Pro-Life Health Providers are the Target of ACLU

A lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) against a Catholic hospital system would make it a crime to be a pro-life healthcare worker.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is asking a federal judge to allow it to intervene in the lawsuit filed against Trinity Health and its staff … involving 86-facilities in 21-states.  If the ACLU should win, the hospitals and their workers – despite their religious convictions – would be required to do abortions.

ADF attorney Kevin Theriot says “not only is there no law that requires faith-based hospitals and medical personnel to commit such acts against their faith and conscience, but federal law directly prohibits the government from engaging in any such coercion.”  In addition, Theriot says the government cannot tie any funding to a requirement that hospitals and their workers give up their constitutional freedoms.

According to Matt Bowman, who is also an attorney with ADF, the lawsuit – if successful – would make being a pro-life healthcare provider illegal.  “Forcing healthcare workers to act contrary to their convictions?  That’s counterproductive, it’s unnecessary – and it’s illegal," he adds.

In addition to Trinity Health, ADF is representing the Catholic Medical Association, the Christian Medical & Dental Association, the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologist, and Concerned Women for America – all of which could be affected by the outcome of the lawsuit.

If the ACLU were to win, the medical facilities could also be forced to perform sterilizations and provide abortion-causing drugs.

Listen: don’t be deceived.  This is not about providing women’s healthcare (i.e., abortions, contraceptives, etc.) … for they are easily accessible at other providers.  This is all about denying providers of their pro-life (religious) convictions – therefore, their Constitutional 1st Amendment right to exercise their faith without government interference.      

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel