Despite being ridiculed by Jon Stewart for making the jaw-dropping suggestion that clergy should be “ready to die” to fight President Obama’s mandate that health insurers cover birth control, Father Jonathan Morris doubled down on his “pledge” last night on Hannity. “Of course I’m willing to die, of course I’m willing to go to jail, of course I’m willing to pay a fine. That is the most normal, non-radical thing I can think of,” Morris said fervently. I don’t know how the other guest, a rabbi in support of the mandate, didn’t burst out laughing at such ridiculous theatrics. A priest threatening to die in the name of pro-life opposition to contraception coverage in health insurance? Come on! In reality, the mandate wouldn’t even affect Morris’ own church.
Guest host Liz Cheney played a clip of Morris’ original fighting words and woodenly asked, “Where do we go from here?”
Morris pretended he’s about to launch some major protest. “What I’m saying is not radical, what I’m saying is not controversial. What I’m saying is not something out of the ordinary in terms of the big picture of history… The conscience is inviolable and if the federal government is asking any group or individual to violate their conscience… of course I’m willing to die, of course I’m willing to go to jail, of course I’m willing to pay a fine. That is the most normal, non-radical thing I can think of.”
What willing-to-die Morris didn’t mention? He wouldn’t have to because his church (like all churches) is exempt from the mandate.
But Morris wasn’t done with his over-the-top rhetoric. He compared President Obama’s accommodation - having health insurers pay for the coverage - to murder. “We recognize it goes against my conscience to kill. The president is saying, 'You know what? Don’t worry about it. You don’t have to kill that person any more. We’re going to just make sure you pay somebody else to do the bidding for you, to kill that person for you.' That’s an analogy but that’s exactly what it is.”
I’d hate to see anybody die, much less over opposition to something as non-life threatening as health insurance coverage. But Morris might want to save himself to fight his own parishioners. Because a majority of Catholics disagree with him and support the coverage.
They say one thing, and when challenged, they back off. Hannocchio still owe us a waterboarding.
Morris and Hannocchio are cowards in the catholic church.
It would probably be more meaningful if he said he’s willing to die in order to protect altar boys from being molested by his fellow Catholic priests. But clearly birth control is a much more important problem.
When the has a problem, they want you to take to the streets with your guns, threatening everything that moves and preparing to kill or be killed.
The really messed up part of that being that the ones with the guns like to brag about how rational they think they are.
