In Mr. Campbell’s column “Separate spheres of religion, politics” (Feb. 14), he bashes Catholicism, even though he claims to be a Catholic, for fighting the government’s mandate that they provide contraceptives to women.
   
 First of all, regardless of whether you are Catholic or even religious, the government’s blatant disregard for the First Amendment is the real issue here. The Constitution forbids the government from making any law for or against religion, and mandating that Catholic hospitals offer contraceptives, which they consider to be a deadly sin, is an unconstitutional intrusion. How could the Catholic Church condemn the use of contraceptives if it is forced to offer them in its own hospitals and institutions? The First Amendment was made specifically for cases such as this so that the government would not be able to intrude on religious and other individual rights.
   
 Secondly, Mr. Campbell argues that religious figures should stay out of politics; however, he does not condemn the government for intruding upon religion. How is it unacceptable for figures like Rev. Billy Graham to enter politics, but somehow acceptable for President Obama to mandate a church to do something it considers evil? Just because you think that society will improve because of contraceptives does not make it right to force a religion to disobey its own doctrine. If religion must be separate from the government, then government must be separate from religion.

Thomas Smith    In Mr. Campbell’s column “Separate spheres of religion, politics” (Feb. 14), he bashes Catholicism, even though he claims to be a Catholic, for fighting the government’s mandate that they provide contraceptives to women.
   
 First of all, regardless of whether you are Catholic or even religious, the government’s blatant disregard for the First Amendment is the real issue here. The Constitution forbids the government from making any law for or against religion, and mandating that Catholic hospitals offer contraceptives, which they consider to be a deadly sin, is an unconstitutional intrusion. How could the Catholic Church condemn the use of contraceptives if it is forced to offer them in its own hospitals and institutions? The First Amendment was made specifically for cases such as this so that the government would not be able to intrude on religious and other individual rights.
   
 Secondly, Mr. Campbell argues that religious figures should stay out of politics; however, he does not condemn the government for intruding upon religion. How is it unacceptable for figures like Rev. Billy Graham to enter politics, but somehow acceptable for President Obama to mandate a church to do something it considers evil? Just because you think that society will improve because of contraceptives does not make it right to force a religion to disobey its own doctrine. If religion must be separate from the government, then government must be separate from religion.

Thomas Smith
tsmit116@utk.edu
Senior in political science
(865) 242-1473