How Have Laws Permitting Abortion Affected Freedom of Conscience In Your Countries? How Will it affect it in the U.S.?

[elts1956]

There is strong indication that the face of Freedom Of Religion and Freedom of Conscience as a God given right is on the downslide here in the U.S.

One Instance here in the U. S. is the decision of Catholic Charities of Boston to terminate their adoption services because the right to use their Conscience here in the States being denied in the instance of their adoption services. Tthrough a law in MA stating there can be no discrimination of gays and lesbians in adopting children, the Universal Catholic Church and Catholic Charities of Boston have determined this service will be eliminated.

Because Catholic Charities in Boston realizes the placement of children with homosexual parents is not in the best interests of children, rather than be denied their right to use their God given conscience in such instances, they are terminating their services in this area.

Catholic Charities of Boston and throughout the U.S. has been in existence for over 100 years providing not only adoption services, but also providing much help to the poor and indigent through their Charitable offices.

What I want to know from citizens of other countries, how have permissive abortion laws in your country denied Catholic and Christian agencies the right to perform their charitable work?

 

[xglorial]

Here’s a summary of abortion law in the UK, taken from a local Catholic newspaper (“Catholic South West”):
“The third and final reading of the Human Fertilisation and Embriology Bill was passed on 22nd October 2008 in the House of Commons. Condemnations of the proposal of this bill were expressed by Catholic Bishops, Evangelical and Anglican Christians,- Muslims, Jewish , multifaith and interdenomiantional groups also spoke out against it.Scores of academics, scientists, doctors and lawyers wrote to newspapers to defend the weakest of the weak.
The Guardian editorial of 22nd October lamented. " There has been some low moments in parliament over the past 11 years, but few so low as today…”
Pro-abortion MPs want to impose abortion on Northern Ireland despite public opposition. Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland said that he would refuse to implement the Act if it was passed.The bad news about abortion law is that the age of human hybrids, clones, saviour “siblings” (designer babies) and fatherless IVF babies is about to dawn. Loopholes in this Bill will allow even more macabre and sinister experiments. The vulnerable are being exploited. The “good” news is that attempts to liberalise the abortion law even more have failed. The signature of two doctors is still required to authorise an abortion; nurses wil not be allowed to perform early abortions, abortions still have to be carried out on licensed premises; crisis pregnancies agencies will not be prosecuted for informing women of all options, and Northern Ireland is still abortion free."

School age girls can get an abortion without having to inform their parents. Schools teach children about contraceptives and tell them that abortion is a legal option. In the news there have been reports of health professionals being sacked for refusing to participate in an abortion on moral grounds.

Catholic adoptions agencies have closed as a result of the law that gives homosexual couples the right to adopt children.

 

[elts1956]

Here’s a summary of abortion law in the UK, taken from a local Catholic newspaper (“Catholic South West”):
“The third and final reading of the Human Fertilisation and Embriology Bill was passed on 22nd October 2008 in the House of Commons. Condemnations of the proposal of this bill were expressed by Catholic Bishops, Evangelical and Anglican Christians,- Muslims, Jewish , multifaith and interdenomiantional groups also spoke out against it.Scores of academics, scientists, doctors and lawyers wrote to newspapers to defend the weakest of the weak.
The Guardian editorial of 22nd October lamented. " There has been some low moments in parliament over the past 11 years, but few so low as today…”
Pro-abortion MPs want to impose abortion on Northern Ireland despite public opposition. Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland said that he would refuse to implement the Act if it was passed.The bad news about abortion law is that the age of human hybrids, clones, saviour “siblings” (designer babies) and fatherless IVF babies is about to dawn. Loopholes in this Bill will allow even more macabre and sinister experiments. The vulnerable are being exploited. The “good” news is that attempts to liberalise the abortion law even more have failed. The signature of two doctors is still required to authorise an abortion; nurses wil not be allowed to perform early abortions, abortions still have to be carried out on licensed premises; crisis pregnancies agencies will not be prosecuted for informing women of all options, and Northern Ireland is still abortion free."

School age girls can get an abortion without having to inform their parents. Schools teach children about contraceptives and tell them that abortion is a legal option. In the news there have been reports of health professionals being sacked for refusing to participate in an abortion on moral grounds.

Catholic adoptions agencies have closed as a result of the law that gives homosexual couples the right to adopt children.

xglorial thanks so much for posting. What about Private Religious agencies, if they refuse to perform abortions?

 

[Kaninchen]

xglorial thanks so much for posting. What about Private Religious agencies, if they refuse to perform abortions?

Why would they be expected to?

 

[elts1956]

Why would they be expected to?

Hi, I meant Catholic Hospitals. One of my greatest fears here in the U.S. is that IF the new President passes a law called Freedom of Choice Act there will be no restrictions of expectations here on religious hospitals to perform abortions. Also doctors and other staff will not be able to refuse to perform or assist at such. At the present time we have laws which protect these agencies and staff, but if FOCA is passed all such laws will be rescended. Much protection of minors will be taken away.

 

[Kaninchen]

Hi, I meant Catholic Hospitals. One of my greatest fears here in the U.S. is that IF the new President passes a law called Freedom of Choice Act there will be no restrictions of expectations here on religious hospitals to perform abortions. Also doctors and other staff will not be able to refuse to perform or assist at such. At the present time we have laws which protect these agencies and staff, but if FOCA is passed all such laws will be rescended. Much protection of minors will be taken away.

As far as I’m aware, there are no ‘Catholic Hospitals’ in the UK. Overwhelmingly, hospital provision is undertaken in hospitals run as ‘trusts’ within the national health service - there are private hospitals and clinics but they tend to be run within the context of private health insurance systems or straight cash payments (or bought-in provision for the health service when it needs extra capacity). I’ve used both while in the UK and none of them were vaguely religious.

Abortions would be done under the national health service or private clinics willing to make such provision (they’d be where ‘Irish’ abortions are performed, by the way).

As far as Catholic (or any anti-abortion) doctors are concerned, I think that the General Medical Council (their professional body) guidelines are that, if a patient turns up saying she wants an abortion, they have to tell her of doctors who are prepared to talk to her about her options (to have an abortion in the UK, a woman has to have a referral from two doctors).

 

[xglorial]

Latest news from UK about Catholic adoption agencies. Although this is not about laws permitting abortion, it is relevant to freedom of consciencie and freedom of religion.

" A Roman Catholic adoption agency headed by Britain’s most senior Catholic churchman is to defy the Government over its controversial gay equality laws.
The Westminster Catholic Children’s Society, whose president is Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, will ignore new rules that require it to place children with same-sex couples.
While other Catholic adoption agencies are caving in to the legislation by severing their ties with the Church or even closing, the Westminster Society will continue its policy of placing children only with married heterosexuals and single people.
Its stance will set the Cardinal - who welcomed Tony Blair into the Catholic Church last December - on a collision course with New Labour and the gay rights lobby.
It is a high-risk strategy that could provoke a costly and bruising test case in the courts, with campaigners determined to see the Society closed down.
But advisers to the Cardinal, the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, believe they have found a legal loophole that could allow the Society to remain open and loyal to Catholic teaching, which opposes gay marriage and adoption by gay couples.
The Government, which forced the Sexual Orientation Regulations through Parliament after a bitter Cabinet battle and in the face of fierce opposition from religious leaders, would be severely embarrassed by a defeat in the courts.
The Society has been advised by lawyers that if it amended its constitution it could comply with the Sexual Orientation Regulations, which take effect next year and aim to end discrimination against gays by businesses.
At the moment, the constitution simply refers to helping couples who wish to adopt. However, a quirk in the wording of the regulations means that the Society may be able to protect itself by amending its constitution to refer directly to married heterosexual couples. By spelling out the charitable aims of the Society, it could be judged to have satisfied the Regulations, although this does not appear to have been the Government’s intention.
The Catholic agency simply wants to continue to do what they have been doing for many years reasonably successfully. Adoption is a very important part of the Church’s work with children who are extremely vulnerable. The crisis need not have happened if the Government had given an exemption to adoption agencies, as other EU countries had done.
'Other countries don’t see adoption as goods and services and therefore it doesn’t fall under their regulations. 'This is a problem of the Government’s making which has been foisted on the Catholic agencies.
A barrister and expert in religious discrimination, said that British law surrounding the Sexual Orientation Regulations was ‘untested’ and any action launched against the adoption agency would have an ‘uncertain outcome’.
He said that the Church might be able to appeal to human rights legislation, adding: 'When you have such a cocktail of law and competing rights, you have ample scope for legal argument, negotiation and compromise.The Church may not win, but if Catholic agencies are to be closed and deprived of their right to provide these services, let that be done - and be seen to be done - by the Government and not by the Church."

Please remember Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor in your prayers.