively through Christ (Jn 14:6; Acts 4:12). The Bible claims that this is for all people everywhere (Jn 3:16) and pertains to the whole world (Gen 17:5-9; Acts 2:39. 3:25). Because the Bible’s message is universal in scope and exclusive in efficacy, it cannot possibly be just one inspired book among many and no other religion can be correct if it is true. It’s either exclusively true or its false, the law of excluded middle applies. Thus, Freemasonry’s view of the Bible is contradictory and the altar of pluralism is an affront to its claims.
- Can a Christian be consistent and bow down at the altar of pluralism?
Russia Discloses The Iran Ultimatum: Cooperate Or Be Invaded By Year End
Submitted by Tyler
Durden
In what can only be seen as raising the rhetoric bar on the timing, scale, and seriousness of the Iran 'situation', Kommersant is reporting that "Tehran has one last chance" as US Secretary of State Clinton asks her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to relay the message to Iranian leaders. If this 'last chance' is wasted an attack will happen in months as diplomats noted that the probability of an Israel/US attack on Iran is now a specific 'when' instead of an indefinite 'if'. The sentiment is best summarized by a quote from inside the meeting "The invasion will happen before year’s end. The Israelis are de facto blackmailing Obama. They’ve put him in this interesting position – either he supports the war or loses the support of the Jewish lobby". Russian diplomats, as Russia Today points out, criticized the 'last chance' rhetoric as unprofessional suggesting "those tempted to use military force should restrain themselves - a war will not solve any problems, but create a million new ones."
In what can only be seen as raising the rhetoric bar on the timing, scale, and seriousness of the Iran 'situation', Kommersant is reporting that "Tehran has one last chance" as US Secretary of State Clinton asks her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to relay the message to Iranian leaders. If this 'last chance' is wasted an attack will happen in months as diplomats noted that the probability of an Israel/US attack on Iran is now a specific 'when' instead of an indefinite 'if'. The sentiment is best summarized by a quote from inside the meeting "The invasion will happen before year’s end. The Israelis are de facto blackmailing Obama. They’ve put him in this interesting position – either he supports the war or loses the support of the Jewish lobby". Russian diplomats, as Russia Today points out, criticized the 'last chance' rhetoric as unprofessional suggesting "those tempted to use military force should restrain themselves - a war will not solve any problems, but create a million new ones."
Obama Admin Finalizes Rules: $1 Abortions in ObamaCare
by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com
It’s official. The concern pro-life organizations had about the ObamaCare legislation funding abortions has been confirmed, as the Obama administration has issued the final rules on abortion funding governing the controversial health care law.
Nestled within the “individual mandate” in the Obamacare act — that portion of the Act requiring every American to purchase government — approved insurance or pay a penalty — is an “abortion premium mandate.” This mandate requires all persons enrolled in insurance plans that include elective abortion coverage to pay a separate premium from their own pockets to fund abortion. As a result, many pro-life Americans will have to decide between a plan that violates their consciences by funding abortion, or a plan that may not meet their health needs.
The Department of Health and Human Services has issued a final rule regarding establishment of the state health care exchanges required under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
As a knowledgeable pro-life source on Capitol Hill informed LifeNews, as authorized by Obamacare, “The final rule provides for taxpayer funding of insurance coverage that includes elective abortion” and the change to longstanding law prohibiting virtually all direct taxpayer funding of abortions (the Hyde Amendment) is accomplished through an accounting arrangement described in the Affordable Care Act and reiterated in the final rule issued today.
“To comply with the accounting requirement, plans will collect a $1 abortion surcharge from each premium payer,” the pro-life source informed LifeNews. “The enrollee will make two payments, $1 per month for abortion and another payment for the rest of the services covered. As described in the rule, the surcharge can only be disclosed to the enrollee at the time of enrollment. Furthermore, insurance plans may only advertise the total cost of the premiums without disclosing that enrollees will be charged a $1 per month fee to pay directly subsidize abortions.”
The pro-life advocate told LifeNews that the final HHS rule mentions, but does not address concerns about abortion coverage in “multi-state” plans administered by the Federal Government’s Office of Personell Management (OPM).
“There is nothing in the Affordable Care Act to prevent some OPM (government administered) plans from covering elective abortion, and questions remain about whether OPM multi-state plans will include elective abortion,” the pro-life source said. “If such plans do include abortion, there are concerns that the abortion coverage will even be offered in states that have prohibited abortion coverage in their state exchanges.”
The final rule indicates: “Specific standards for multi-state plans will be described in future rulemaking published by OPM…”
Set to go into effect in 2014, the unconstitutional provisions found in Section 1303 of the Obamacare Act compel enrollees in certain health plans to pay a separate abortion premium from their own pocket, without the ability to decline abortion coverage based on religious or moral objection.
That provision was the subject of a legal document that Bioethics Defense Fund’s Dorinda C. Bordlee, lead counsel for the group, submitted to the Supreme Court in February.
“This violates the Free Exercise Clause because religious exemptions are made for groups such as the Amish who morally object to purchasing any insurance, but no exemptions are made for Americans who have religious or moral objections to abortion,” Bordlee said.
“President Obama’s healthcare overhaul includes an ‘abortion premium mandate’ that blatantly violates the conscience rights and First Amendment religious rights of millions of Americans,” AUL president Charmaine Yoest said. “Nowhere in the Constitution does it require Americans to violate their beliefs and pay for abortions.”
ADF Senior Counsel Steven Aden says Americans should not be compelled to pay for other people’s elective abortions.
“No one should be forced to violate their conscience by paying for abortions, but that’s precisely what ObamaCare does,” he explained. “ObamaCare requires that employees enrolled in certain health plans pay a separate insurance premium specifically to pay for other people’s elective abortions and offers no opt-out for religious or moral reasons. Such a mandate cannot survive constitutional scrutiny.”
BDF president and general counsel Nikolas Nikas said the individual mandate not only forces individuals into private purchases, it also effectively mandates personal payments for surgical abortion coverage, without exemption for an individual’s religious or moral objections.
He told LifeNews in an email, “Like a Russian nesting doll, the individual mandate has nestled within it a hidden, but equally unconstitutional scheme that effectively imposes an ‘abortion premium mandate’ that violates the free exercise rights of millions of Americans who have religious objections to abortion.”
It’s official. The concern pro-life organizations had about the ObamaCare legislation funding abortions has been confirmed, as the Obama administration has issued the final rules on abortion funding governing the controversial health care law.
Nestled within the “individual mandate” in the Obamacare act — that portion of the Act requiring every American to purchase government — approved insurance or pay a penalty — is an “abortion premium mandate.” This mandate requires all persons enrolled in insurance plans that include elective abortion coverage to pay a separate premium from their own pockets to fund abortion. As a result, many pro-life Americans will have to decide between a plan that violates their consciences by funding abortion, or a plan that may not meet their health needs.
The Department of Health and Human Services has issued a final rule regarding establishment of the state health care exchanges required under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.As a knowledgeable pro-life source on Capitol Hill informed LifeNews, as authorized by Obamacare, “The final rule provides for taxpayer funding of insurance coverage that includes elective abortion” and the change to longstanding law prohibiting virtually all direct taxpayer funding of abortions (the Hyde Amendment) is accomplished through an accounting arrangement described in the Affordable Care Act and reiterated in the final rule issued today.
“To comply with the accounting requirement, plans will collect a $1 abortion surcharge from each premium payer,” the pro-life source informed LifeNews. “The enrollee will make two payments, $1 per month for abortion and another payment for the rest of the services covered. As described in the rule, the surcharge can only be disclosed to the enrollee at the time of enrollment. Furthermore, insurance plans may only advertise the total cost of the premiums without disclosing that enrollees will be charged a $1 per month fee to pay directly subsidize abortions.”
The pro-life advocate told LifeNews that the final HHS rule mentions, but does not address concerns about abortion coverage in “multi-state” plans administered by the Federal Government’s Office of Personell Management (OPM).
“There is nothing in the Affordable Care Act to prevent some OPM (government administered) plans from covering elective abortion, and questions remain about whether OPM multi-state plans will include elective abortion,” the pro-life source said. “If such plans do include abortion, there are concerns that the abortion coverage will even be offered in states that have prohibited abortion coverage in their state exchanges.”
The final rule indicates: “Specific standards for multi-state plans will be described in future rulemaking published by OPM…”
Set to go into effect in 2014, the unconstitutional provisions found in Section 1303 of the Obamacare Act compel enrollees in certain health plans to pay a separate abortion premium from their own pocket, without the ability to decline abortion coverage based on religious or moral objection.
That provision was the subject of a legal document that Bioethics Defense Fund’s Dorinda C. Bordlee, lead counsel for the group, submitted to the Supreme Court in February.
“This violates the Free Exercise Clause because religious exemptions are made for groups such as the Amish who morally object to purchasing any insurance, but no exemptions are made for Americans who have religious or moral objections to abortion,” Bordlee said.
“President Obama’s healthcare overhaul includes an ‘abortion premium mandate’ that blatantly violates the conscience rights and First Amendment religious rights of millions of Americans,” AUL president Charmaine Yoest said. “Nowhere in the Constitution does it require Americans to violate their beliefs and pay for abortions.”
ADF Senior Counsel Steven Aden says Americans should not be compelled to pay for other people’s elective abortions.
“No one should be forced to violate their conscience by paying for abortions, but that’s precisely what ObamaCare does,” he explained. “ObamaCare requires that employees enrolled in certain health plans pay a separate insurance premium specifically to pay for other people’s elective abortions and offers no opt-out for religious or moral reasons. Such a mandate cannot survive constitutional scrutiny.”
BDF president and general counsel Nikolas Nikas said the individual mandate not only forces individuals into private purchases, it also effectively mandates personal payments for surgical abortion coverage, without exemption for an individual’s religious or moral objections.
He told LifeNews in an email, “Like a Russian nesting doll, the individual mandate has nestled within it a hidden, but equally unconstitutional scheme that effectively imposes an ‘abortion premium mandate’ that violates the free exercise rights of millions of Americans who have religious objections to abortion.”
