The Free Exercise of Religion (i.e., the right to not pay for contraception)

The Roman Catholic Church says that contraception is a sin, and that therefore providing contraception is a sin. The same church also believes it is their duty to provide health care through hospitals, and education through schools and universities. Those institutions are, if anything is, establishments of religion.

So it seems obvious to me to say that government forcing those institutions to commit a sin violates the First Amendment's prohibition of laws respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise of religion. But that's precisely what President Obama is threatening to do, should he win another term: force an establishment of religion to commit a sin.

I don't even believe contraception is a sin, personally; but I respect the right of people to refuse to engage in an act they believe is wrong. If they want to cause direct harm to others, I'll stand against it; but if they simply want to say, "we believe this is wrong, so we won't do it" ... that, to me, defines freedom, including religious freedom.

If you have a different opinion on the law here, I'm all ears. But if you want to talk about women's health issues, please, don't bother. The First Amendment rights of people being forced to buy things for other people is more important than the "right" of those people to have those things bought for them, and I refuse to entertain discussion about that subordinate issue unless someone can first demonstrate that the First Amendment is not being violated.