Majority Oppose Forcing Religious Groups to Fund Birth Control

A majority of Americans, in a new Rasmussen Reports national poll, oppose the Obama HHS mandate, which requires religious groups to pay for birth control and abortion-causing drugs for their employees.

The latest telephone survey finds that 51% of likely voters do not believe the government should require churches or other organizations to provide contraceptives if it violates their deeply held religious beliefs.

Seventy-three percent (73%) of Republicans and 55% of voters not affiliated with either of the major parties do not think the government should force churches and other organizations to violate their religious beliefs to provide contraceptive coverage. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Democrats disagree.

Although not a majority, a sizable number of Americans are worried that Catholic hospitals or medical centers or religious groups may shut down because of the controversial mandate.

As Rasmussen indicates: “Forty percent (40%) of voters believe it is at least somewhat likely that Catholic hospitals and other service providers will shut down rather than provide contraceptive coverage in violation of their religious beliefs. Fifty-one percent (51%) think such shutdowns are unlikely. These findings include 16% who say they are Very Likely and 17% who feel they are Not At All Likely to occur. Liberal voters and Democrats overwhelmingly doubt that the religious organizations would shut down rather than implement the health care mandate.”

Sixty percent (60%) of GOP voters think these institutions are likely to close their doors rather than provide mandated birth control. But 66% of Democrats and 53% of unaffiliated voters view that as unlikely.

Two Catholic colleges have already dropped health insurance for their students because of the Obama HHS mandate.

Also, this is the second poll in two days to show a majority of Americans oppose the HHS mandate, including a new poll conducted by Marist College. According to the Knights of Columbus-Marist Poll, nearly three in four Americans (74 to 26 percent) say that freedom of religion should be protected, even if it conflicts with other laws. Majorities would also protect the First Amendment conscience rights of hospitals, health care workers and insurers. ...