In addition to earlier lawsuits by small religious colleges, individuals, and non-profit organizations, seven states have filed a law suit against the HHS contraception, sterilization, and abortifacient mandate.

The attorney generals of Texas, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Carolina filed a joint lawsuit in Nebraska’s US District Court yesterday.

The attorney generals are asking the Court to declare the mandate unconstitutional, as it violates the religious freedom’s of their state’s citizens.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott argued that:

“Obamacare’s latest mandate tramples the First Amendment’s Freedom of Religion and compels people of faith to act contrary to their convictions. The President’s so called ‘accommodation’ was nothing but a shell game: the mandate still requires religious organizations to subsidize and authorize conduct that conflicts with their religious principles. The very first amendment to our Constitution was intended to protect against this sort of government intrusion into our religious convictions.”

The Obama administration had no comment (as of press time) about the lawsuit.

His buddy Rachel Maddow, however,  had the follwing to say on her blog:

In all likelihood, the lawsuits are intended to make the right feel better, and perhaps give the relevant players a boost in fundraising. For that matter, the courts are occasionally unpredictable, and these conservative lawyers may feel like it’s worth rolling the dice.

But if precedent and common sense win out, these lawsuits more closely resemble publicity stunts than legitimate legal challenges.

But those who oppose the mandate, such as Louisiana College President Joe Aguillard, view this as a fight for their very REAL morals, rights, and consciences, ““This mandate is a violation of our first amendment rights and we will not stand for it. There will be no compromise. We will go to jail if that’s what it takes but we’ve put our foot down.”

The National Clergy Council, a group that represents Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical and Orthodox leaders has declared a “state of emergency” for religious institutions, and delivered a statement to President Obama at the White House on Ash Wednesday. The statement, which members of the council say was inspired by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor and martyr who worked to resist the Nazis, reaffirms the groups belief in the sanctity of life, and urges Obama to work to protect religious freedom in America.