LC Answers the Question

A Beliefnet member was not satisfied by my post refuting Swami's allegation that I believe that contraception is murder (I don't believe that):

"I read and re-read Ms. Hays' response of righteous indignation to Swami, but nowhere do I see whether she supports a pharmacist's right to refuse to fill birth-control prescriptions. (Perhaps this was in an earlier blog posting, now not on the page). A clarification would be helpful. For the record, I do think a pharmacist who would deny a woman a birth-control prescription to be a hate crime against that woman. Aw c'mon, answer the question."

This is a difficult question. I guess, off the top of my head, I'd say a pharmacist ought to be able to refuse to fill a prescription for anything he regards as morally repugnant. I don't think this would have much impact on getting prescriptions for contraception filled. Even I would fill a contraception prescription if I were a pharmacist, if I was certain it was a contraceptive and not an abortafecient.

Because I accept Catholic church teaching on contraception, I regard it as a grave moral evil and ultimately harmful to those who use it. But precisely because I don't regard it as murder, I would fill the prescription.

I happen to believe in drug legalization on the theory that it's your right to make a mess of your life (and because the war on drugs can't be won). But, while I believe you have the right to ruin your own life, I do not believe anyone has the right to take innocent life. I would not acquiesce in doing that.

This is simply my answer to the questions, and there may be better Christians out there who have another reply.