Alveda King: HHS Mandates Violate Women’s Rights, Religious Freedom, Civil Rights

As Director of African American Outreach for Priests for Life, and a post-abortive mother who has experienced the pain and harm of contraceptive agents such as shots, pills and devices, I join several female employees of Priests for Life in standing against any implied or otherwise open participation with any aspect of the HHS Mandate. I stand with Priests for Life, which includes Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life; Janet Morana, executive director of Priests for Life; and myself. 

The HHS Mandate infringes upon my rights as a woman, my religious freedom, my civil rights, and my health and well-being. 

We must understand that the U. S. Supreme Court speaks and rules from a position of common law. Human law, and operating under a measure of authority to govern, in America is the highest rule of law that humans can make. Yet the rule of the SCOTUS is not the final word.

In the end, natural law, God’s law will always trump common law. Do not fear or be confused or deceived. Remain prayerful. Keep looking up. God will have the final word in this matter. 

Therefore, I must encourage listeners in this manner: “Be not deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that will he also reap” (Gal. 6:7).

“… lest your heart grows faint, and you are afraid for the report that will be heard in the land—for the report will come one year, and after that in another year will come another report, and violence will be in the land, ruler against ruler” (Jer. 51:46).

As to the decisions before us regarding the HHS Mandate, in contrast to God’s law, the civil laws and common laws of nations are not written on anyone’s conscience or mind. 

They are not written in the physical creation. Nor are they appended to the Bible. The civil laws of nations are only written in their own law books. 

Consequently, the validity and force of such laws are based solely on national authority. There is no other supporting evidence or “witness” to testify for the validity of specific civil laws. 

Consequently, in order for the civil laws of any nation to be authoritative, they must at least be supported by the testimony of another source that they are consistent with God’s delegation of authority to civil governments.

This is more thoroughly explained in Romans 13:

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil works. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from him. … So it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for the sake of conscience. … Render to all what is due them: taxes to whom taxes are due, respect to whom respect is due, fear to whom fear is due, and honor to whom honor is due. Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not give false testimony, You shall not covet,’ and if there are any other commandments, are summed up in this saying, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love works no evil to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom. 13:1-3, 5, 7-10).

In order for the laws of a nation to be valid, they must at the very least harmonize with and not contradict the law of God. We know the law of God by looking to its expressions. If the laws of a nation conflict with one of the expressions of the law of God, then something is amiss. Or perhaps we do not understand one or the other clearly.

Unfortunately, for women, the HHS Mandate does not conform to this formula, which is why I stand with Priests for Life in the complaint against the HHS Mandate.