Doug Wilson comments about Hobby Lobby’s confrontation with the federal government over Obamacare’s abortion mandate. As many of you know, Hobby Lobby’s refusal to comply will cost them over $1 million dollars per day in federal fines, beginning yesterday. Wilson writes:
Three things should be said about this showdown. First, high praise to the Greens who have refused to comply. Second, they should refuse to pay the fines, regardless of what happens in court. And third, about a hundred thousand people need to surround their house, facing out, if the ghouls from the government say they are going to do something about it. One comment made online (HT: Mark Tapson) is, I believe, an accurate statement of where we are right now. “Right now the resistance is a saturated solution, waiting to crystallize around an incident.” I do not know if this will be it, but I hope and pray that it is something very much like it.
I agree with Wilson about high praise for the Green’s. They really are doing the right thing. Moreover, they are putting their necks on the line for the rest of us. I hope that fact is not lost on anyone who cares about religious liberty. They are assuming all the risk right now and stand to lose a lot. But if they win, we will all reap the benefit.
I don’t know that the government would attempt to enforce these fines before all the legal challenges are complete. But if it does, it seems that the right thing to do would be for Hobby Lobby to pay the fines. Refusing to comply with the mandate is civil disobedience that is sanctioned by texts like Acts 5:29. Paying the fines would be akin to the taxes that the Bible commands us to pay in texts like Romans 13:7. Perhaps others would see the matter differently. I’m opened to be convinced otherwise from scripture.
In any case, I’m with Wilson in the spirit of his remarks. I want to stand with the Greens in the battle that they are waging. My hope and prayer is that they will prevail in the end.
12 Comments
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Matt Svoboda
I hope they prevail… but they wont. Government has too much money, power, and sway for the Greens to win this one.
Religious liberty is completely dead within 10 years. We ought to start adjusting.
Robert I Masters
Matt,
You say,”Religious liberty is completely dead within 10 years. We ought to start adjusting.”
How do defend that statement in light of the Biblical Cultural Mandate in Gen 1:28?
Seems to me like your calling for Christians to reject Gods specific command. I command that is never rescinded anywhere in Scripture.
Wade Choate
Indeed. “The knowledge of the LORD shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.” That will happen and is in process even now.
What we see going on now is the writhing of the serpent whose head has been crushed. The natural instinct of those in power (not of their own achievement) who see their power threatened is to cause chaos. This too shall pass. God’s will for this earth as well as His people will prevail. Did he not send His Son because He loved the “whole world” which includes not just it’s inhabitants but the very earth itself?
Our mandate is unchanged as the Father is unchanged. We must but believe His promises that we shall see the promise mentioned above (along with the myriad of others) the same as Abraham saw by faith the promises given to him.
Chris Twilley
I agree with Doug WIlson. They should not pay the fines. This is similar to the midwives in Exodus who refused to comply with the order to kill the babies. It is also like Acts 4, Peter and John decided to obey God and not men. This is not like paying taxes. Thanks for dealing with this in a blog.
Jason McMurray
A fine is not a tax. It is a punishment. In this case it is an administrative punishment and one that has not been adjudicated in a criminal court. If I am not mistaken it was the Green’s who sued in civil court for relief. It seems to me that due process for levying a fine has not been carried out by the federal government. The writers of this atrocious piece of socialist legislation likely set the fine that high to scare businesses into compliance. I would submit that it is cruel and unusual punishment. I find it amazing how this congress passed this legislation without reading it word for word. We do reap what we sow though.
robert526
I have to agree with Professor Burk on paying the fines. By paying the fines, business people who follow Christ will in effect say: “Even with this enormous financial loss, we will not comply with these unbiblical directives.” To not pay the fine looks and sounds more like “Get your hands off my money.” The difference to an onlooking and unregenerate world is subtle, but important. Of course this presupposes that our testimony toward them in this matter is paramount.
I should add that given the annual size of the fine, it’s very likely for Hobby Lobby to do as other businesses are already doing and start cutting heavily into the size of its full-time, benefit-receiving workforce. That may be necessary for the company to even continue.
Robert I Masters
The Bible is full of examples of Gods Blessing on those practiced civil disobedience.
Daniel in the lions den!
How about modern day examples such as Corrie Ten Boom or Brother Andrew.
What about Dietrich Bonhoeffer?
Wade Choate
Hobby Lobby is a very well entrenched institution in this country. People will take notice eventually. I think they should refuse to pay the fines, and even if “the people’s savior” manages to shut down the whole thing, this will be a clear example of how treachery can come from the government. Something which libs loved to bandy about when we had the Bushes in charge, but are not so chatty about even worse abuses with “the peoples savior”.
I pray it does NOT come to that end, and that Hobby Lobby will be vindicated….
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Ken Temple
This is a great evil and injustice by our own government. It is hard not to feel great anger against our government and liberals at this time. They are indeed wicked in this unjust action.
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