Should Catholic Hospitals be compelled to provide the "morning after pill"?

[JennyMominRI]

Sometimes the morning after pill prevents implantation of a fertilized egg, depending on sperm motility, timing, etc. And technically, ANY contraception is a sin in the RC church, not just BCPs.

Yeah..I went back and edited my post.. I hadent thought about the fact that all BC is considered a sin..I guess it's just beyond my comprehansion though..There are a lot of things that Jewish law does not allow,and yet Jews don't think non-Jews should have to follow those laws.. I understood that Chrisianity believes their religion should apply to everyone. I just don't agree with it.

 

[BelleMcNally]

Should a hospital that has surgical services be required to provide cosmetic surgery or bariatric surgery?

I find this to be a slightly more than absurd comparisson.

 

[froglady]

Yeah..I went back and edited my post.. I hadent thought about the fact that all BC is considered a sin..I guess it's just beyond my comprehansion though..There are a lot of things that Jewish law does not allow,and yet Jews don't think non-Jews should have to follow those laws.. I understood that Chrisianity believes their religion should apply to everyone. I just don't agree with it.

However, if I were to be treated at The Miriam, I would not demand bacon and eggs for breakfast, nor would I put a crucifix over my bed. Catholics are not insisting that non-Catholics follow their laws at all times, just when they are in a Catholic hospital.

 

[malibuconlee]

The Ct. Legislature is considering a bill that would force all hospitals, including the Catholic Hospitals to provide the "morning after pill" to rape victims. Since the Catholic Church has always had a firm and consistant stance on birth control and abortion, should they be forced to violate their religious convictions to comply with this law? There are other hospitals that rape victims can be treated.

I'm not going to say yes or no, but your statement about "other hospitals that rape victims can be treated" isn't accurate everywhere. When we lived in South Dakota, the hospital in Pierre is a Catholic one, and the next closest hospital is a 2.5 hour drive.

 

[JennyMominRI]

However, if I were to be treated at The Miriam, I would not demand bacon and eggs for breakfast, nor would I put a crucifix over my bed. Catholics are not insisting that non-Catholics follow their laws at all times, just when they are in a Catholic hospital.

Depending on the hoital,you might get them You do make a good point though

 

[froglady]

So? The same can be said for many of this nations largest businesses. Should they get a pass too if they have some laws they would rather not deal with?

Only if they were founded as and remain a church mission. There IS a difference between a Humana hospital (strictly a business) and St Elsewhere (founded as a mission to the sick.) Unless the majority of operations have been given over to an outside business, and the church no longer controls the board, it's still a religious institution providing health care.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

Originally Posted by chobie
That's neither here nor there. If they are taking public money NOW then they are acountable to the state. If they want to go out to business because they might have to offer a pill to rape victims, so then so be it.

So the Catholic Hospitals will close their Emergency Rooms to Ambulances and Trauma -- and no longer accept Medicaid and Medicare as forms of payment -- denying Millions of People the right to their hospital of their personal choice BTW.

So no, I cannot see how such a law is beneficial to the Public as a whole.

 

[maddiel]

There are a lot of things that Jewish law does not allow,and yet Jews don't think non-Jews should have to follow those laws.. I understood that Chrisianity believes their religion should apply to everyone. I just don't agree with it.

In this case though, if you require the Catholic hospital (and their presumably Catholic staff) to provide the drug, you are requiring that staff to do commit a sin by facilitating a sin.

Sort of like if you don't eat ham because you keep kosher, would you be likely to work somewhere where you made and served ham sandwiches?

Do you break Jewish law by facilitating another person to break Jewish law? I don't know enough about Judaism to know the answer.

M

 

[BelleMcNally]

So the Catholic Hospitals will close their Emergency Rooms to Ambulances and Trauma -- and no longer accept Medicaid and Medicare as forms of payment -- denying Millions of People the right to their hospital of their personal choice BTW.

So no, I cannot see how such a law is beneficial to the Public as a whole.

Just for the record, I'm pretty sure I agree with you; but you have to remember that the law (especially constitutional law) is there to protect minority rights just as much a majority ones.

 

[froglady]

I'm not going to say yes or no, but your statement about "other hospitals that rape victims can be treated" isn't accurate everywhere. When we lived in South Dakota, the hospital in Pierre is a Catholic one, and the next closest hospital is a 2.5 hour drive.

Is this hospital also a full service trauma unit, with a neonatal/perinatal intensive care, neurosurgeon, etc? Is there a rape crisis center that a victim can be sent to? Are there any doctors who would prescribe the morning after pill? Are there any pharmacists willing to dispense them?

I'm not doubting that this service may be unavailable for some rape victims, regardless of whether a hospital is run by a religious group or not. Some areas don't have ANY hospitals less than 2.5 hours away.

Not having everything you want or need readily available is the down side of living away from it all.

 

[JennyMominRI]

In this case though, if you require the Catholic hospital (and their presumably Catholic staff) to provide the drug, you are requiring that staff to do commit a sin by facilitating a sin.

Sort of like if you don't eat ham because you keep kosher, would you be likely to work somewhere where you made and served ham sandwiches?

Do you break Jewish law by facilitating another person to break Jewish law? I don't know enough about Judaism to know the answer.

M

You are not supposed to facilitate another Jew to break Jewish law..Jewish law only applies to Jews..
Yes,some people who personally keep kosher might just work at a Jewish restaurant that does not keep kosher

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Not having everything you want or need readily available is the down side of living away from it all.

Exactly---you/we may have the "right" to it--but it does not mean you are entitled to the convenience of accessing it easily. Convenience is a "does it make financial sense" issue.


ETA:
Covering operating costs is a reasonable expectation.

 

[elan]

"You find it morally repugnant to put a rape victim through further trauma."

Gosh I don't remember saying that....

"Will the rape victim die if not given the "treatment?" No. "

And exactly how would you know this? What if a pregnancy would jeopardize her life?

 

[chobie]

Food stamps are public money as well.

But it does not mean that the government can control what a grocery store choose to not stock on the shelves.

A grocery store can't sell marijuana cigarettes along with the tobacco ones.
A grocery store can't sell alcohol to minors, or in some states on Sundays etc.

So, yes there are laws that apply to privately owned grocery stores.

 

[froglady]

Just for the record, I'm pretty sure I agree with you; but you have to remember that the law (especially constitutional law) is there to protect minority rights just as much a majority ones.

Which is why this is probably going to be challenged in court. Do the rights of a rape victim to prevent the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy supercede the rights of a Catholic institution to practice its religious beliefs? Does merely accepting government insurance to defray the cost of treatment eliminate any right to follow your faith in providing said treatment?

In today's world, people who follow all of the laws of their faith are very much a minority.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

A grocery store can't sell marijuana cigarettes along with the tobacco ones.
A grocery store can't sell alcohol to minors, or in some states on Sundays etc.

So, yes there are laws that apply to privately owned grocery stores.

I didn't say they could.

I said that the law cannot dictate what a store for whatever business reason choose NOT to stock on the shelves. Obviously referring to items that are food stamp eligible. Cigs, alchohol, non-food items, and prepared food items are not included b/c they cannot be purchased with food stamps.

If they choose not to stock soy nut butter when a food stamp recipient will die if they have PB--it would be up to the store to decide to carry. The government cannot force it.

Payment for services rendered is not carte blanche for mandate.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Which is why this is probably going to be challenged in court. Do the rights of a rape victim to prevent the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy supercede the rights of a Catholic institution to practice its religious beliefs? Does merely accepting government insurance to defray the cost of treatment eliminate any right to follow your faith in providing said treatment?

In today's world, people who follow all of the laws of their faith are very much a minority.

I don't think it does. The next step would be obligating the hospital to perform abortions and obligating them to provide procedures solely for the prevention of pregnancy with no other health reason.

Also--the hospital cannot be compelled to remain open. They can refuse and then close and then it accomplishes nothing except the removal of all services.

I would have no problem with Rape Kits included referrals (but no requirement to go into detail on it--just a form similar to all the other forms that you have to sign..but instead it just is a list of where to go for further treatment).

 

[froglady]

"You find it morally repugnant to put a rape victim through further trauma."

Gosh I don't remember saying that....

"Will the rape victim die if not given the "treatment?" No. "

And exactly how would you know this? What if a pregnancy would jeopardize her life?

So it's not morally repugnant to force a rape victim to seek treatment elsewhere. I stand corrected. It's just not compassionate.

A lot of ifs to this one. IF she gets pregnant from the rape (which may or may not happen; she could already be pregnant, she could be using birth control already, she could be infertile or sterile, she could be in a relatively "safe" period in her cycle) and IF she decides against an early abortion (not as easy or safe or inexpensive as the pills, but still possible) and IF she is one of the minority of women who have a life-threatening pregnancy, and IF she doesn't/can't get adequate pre-natal treatment, she MIGHT die because she didn't get the morning after pill in a Catholic ER.

 

[froglady]

A grocery store can't sell marijuana cigarettes along with the tobacco ones.
A grocery store can't sell alcohol to minors, or in some states on Sundays etc.

So, yes there are laws that apply to privately owned grocery stores.

But a grocery store is not required to sell alchohol if it conflicts with its religious beliefs. It's not required to open on the Sabbath. If it chooses to stock certain items, it does. It's not forced by law to carry food, it chooses to.

 

[simpilotswife]

No one is forced to work anywhere so that arguement holds no water. The Church is not preventing anyone from making any choice. They simply do not provide a service.

Sure they are. What if the victim has to be hospitalized for an extended period of time and that is the only hospital around for miles? How can you claim that they have a choice?

Religious freedom does not endow that religion with the right to impose on someone...period. And not allowing someone the choice of the drug as an option is a violation of one of the tenets of the Catholic faith which is Free Will and Choice.