I'm sure we're all familiar with the Christian doctors that refuse to supply condoms, birth control, abortions or emergency contraception?

No?

Well, it's true.  I don't know how widespread it is here at home and elsewhere but in America it appears to be quite the thing at the moment.

The concept goes like this.  (Don's fake moustache and lab coat to assume temporary false identity of doctor).

Well, I am a doctor.  I am also a Christian and follow the advice of my pastor.  I am pro-life and believe that abortion is murder.  It is my honest belief that the use of condoms, birth control, emergency contraception and abortions are immoral and go against God's plan.  Of course, neither I nor my wife would ever think of using such things.  I certainly wouldn't agree to prescribe such a service to any patient of mine.  And you can't force me to, either, since that would be discrimination aainst my religion.  Would you force a devout Jew to disobey he laws of his or her God?  A Muslim?  Then why me?  Why victimise Christians like that?

Basically, the argument is that you cannot force said doctor to prescribe something he or she feels goes against their own religion. 

The problem is that the doctor is, effectively, forcing their own religious views onto others.  This may include, but is not limited to nor dependent upon:

  • Refusing emergency contraception to a rape victim.
  • Refusing to provide an abortion to a woman with an ectopic pregnancy.
  • Refusing to supply the pill to a teenager suffering from chronic period pains or other medical conditions which the pill can assist with besides pregnancy prevention.
  • Refusing to discuss tubal ligations with a woman unless her husband is present, or simply refusing outright.
  • Failing to advise their patient of the location of alternative sources of these items.
Now, in the UK that would be pretty bad.  But  know that if my Doc refused to provide the treatment I needed, I could go to the walk-in clinic down the road, or to the sexual health centre in town, or take a bus or train to the nearest hospital, and get the care I needed.  This might not always be practical- I might end up missing more than one day of work looking for healthcare, or may incur large transport costs, but it is possible.

In America, not everyone can do that.  People with medical insurance may only be covered for one visit a year, and going to the doctor, asking for medical care and being told to naff off?  That can count as your one visit.  So the visit to the next stop will cost you.  And they might refuse to service you as well.  People without medical insurance may be asked to pay up front to the doctor for the visit, before finding out that they won't get the care they need.  So someone on a low income, for whom the healthcare itself is already going to be a financial burden, might well be stuck.

There is also no requirement for the doctor's to cleary display their beliefs before a person signs up with them.  So unless you have the foresight and the free time to quiz a doctor- and go elsewhere if they won't provide the service you need- you won't necesarily realise that this is a problem until too late.

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Now, it may just be me, but if I knew that I had a religious belief that prevented me from doing certain things, or aiding other people in doing them, then I would be sure to steer clear from work that might conflict with this.  I would say that when one makes the decision to take up a career, or live a certain lifestyle, one must accept conflicts with one's religion or else look eslewhere for employment.  I would say that to act in any other way would mean forcing one's own beliefs on others, and is an act of religious discrimination in and of itself.

But since this appears to not be the case, how about we twist this up a bit?

Religious rights and freedom don't just count for Christians, after all.

Do you belong to a religion that eschews the consumption of meat? alcohol? dairy? non-kosher or otherwise incorrectly prepared foods?  Work in the food industry?  Well, the next time someone approaches you wanting some chicken, or some bacon, or a case of beer, refuse to sell.  Advise them that the consumption of such items is against your religion and you feel moraly unable to assist with their sinning.

Do you belong to a religion that considers violence to be utterly reprehensible?  Why not take up a career in a gun shop, and refuse to sell any ammo with the weapons you sell?

Fellow Pagans!  Refuse to work during any of the eight major festivals.  State that this should not be taken from your holiday allowance.  After all, Christians get various holidays throughout the year.

Get a job in a library, and refuse to allow people to take out any books which go against your beliefs.  Like scientific texts.  Or atheistic books.  Or books with sinful acts in them.  Or religious texts for religions other than your own.

Nothing that might actually pose a risk to the person you refuse a service too, of course.  These doctors may do that, but the point of this isn't to hurt anyone else and doing so would make you just as bad as them.  No, the point here is just to illustrate that this concept is unworkable.

How long do you think it would take?  How long before there is an outcry against religious "minorities" trying to take over and force their views upon others?

And when you get challenged?

"Well, Christian doctors can leave a woman to die of an ectopic pregnancy by refusing to allow an abortion, so I don't see how Joe over there having to go to the next cashier to buy his sausages is a problem.  If you force me to sell the items, you are committing religious discrimination.  Same deal if you fire me or discipline me for this.  Hey, I don't make the rules!  The Christian Doctors have shown me that I'm allowed to protect my own beliefs.  Talk to them if you have a problem."

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And in the pretty little rainbow world in my head, people all over would suddenly realise the hypocrisy and ridiculousness of the situation and would make things right again.

Unfortunately, I realise that in the real world that just wouldn't happen, and people who do the above probably would just get fired, or the situation would blow up in the media and result in religious minorities being targetted more by racist bigots, and poor people in low-end jobs trying to take action would just get shafted.

But I can dream, right?