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Thursday, April 14, 2011
When "Tolerance" Trumps Freedom: The Growing Threat to Conscience Rights
By Heritage Foundation @ 6:45 PM :: 5383 Views :: Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics
Related Work
 
 
From Culture Wars to Conscience Wars: Emerging Threats to Conscience, Thomas Messner

Why Does the Illinois Government Oppose the Religious Liberty of Pharmacists?, David Addington

A Clash of Integrities: Moral and Religious Liberty in the Armed Forces, Chuck Donovan


Culture Round Up
Despite the continued decline in teen pregnancy, four in 10 U.S. children are still born outside of marriage – placing thousands of women and children at greater risk of poverty.
Adolescent substance abuse is once again on the rise, but intact, married families can help stem the tide of teen drug and alcohol use.
In light of the Obama administration’s recent decision to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act, the House Subcommittee on the Constitution will hold a hearing on “Defending Marriage” this week.

Coming Soon
April 20 6:00 – 8:00 pm,
I Hope I Die Before I Get Old,
American Enterprise Institute


Heritage’s Jennifer Marshall joins panelists
to discuss
how biblical principles of stewardship and concern for the poor should shape efforts to reduce the nation’s debt burden for future generations.

Solutions for  America

 

When "Tolerance" Trumps Freedom: The Growing Threat to Conscience Rights

From Heritage.org

As Washington wrestled with a looming government shutdown last week, an Illinois trial court was grappling with the issue of religious liberty. Six years ago, Illinois established a rule that required pharmacies to fill prescriptions for emergency contraceptives. In an effort to save their careers, two pro-life pharmacists have fought an extensive legal battle asking the state to respect their religious objections to providing Plan B, an abortifacient drug. Last Wednesday, a circuit court upheld the rights of the two professionals, ruling that Illinois’ requirement violates both state conscience laws and the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious liberty.

As new Heritage research illustrates, threats to religious liberty are not confined to isolated incidents like the case in Illinois. Legislatures and court rooms across the country are facing new questions regarding individuals’ conscience rights, especially in health care, religious hiring, and sexual orientation nondiscrimination policies. Should medical schools force doctors and nurses to participate in abortions? Can faith-based organizations maintain religious hiring? The answers to these and similar questions will be vitally important to maintaining a free society that respects the personal beliefs of its citizens.

Concerns regarding religious liberty have also increased in recent federal policy. The Obama administration’s decision to weaken federal conscience regulations leaves much to be desired in protecting the rights of medical professionals. Likewise, the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has raised multiple questions regarding the religious freedom of military chaplains and service members.

The ability to work, live, and provide services compatible with one’s beliefs is essential for maintaining a just and free society. As social pluralism expands and moral consensus wanes, government protection of religious liberty and conscience rights will be increasingly vital to upholding civil society.







 

 

 

SPOTLIGHT ON CIVIL SOCIETY
 

Providing Alternatives: Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center
 
 

With a growing market for the “morning after” pill and older teens’ easy access to this drug, there is an increasing need to provide adolescents with better strategies to anticipate and deal with risky behavior. Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center (CHPC) is working to fulfill that need by engaging teens and young adults in the nation’s capital with information necessary to make healthy life decisions.

As many of the thousands of pregnancy care centers across the country do, CHPC provides counseling and mentoring services, prenatal care referrals, and birthing classes. Recognizing that teen parents also need emotional and material assistance after giving birth, CHPC has partnered with local youth outreaches to provide parenting classes to young mothers and fathers. The faith-based organization also works to prevent teen pregnancy by encouraging and equipping adolescents to practice abstinence.

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