Dialogue on the HHS Mandate

SR:  Signore Machiavelli, I am intrigued by your admiration of President Obama. What is it about him that interests you most?

 M: His use of words, the way he takes words and reinterprets them so as to give them new meaning. His evolving use of words is creative and entertaining, no? 

S:  Perhaps, but what he does with words is also dangerous. 

M: Ah! You refer to the way he neutralizes the Church by recasting freedom of religion as freedom of worship!  What a clever way to render his opposition harmless! 

SR: Since we are talking about words, I don’t think the word clever is fitting in the case. I think the term deceitful or diabolical would be more accurate. 

M: But the man is a politician.  This is what politicians do. They play with words to gain and keep power.  Words are their weapons as much as guns and bombs. All is fair in war and love, and politics!

SR: Seriously, what do you think of his attempt to recast freedom of religion into freedom of worship?

 M: A very smart move.  Give the man credit for seeing a great opportunity and taking advantage of it.  It is his chance to win the Culture War in one big battle.

 SR: What about the other battles the Church and Obama are fighting over, such as Same-sex marriages, abortion, stem cell research, genetic engineering, contraception, and nanotechnology?

 M: All those other battles become simple mop-up operations, because  the Church will have lost her effectiveness in the marketplace, or what you today call The Public Square.

SR: What if Obama does not win his court case on the HHS Mandate? What if the courts rule in the Church’s favor and support freedom of religion?

M: Obama loses nothing. A little set-back is what he suffers, nothing more.

SR: Why do you say that?

M: First of all, most people do not realize the HHS Mandate is about freedom of religion. They think the issue is who will pay for reproductive health services. And they think Obama has wisely provided the solution by saying the Insurance companies will pay.

SR:  You said “First of all”. Did you have something else to add?

 M: Of course, of course. Secondly, many Christians and Catholics would love to see Obama win HHS battle in the courts, because he already has won their minds and hearts. They have no problem if their practice of religion is limited to the confines of a church building. 

SR: So Obama has them even if the courts rule against him?

M:  Of course! They do not want to be the “light of the world”, or “the salt of the earth”, or the “yeast in the bread”, to use your Biblical metaphors.  They want to enjoy the comforts of religion without its challenges.  It is what they already are doing. It is the civilized, tolerant way to behave instead of disturbing people with faith belief. 

SR: But the Church is supposed to evangelize the culture, and witness to Christ in the world. 

M: Perhaps in other countries, where people have nothing to lose.  But in the United States people are usually too comfortable to evangelize. The Culture has already evangelized them.  You should not blame Obama for taking advantage of the situation.