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jadedragon
Administrator
Canada
3788 Posts |
 Posted - 03/08/2009 : 22:41:52
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Obama Moves to Rescind 'Conscience Clause'
for Healthcare Workers
BY MATTHEW BERGER ©2009 Religion News Service
The Obama administration has announced plans to rescind regulations that allow healthcare workers to abstain from performing medical procedures they object to on moral grounds.
The Bush administration authored the rule shortly before leaving office last December, primarily to shield those with religious or moral opposition to not for discussion. It said healthcare workers cannot be discriminated against for refusing to participate in objectionable procedures, and facilities that did not accommodate employees with objections could lose federal funding.
Federal law allows healthcare providers to abstain from performing not for discussions. The HHS regulation instituted last year was interpreted to protect additional procedures, like sex change operations and assisted suicide, as well as possibly even vaccinations and family planning. Obama administration officials told The Washington Post they believe the rule is too broad and could prevent women from receiving the care they need. They held open the possibility of a more narrow regulation.
The reversal in policy at the Department of Health and Human Services drew strong support from reproductive rights advocates, who said the rule placed doctors' views above the patient.
"The bottom line is that, under the guise of protecting the conscience of healthcare providers, the regulation would have denied women the right to follow their conscience and make reproductive decisions according to their religious and moral beliefs," said Rev. Carlton W. Veazey, president and CEO of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
Conservative groups raised concerns that, with the reversal, doctors could once again face professional repercussions for not performing not for discussions.
"These regulations would have ensured that healthcare workers are not forced to participate in the performance or promotion of not for discussion against their will," said Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council. "President Obama's intention to change the language of these protections would result in the government becoming the conscience and not the individual."
Deirdre McQuade, a spokesperson for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said "efforts to nullify or weaken any conscience protection will undermine our national heritage of diversity and religious freedom," among other negative consequences.
The White House Office of Management and Budget said t would review the regulation, the first step towards reversing it, and will eventually hold a 30-day comment period before acting. The rule remains in effect until it is reversed.
My comment:
Regardless of one's views on not for discussion, assisted suicide, sexchange operations etc - it seems like a free society should allow its members to freely choose if they want to abstain from doing something they think is morally wrong. I thought we had freedom of religion, but maybe not.
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“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” – George Bernard Shaw.
Why Copper Bullion ~~~ Interview with Silver Bullion Producer Market Harmony
Passive Income blog |
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jadedragon
Administrator
Canada
3788 Posts |
Posted - 03/08/2009 : 22:47:10
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Court Sides With Montana Church Over Free Speech
BY ADELLE M. BANKS ©2009 Religion News Service
The free speech rights of a Montana church were violated when it was told to register as a political committee after hosting an anti-gay marriage event in 2004, an appeals court ruled on February 25.
The decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals about Canyon Ferry Road Baptist Church in East Helena, Montana, overturned a lower court decision.
The church participated in a "Battle for Marriage" satellite simulcast in 2004 and distributed petitions in support of a successful initiative to define marriage as a union of one man and one woman in Montana's constitution.
"We conclude that, by applying its disclosure provisions to the church's (minor) in-kind contributions in the context of a state ballot initiative, the commission violated the church's First Amendment rights," wrote Judge William C. Canby, Jr.
<b>In a concurring opinion, Judge John T. Noonan wrote that "An unregulated, unregistered press is important to our democracy. So are unregulated, unregistered churches."<b>
Dale Schowengerdt, a lawyer with the Alliance Defense Fund who represented the church, welcomed the decision. "Churches shouldn't be penalized for expressing their beliefs," he said.
My Comment: At least the higher up judges in Montana have an ounce of common sense. |
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” – George Bernard Shaw.
Why Copper Bullion ~~~ Interview with Silver Bullion Producer Market Harmony
Passive Income blog |
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fb101
Administrator
USA
2856 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2009 : 06:38:18
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quote:
Regardless of one's views on not for discussion, assisted suicide, sexchange operations etc - it seems like a free society should allow its members to freely choose if they want to abstain from doing something they think is morally wrong. I thought we had freedom of religion, but maybe not.
Agreed.
Freedom to do as you are told or face the consequences. |
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Ardent Listener
Administrator
USA
4841 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2009 : 07:00:21
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| I have taught medical ethics and it is considered unethical to accept a patient or do a medical procedure when you feel you can not do your best work. If I have a moral objection against a procedure how can I then do my best work? |
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Think positive. |
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jadedragon
Administrator
Canada
3788 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2009 : 08:32:24
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I see our bad word filter is changing a word denoting a medical procedure that some find objectional to "not to be discussed". Read between the lines ok.
"In a concurring opinion, Judge John T. Noonan wrote that "An unregulated, unregistered press is important to our democracy. So are unregulated, unregistered churches."
They register churches in some counteries I've been to and if you step out of line, there is a special place you go. Any registering of churches is a step away from freedom of religion. |
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” – George Bernard Shaw.
Why Copper Bullion ~~~ Interview with Silver Bullion Producer Market Harmony
Passive Income blog |
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fb101
Administrator
USA
2856 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2009 : 16:44:23
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quote:
Any registering of churches is a step away from freedom of religion.
We already lost that.
As of November 4 we are now all gaia worshippers.
I case somebody doesn't know what that is, it was an omnipotent nature which encompassed all things living invented by Isaac Asimov. - Basically, the greenies. |
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Obama Moves to Rescind 'Conscience Clause'
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