Every human being was created uniquely by God. Our first and last breath is known by our Creator, but unfortunately, the right to life is being increasingly threatened. A life of disability and disease, sickness and struggle, is deemed unvaluable to some. The growing movement towards Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS) and euthanasia could put doctors at risk of losing their jobs and facing costly legal battles due to their moral beliefs and conscience. However, there is cause for hope as we are seeing state legislatures work on legislation to protect medical conscience rights.For example, the Florida House Professions & Public Health Subcommittee recently took an important step in enacting conscience protections for medical professionals by passing the Healthcare Ethics and Liberty Protection Act (the HELP Act). The HELP Act ensures that medical professionals and organizations cannot be forced to participate in health care services that violate their conscience.Before the committee voted to pass the bill, several Floridian doctors gave public testimony in support of passing conscience protections. The doctors shared heart-wrenching stories about how their medical careers were shaped by schools, hospitals, and supervisors who forced the doctors to choose between their personal beliefs and their medical professions.One doctor shared with Alliance Defending Freedom a devastating experience from his time in medical school where he was forced to participate in an abortion procedure, in direct conflict with his pro-life beliefs:“It was wrong for me to have been there, to stand by while a life was taken and a young woman harmed. I felt that I had no choice. One of my classmates … had the courage to say that he would not go. He had to appeal to the Dean of the medical school and after a protracted battle was able to abstain from the requirement. He paid a price for his courage. He was ostracized for the rest of his medical school education.”Sadly, these stories are not uncommon. In fact, 36% of Christian medical students say they have experienced discrimination or pressure during medical school. This is exactly why such legislation is needed.The freedom to live and work consistent with one’s conscience is at the heart of what motivates many who enter the medical field, a profession full of individuals who dedicate their lives to healing and doing no harm.The HELP Act simply allows doctors, nurses, and certain other medical professionals to decline to perform procedures that violate their conscience. The Act is specifically limited to conscience-based objections to particular health care services. In other words, doctors can choose not to provide a particular health service to which they have a conscience objection, but they cannot refuse care to a person.At its core, the HELP Act is designed to ensure that doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals aren’t forced to leave their ethics and religious beliefs at the door when they serve their patients. Medical professionals and elected officials around the country are bravely taking a stand for rights of conscience for the medical professionals in their states.
Here is how you can pray:
Judicial
Pray that the judicial system would recognize each person’s right to life and protect medical professional’s right to serve their patients consistent with their expertise and moral conscience.
Legislative
Pray that the states would pass legislation to protect medical conscience rights, and that those states that have legalized PAS and euthanasia would reverse their laws to protect life regardless of disease or disability.
Culture
Pray that individuals would stand against PAS and euthanasia and instead choose to value life. Pray that suicide prevention organizations would speak out against the laws enforcing medical professionals to take part in life-ending measures.
Church
Pray that the Church would stand firm on the biblical worldview of life, speaking truth and love to those who are in dire health situations in need of hope.
What is a Generational Win?
Each generation has the responsibility to protect the freedoms of the next. That is why ADF focuses on generational wins. These victories change the law and culture of the nation and are sustained by deliberate action so that the victory endures for future generations.
- Life is safeguarded
- Religious Freedom prevails
- All can Speak Freely
- Marriage and Family are protected
- Parental Rights are guaranteed
Baptist Resource Network of Pennsylvania/South Jersey has teamed up with ADF Church Alliance so your church can become a member at a discounted rate. Visit www.adfchurchalliance.org/BRN to learn more and use promo code BRN250 when you apply.
