Conscience Clause

Many hospitals in the old days and today have religious affiliations. Some of these doctors and nurses could be in your very congregation. What if the government were to come and dictate that your practice must provide certain procedures if it is deemed legal? What if a deeply religious doctor were asked to perform abortions or even the morning after pills? The Conscious Clause allows health care workers to not participate in any practice they feel is contrary to their beliefs. The Obama administration is working to reverse the Conscious Clause.

Every time these laws have been pitched the question is raised that cannot religious institutions also practice their freedoms, their civil rights to act how they will? Are we really going to get into the position of forcing others to do something against the dictates of their conscience? There are plenty of people that would rather get a new job.

Planned Parenthood is working to end the Conscience Clause because it puts women in jeopardy in that few physicians will perform abortions. The Supreme Court established in the Roe vs. Wade case that health care workers should not be held to practice procedures against their personal morals.

We are not out of line to ask how many more steps to go before the actual government will ask you to go beyond your own morals. Should we not also consider the rights of those in health care and not just those seeking these medical procedures?

Caller Lori mentioned the Hippocratic Oath includes that doctors should do no harm. Is this asking doctors to break this oath?

Caller Alexis is from the Buffalo, NY area. She told of how there is a large community of Catholic healthcare in her area where many doctors have been forced to leave their jobs because they will not perform certain procedures.