Lesbians Sue Catholic Hospital for Denying Spousal Health Care Benefits: Pick a Side?

if it is in new york than yes the hospital must offer spousal benefits.

Here's the NYTimes story. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/0...

ok libby seeing i just said they had to give it to them why would i waste my time reading the article. never have understood libs

Don't bother with him, it's a waste of time.

No it's a Church stud. In fact all groups of Christians are THE CHURCH. People are theh Church NOT the building they happen to be in or because it has a cross on the door,

No dude, a Church consists of it's members. A hospital is a business (profit or nonprofit) which must conform to state rules.

Sorry but the hospital is an extension of the Church.

If it serves only church members and it only hires church members. Once it serves or hires one person beyond that it comes under business not church rules.

Sorry but the are a religious organization that is serving the public, not a business. They are not forcing this person to work there. They made the choice to work there.

Don't REDEFINE the Catholic Church or its mission service agents and assigns. If the Hospital is BUSINESS, IT CARES FOR THOSE PATIENTS NOT BECAUSE IT HAS TO BUT BECAUSE IT WANTS TO AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF ITS STOCK HOLDERS AND PATIENTS. AS CUSTOMERS. iT ALSO RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE BUSINESS TO ANYONE NO DIFFERENT THAN A CHRISTIAN DOCTOR REFUSING TO DO AN ABORTION.

[...]

It is unchristian to attack people for their beliefs. You have been flagged and blocked.

They stand by their convictions.

The Catholic Hospital has every right to deny spousal benefits to lesbian partners. No one is forcing her to work there. These people purposelly pick these situations to undermine the Church and try to get publicity for their sick causes.

Bingo!

What sick causes? I can't really think of any sick causes they would have.

its funny how the government is willing to make religions chose between abandoning their beliefs or their charitable works ...but in the end that is the point isn't it ...to force churches to withdraw so that government can take over yet another segment of our lives LOL

If they didnt want to follow catholic rules they shouldnt have went to work there in the first place.

They could have gone somewhere else. The church has principals and they don't have to violate their religious beliefs for a couple of publicity hungry lesbians.

Let's be fair-- in this economy, it can be kind of hard to find a job.

It can be especially hard when you're in a relationship with someone and you're trying to support your family, and you're being denied benefits.

So what's the odds of actually being able to DO that? To go to another hospital and work there and not lose everything, just to get those spousal benefits?

I'll bet they knew the rules before the fact and I'm sure the Catholic Hospital had rules. If they didn't like it they had a choice and now it's all about money and publicity.

I dunno, really? They just want the hospital to give them the benefits that are offered to all other spousal couples, is that too much to ask? If I were them, I would have taken it to court too, but it wouldn't be for the publicity. I'd just want them to give me my due, and then everything would be fine and dandy.

What if these women are Catholic, too? What if they strongly believe in what this hospital does and have a good working relationship with it?

If the women are Catholic then they know they are sinners in the eyes of the church. Which would mean they also knew they wouldn't get spousal support for their marriage that isn't accepted by the church.

"If the women are Catholic then they know they are sinners in the eyes of the church."

Surprisingly, everyone who ever attends church believes themselves to be sinners, but it doesn't seem to stop most people from attending nonetheless.

Of course you are right about many sinners in church, but most sinners in church are trying to change their ways and live closer to Gods word. Just not gays they are trying to force the churchs to accept them and their deviant behavior.

Different people have a different idea of what god's word entails. God said to love and show acceptance in one hand, and demands violence and smiting in the other. It's really very difficult for people to adhere to every aspect of it, or to be utterly devout to it to the point where they place it above all other considerations in their life.

I don't consider being gay to be bad. I don't think there's anything wrong with it. That said, I think a church has the right to say, "We won't perform this ceremony for you" or "we would rather not serve you here", and that's fine. The church is like a home for people-- they get to decide who comes in and what happens behind their doors. But in a business open to the public, I think they should be subject to the law just like everyone else.

If one or both of these women are Catholic, they can be gay and believe they're fine in the eyes of god while also following other tenets of Catholicism. Or, even if they're not Catholic, they might appreciate a religiously-associated hospital the same way someone might still apply to Duke University (despite it having religious roots and associations), or the way I go to a private religious school. I'm not Christian, but I still attend chapel, and I love my school. And I wouldn't want to give all of that up if something like this happened, where I was being denied something on an unfair basis (e.g: gender, ethnicity, sexuality, etc.)

Your confusing opinion with Church teachings. You can be gay and go to church, just as you can be a hooker and go to church, but in order to reach heaven you must acknowledge your sins and make penance. I don't dislike gay folks, I pray for their salvation. As I do for all other sinners. Including myself and my family. We are human, and as such we don't always have the best judgement and fall prey to temptation and sin. Its in our own best interest to try and get closer to God and his teachings. You have expressed yourself and I have replied, now I'm through talking on this subject.

"You have expressed yourself and I have replied, now I'm through talking on this subject."

No. I'm sorry, but I'm not through. I have one last thing to say.

The bible teaches love. Two people who love each other and want to marry are following in the Bible's teachings. The fact that they're the same sex is not something they have much choice in, because it either means they must live a lie-- pretend to be straight-- or never find happiness with another person at all. I can't imagine god making immutable qualities in a person, and then demanding that they go against their very nature in such a way that it will end up hurting them and others around them.

To suggest otherwise seems very contradictory.

The hospital didn't ask her to work for them. She applied to the hospital. She knew the rules going in. Case closed.

It's not case closed. The hospital is a business subject to the same rules and regulations as all other hospitals.

That can go both ways, lets be fair -- in this economy any job is hard to come by so why complain about benefits that are provided at will by the employer let alone sue the very employer that has provided you with a way to support your family.

The only thing lawsuits like that achieve is to make employers unwilling to even hire people from the homosexual community.

I support marriage equality, but this is too much.

Do you think Jesus would approve of a homosexual marriage?

I believe government should not promote perversion.

Judge not lest you be judged. It is not perversion.

Wrong.

Jesus commanded us to choose righteousness and support morality.

Jesus himself regularly judged people.

You quote an event where Jesus intervened in a lynching of a woman for adultery.

You prove you do not understand the Holy Bible or the concept of passing judgement.

Funny thing is by telling ME 'judge not' and writing 'it is not perversion' YOU ARE IN FACT MAKING A JUDGEMENT.

You mock yourself.

The obvious response to the question you refused to answer is:

NO, Jesus would not approve of homosexual marriage.

thou art correct.

Ignore FanOreily. He's a troll of massive proportions, and nothing you say or do will possibly make a difference.

Aw shucks. Now my feelings are hurt.

*sniffle*

So funny to see liberals tap-out.

WWJS who would jesus sue?

Religious liberty is under attack and the fascists who want to oppress the faithful are the secular leftist homo-activists.

New york has been in the "law adding" business lately havent they? (thats what we hear in the media in Texas anyway......