There has been quite a bit of talk in the news recently about Christian people being forced to provided business services that violate their personal beliefs. I do sympathize with Christian people who feel like their beliefs sometimes run against the grain of society. I really do. The best personal example that I can give is regarding the subject of abortion. I strongly believe that abortion is the premeditated murder of innocent life. I try to understand it’s utilization in extreme cases of rape or risk to the mother’s life… but I have seen abortion used repeatedly as a form of birth control and it makes me sick to my stomach.
As a family doctor, I would sometimes face a conundrum. I would sometimes find myself sitting in an exam room with a young woman who did not want to continue with her pregnancy. It would be easy for me to look down my nose at this woman or treat her with contempt. I would never allow myself to behave in this manner. I would smile at her and say that I know what she was going through must be very difficult. I would sit and talk with her for a few minutes about her decision-making process. I would make sure she had considered the possibilities of actually keeping the baby or giving the child up for adoption. I would then tell the patient that I was going to have my nurse come in and talk with her about all of her available options. At the end of the visit, I would excuse myself from the room and find a quiet area to pray. Her life was already difficult enough… it was not my place to make it more difficult. I asked God to forgive her for what she might be about to do. My patient had no idea that I did not approve because it was not my job to be her judge. She came to me because I was her doctor. I did not endorse her decision in any way but the rest of our society has already told us both that what she was doing is currently acceptable. And if being a family doctor meant that I was required to physically perform the abortion myself then I would have already found another line of work years ago. I have always treated my patients the exact same way regardless of my own religious beliefs. That is exactly how an intelligent Christian florist or caterer should handle being asked to provide services for a gay wedding in our civilized society.
Those are the rules when your principles and religious beliefs are being held by a shrinking minority of the population.
You pick a profession you can live with.
You approach life with a good attitude and a smile.
You are pleasant to people who are pleasant to you.
You do your job as required within the restrictions of the law.
And you pray for the sinners when you get home.
This one came from deep within you Michael. It’s pace was slow and deliberate, and each sentence was packed with feeling. As I read your words, I felt that you had exposed your very soul when you wrote it.