Jenny E you are so right and "Runner" is so wrong, over the centuries Religion and Royalty have always played a big part in wars and killing people, but of course wars are legitimate to them,take George Bush as an example , but if I request an end to my life when suffering severe pain and loss of dignity, the religious come out in force and deny myself that action, I should have the right to decide when to end my life. I do find the remark of "Runner" offensive that non believers are the killing brigade, if you really got to know us better, that remark is far from what you imagine

Welcome to OLO, Jenny E. I can assure you from years of experience that runner is immune to both logic and compassion. He posts here only to justify his fear of the wider world by attacking any line of thought which wasn't issued by the Vatican mothership.

I advise not to frustrate yourself trying to reason with him.

miacat

You might as well argue mass sterilization especially among the indigenous. The vast majority of the fathers and many mothers don't want to take care of their children. By your argument we should also exterminate unwanted oldies instead of shoving them off to expensive old people's homes. The baby boomers could get their inheritance a bit quicker and spend it before they themselves get the chop.

"to refuse treatment they deem morally objectionable, but are silent on their obligations to ensure patients get timely, appropriate care"

But these doctors do not see being involved in taking a human life as "appropriate care" they see it as "morally objectionable".

If you lived in Somalia and the laws were that as a doctor you either had to preform female circumcision (90% prevalence rate in Somalia- very much a part of the culture), or if not refer the girl on so that she could get "appropriate care" would you see this a morally defensible argument?

You are so blinded by your own craze to help as many women get abortions as possible, that you don't realise how you are impeding on the rights and freedoms of others.

netjunkie your arguement is spurious.

In Victoria abortion is permitted under law, but female circumcision is not allowed.

My argument is not spurious. I'm talking about the ethical situation, not the legality.

Laws are made by the people. One would hope they would be based on ethics.

A prolife doctor being forced to refer a patient onto an abortion in Australia is just like an anti-FGM (female genital mutilation) doctor being forced to refer a patient onto an FGM in Somalia. In both cases, the respective procedures are legal. In both cases the procedures go against the doctor's conscience yet are perfectly acceptable ethically and culturally to the rest of society. And in both situations, the docotr should have the autonomy/right to choose not to be involved.