If we require pharmacists to go against their religious beliefs, shouldn't we require ministers...?

Question

If we can require pharmacists to go against their religious beliefs and dispense certain drugs, shouldn't we also require ministers to perform same-sex marriages in jurisdictions where same-sex marriage is legal?

Answer 1

They are already trying to do this. I feel that what makes this country so great is the freedom of religion. When you have someone dictating to you what you have to except you can't help but wonder if people are trying to make us become communism

Answer 2

Someone who becomes a pharmacist knows that they might have to dispense birth control products. If that was against their religion when they became a pharmacist, why did they become one? If they had some sort of religious epiphany after becoming a pharmacist, they can't expect the job to change to match their new religions view point. If they have an employer, they can't all of a sudden decide that they can't or won't perform certain aspects of the job.

Answer 3

Absolutely not. Anyway ministers can pick and choose to do or not do any marriage ceremony. They often turn down Christians for various reasons. Some won't do mixed marriages, such as a Jew and a Christian.

Religious leaders are not employees nor do most of them even get a salary, so they can do or not do what they want.

Anyway, get real. What self-respecting Homosexual wants to get married by a person being forced to do it against their will. And, besides an amendment to the Constitution will put a stop any gay marriages anyway. Most states are in the process of doing that right now.

Answer 4

Meg, a pharmacist is required by law to dispense properly prescribed medications. On the other hand a Minister is NOT required by law to perfomr work that is NOT in keeping with HIS Religion's rules of conduct. the Pharmacist takes an oath to follow the instructions of a properly qualified Physician. the Minister takes an other to abide by the dictates of his REligion's authority. You're comparing apples to oranges.

Raji the Green Witch

Answer 5

No. A pharmacist is required to carry out his pharmacy job correctly and likewise a religious leader is to carry out his job (of religion) correctly.

If someone wants to have a same-sex "marriage" then they should go to someone who is not a believer to do the legal ceremony.

A minister is supposed to hold up God's laws even when they differ from man's.

Answer 6

Simple: CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF.

This is the First Amendment to the US Constitution, and it has been held as the avenue religions use to get away with discriminations of all kinds, including race, sex, national origin, etc.

HOWEVER, Pharmacists are employed to perform a function by an employer. The employer has the right to tell the pharmacist how to dress and how to do their job. If they choose not to do the things that the employer says, then the employer can fire them.

There is nothing that says a private pharmacy and a private pharmacist cannot refuse to sell morning after pills, or anything else. However, insurance companies are not likely to send very much business their way if they find that the pharmacist is failing to fill legitimate prescriptions.

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^

Answer 7

A religious institution is exempt -separation of church and state. Ministers get to choose who will and who will not get married in their church.
A pharmacist is not there to make a decision about the medicine being prescribed by the much more qualified DOCTOR. He is not there to share his personal moral beliefs and impose them on the customer. He is there to fill prescriptions. Customer service is his duty.
Now if he owns a private pharmacy which chooses to not carry the drug, that is his right and the customer can go elsewhere. But if he is an employee of a pharmacy which does carry those medications and he refuses to fill the prescription, he should be fired.

Answer 8

... that's just it. A pharmacist is not a member of the clergy. Pharmacy does not qualify as a religious-oriented job. They aren't payed to to be religious, they are paid to dispense drugs. Ministers on the other hand do in fact have religious jobs and therefore can use their religious beliefs to influence their on-the-job decisions.

Answer 9

Different ballgame. Nobody's life is put at risk by clergy refusing to marry them.

Personally, I feel that pharmacists should be required to provide any legal drug prescribed. If we allow them to pick and choose, what prevents them from refusing to fill prescriptions for anti-biotics, which are sometimes used to treat STD's? Or for that matter any blood derived vaccine, (also proscribed in the bible,) or even insulin.

There's no public health issue involved in Same Sex marriages. And there's no valid analogy in your question. Just another red herring from Fundies who want us all to have Faith that apples and oranges are the same.

Answer 10

Specific denominations carry specific beliefs. If it is out of their belief, they do not need to comply, in other words, it isn't part of the job description. A pharmacist doesn't have denominations. Nice try! Let the person find a church that condones (though there shouldn't be any, there are) same sex marriage and go there, were it is in the job description.

Answer 11

I love the way you think, and although I believe that would be divine justice in the truest sense, I can't agree with you. Not because I don't think it would be a great idea that would force tolerance and understanding, I truly do think it would be. But because I also believe in a persons right to practice their religion as they choose (as long as it doesn't interfere with other peoples right to do the same). The day our govenment gets that involved in matters of faith I will move my family to another country. Something has obviously gone horribly wrong with the separation of church and state.