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Supreme Court Orders New Look at Christian College’s Religious Liberty Battle Over Obamacare

Nov. 26, 2012 12:33pm Billy Hallowell

Supreme Court Orders New Look at Liberty Universitys Obamacare Battle

Photo Credit: Liberty University

WASHINGTON (TheBlaze/AP) — The Supreme Court has revived a Christian college’s challenge to President Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul, with the acquiescence of the Obama administration.

The court on Monday ordered the federal appeals court in Richmond, Va., to consider the claim by Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., that Obama’s health care law violates the school’s religious freedoms.

A federal district judge rejected Liberty’s claims, and the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the lawsuit was premature and never dealt with the substance of the school’s arguments. The Supreme Court upheld the health care law in June.

The justices used lawsuits filed by 26 states and the National Federation of Independent Business to uphold the health care law by a 5-4 vote, then rejected all other pending appeals, including Liberty’s.

The school made a new filing with the court over the summer to argue that its claims should be fully evaluated in light of the high court decision. The administration said it did not oppose Liberty’s request. Earlier this month, TheBlaze’s Mytheos Holt covered the story and concluded that there is a good chance that Obamacare will, once again, land in front of the nation’s highest court.

Photo Credit: Getty

Liberty is challenging both the requirement that most individuals obtain health insurance or pay a penalty, and a separate provision requiring many employers to offer health insurance to their workers.

The appeals court could ask the government and the college for new legal briefs to assess the effect of the Supreme Court ruling on Liberty’s claims before rendering a decision. The case is Liberty University v. Geithner, 11-438.

Liberty joins dozens of other institutions in their pending lawsuits over health reform, many involving the requirement that employer insurance plans cover contraception, which are working their way through the federal court system. Last week, craft chain Hobby Lobby lost its quest to halt its compliance with the birth control mandate, but just a few days earlier Tyndale House Publishers won a temporary injunction in its own court battle over the provision.

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Comments (30)

Blindtimes
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 10:59pm
We need to take a stand, we still have 49% who believe in America.
***************************************************************************************2 days ago I released my first Christian Song / Video
Please View. Glenn Beck said that we need to create, well here what I made.
The song “I Never Knew” Thank you. if you watch it please share it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqrdlAUyWI0&feature=g-upl

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Case_Logic
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 8:11pm
Simlpy put obamacare is an obamanation upon the good people of the United States of America.

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sheriff32
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 5:51pm
I think people in Texas deserve the same medical care that Massachusetts has.

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- Snidely
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 8:01pm
  I think the people of Texas should be free to choose what medical care they want, instead of having it rammed down their throats.
  
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- sheriff32
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 10:24pm
  Freedom to have horrible healthcare is about the dumbest thing i’ve ever heard of. The fact you think that Obamacare or single payer healthcare is going to somehow turn the United States into Nazi Germany or communist China is simply wrong.
  
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Dscriptboy
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 3:18pm
For the past 100 years we have been socially engineered by the progressives and liberals. Oh, they like what is going on now. The new regulations, the new rules on what you can and cannot do.

But what they regret it… one day. Big government ruled humanity for 8,000 years, and they were born in a limited government experiment… how they have forgotten government is not your friend!

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mcsledge
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 2:30pm
State vs. Religion.

You’re a fool if you don’t believe that every one of your rights under the Bill of Rights are under attack (i.e., religion, speech, bear arms, property rights, speedy trial, etc.).

May God bless all individuals who believe in Him and make an effort to obey Him.

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GhostOfJefferson
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 2:02pm
Prediction –

Roberts: “Look, it’s not our place to sit decide issues about laws, that’s up to the electorate, we’ll keep this in place. If you don’t like it, elect people to change the law”.

Not so much a prediction as a transcript of his last act of judicial malpractice. Keep this in mind, when it happens, the next time somebody tells you that SCOTUS determines the Constitutionality of laws. Then consider the foolishness of obeying immoral laws made by lawless thugs, simply because some lawless jackass in a robe says you have to.

Dissent takes courage. Ask yourself how much more you’re willing to put up with in order to PRETEND that we still live in a nation of laws and not men, and also, when you stop wanting to put up with it, what you will do to DISSENT. And remember “vote the bastards out” doesn’t apply any longer, it is an invalid choice meant to keep you spinning your wheels and wasting your resources.

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- ropati
  Posted on November 27, 2012 at 9:16am
  The problem with this proposal is that Democrats fix the voting machines and stuff the ballot boxes. Voting has become irrelevant.
  
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Landon410
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 1:30pm
proud former Liberty Student

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- GhostOfJefferson
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 2:02pm
  My youngest sister graduated from there as well.
  
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- Fubared
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 7:06pm
  Love the environs of Lynchburg, skip through it often. Wait, was that racist too?
  
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zoro51
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 1:28pm
FORCED FISTED SOCIALIST CARE is UN AMERICAN.. now the supream court dictates to the USA sidding wiht the SOCIALIST ??….. time to IMPEACH OBAMA NOW

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- shogun459
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 3:15pm
  you don’t know how empeachment works if you say that. It would take harry reid changing his strips instead of being Obama’s lap dog.
  
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 1:04pm
Good if it makes it before the Supreme Court.

If it gets that far, I honestly expect the same outcome as with the five justices who stuck us with Obama-Care unto all time. Even if they have the guts to make a 5-4 ruling in favor of the Christian colleges, and assuming Obama has not placed new SCOTUS justices on the bench by that time, Obama will most likely just deal another ends-run around the matter with regulation and executive order.

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petemg
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 1:04pm
If the Muslims are supposedly exempt from Obama care because it is a form of gambling then all religious establishments can be exempt because it is against their religion to have abortion and contraceptives. What is fair for one is fair for another. Also I thought there was separation of religion and government.

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- shogun459
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 3:17pm
  “Whenever the political winds turn ugly, I will always stand with the Muslims.” Barak Hussian Obama
  
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Pork_Anvil
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 1:02pm
Why is it that so many “Christians” are so afraid to say “Merry Christmas?” I keep seeing these silly bumper stickers about “WE say Merry Christmas” and so on. What are you people so scared of? Man.

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- Baerlin
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:23pm
  Afraid? Jesus is my Lord and Saviour. There is no need to fear anything. When it all come to a boil, that will be all that matters.
  
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jackact
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 12:55pm
Hope this Christian College makes headway with these lifetime appointed lawyers in black robes.
Althought, I think the supreme court had made it abundantly clear; You morons voted for your representative government – You own it now.
In cases of religious organizations surely exceptions can be made?
:(

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watashbuddyfriend
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 12:52pm
After Eight, Must Vacate! It is time to eliminate the ‘life term’ appointment, because political appointments do not follow the values which the Founding Fathers had in mind!

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- encinom
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 1:34pm
  The Founders set up the Jutice for life model, so how is this not what the Founders wanted? Its more that the Justices and educated people every where have rejected the narrow understanding of the law and history that the Tea Party displays.
  
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- doomytram
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 2:49pm
  Said the misinformed Encinom
  
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- theotherberean
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 4:36pm
  It was an attempt to underemphasis politics in their decisions. If the Justices were re-appointed every so often, they would be more likely to vote along the ideologies of their electors than their own.
  
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pap pap
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 12:49pm
To quote the fabulous Curtis Mayfield “Keep on pushin”.

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Chromo200
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 12:48pm
This will be another let down by the Justices .. Something for Roberts to mess with us. He needs something to talk about at parties and show how stupid we are.

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- GhostOfJefferson
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 2:05pm
  Aye, that’s pretty much the whole of what will happen with this. Obamacare could have mandatory execution of anybody over the age of 35 and the courts would stand with it, and the majority of Obamazombies would cheer for it (as long as they get their other goodies).
  
  This is what collectivism looks like I’m afraid.
  
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- Oldphoto678
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 3:49pm
  I don’t think Roberts has all the reason/proof needed to talk about your stupidity.
  
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- Fubared
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 7:11pm
  Old
  You have zero to offer. Absolutely an obama voter. That is something you take to your grave as you cry and plead to the God you have always ignored. Does that sit well with you?
  
  Report this comment
doomytram
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 12:46pm
Pull John Roberts out of Obozo’s pocket and put him to work again Obozo minions.

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