Michigan Religious Freedom Restoration Act

Nurses Spirituality

Published

If passed, allows people to not serve those who go against their beliefs. What do you think?

License To Discriminate? Lawmakers Consider Bill Allowing Doctors, EMTs To Refuse Care Of Gay Patients « CBS Detroit

I think it's yet one more example of homophobia, xenophobia, anti-semitism and racism being permitted under the guise of "religious freedom".

How many steps, after all, would it take to go from the EMT who doesn't think the gay guy at the MVA should be saved to declaring that anyone not Christian should not be saved? Or not "his kind" (define what that is?) to be saved?

This bill purports to allow the freedom to keep "deeply religious" people (Christians, I'm going to say based on the architects of this bill) from having to care humanely and fairly for other human beings they deem as unworthy of their care. How can ANYONE think this is a GOOD idea?

Pretty sure the gay ED doc isn't going to toss the "deeply religious" bleeding guy out into the street, but....it's ok the other way?

If I believed in Hell, I'd have to say we're one step closer to it...

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

It's disgusting. There is no passage in the Bible that prohibits us from providing care to anyone...and this Christian knows her Bible. Seriously I wish they'd shut up and quit making us look like monsters. :(

I agree with the two posters above.

When we take care of pts, it's about them- not us. The caregivers personal religious beliefs should not a be a factor in the care.

Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

Oh. My. Gosh. I'm shocked that this bill is being considered in Michigan, my home state! Nope, sorry, I am a nurse, therefore I serve any patient to whom I am assigned!

Specializes in OB.

Sounds like the creators of this bill and anyone who plans to vote on it needs to go back and read the parable of the good Samaritan! Can't understand how anyone who considers themselves a good Christian could subscribe to this viewpoint.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I'm sure this will be overturned by the Supreme Court IF it passes...stay tuned.

Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

We need to write to our senators and representatives in Michigan to make this stop. This is horrible if this passes. I have already written the governor. We are going backwards not forwards with a bill like this.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I am appalled.

Specializes in L&D, OBED, NICU, Lactation.

Snopes has a great analysis of this bill with some of the actual wording. It is NOT as cut and dry as the news article makes it seem.

snopes.com: Michigan Exempts Emergency Medical Personnel from Treating Gay People?

Thank you for providing the Snopes link, it's appreciated. I did read it, and while it's technically not being put forth as a means of denying care to those whom the provider deems unworthy of care (in effect, since THEY won't do it), it is just a heartbeat away from EVERY misuse and abuse possible.

Incorrect or simply malicious interpretation of a law has occured enough in our history to tell me that this thing can NEVER be a "good" law. It can only be used as a shield for those conscience-less souls to hide behind, IMHO. Or, at the very least, it allows for MUCH more harm than any possible good. I mean, really: is there such a slate of healthcare providers (emergency or otherwise) who have SUCH a problem with gays existing on the planet that they would need a law to protect them when they actively deny life-saving care and treatment?!

Oh, and I love a comment in the original link to the CBS story, the one in which someone who supports this idiocy gives as an example "A Jewish butcher would not have to handle non-kosher meat". Ok, seriously, any Jewish butcher who only wishes to handle kosher meat will work in a kosher shop. Is fine with all meat? Works anywhere (and is this really a problem? NO). Leave the Jews out of this one, LOL, we didn't design this stupidity! Drawing a parallel from the Jewish butcher to an ED doc who doesn't want to work on gay patients is just absurd...pretty sure when one goes into emergency medicine, it's understood that you don't get to choose which patients you can turn away because you don't like how they live.... :sarcastic:

Sorry, this just burns my butt!

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