Christian Group Says University Is Forcing Nursing Students to Participate in Abortions
- Posted on January 11, 2011 at 9:33pm by
Meredith Jessup
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A Christian legal group filed a civil rights complaint Tuesday against a Tennessee, alleging that the school’s nursing program violates federal law by requiring applicants to participate in abortion procedures.
Vanderbilt University has denied the claim, but the Alliance Defense Fund claims that the school’s nursing-residency application materials violate national laws that prohibit schools receiving federal funds from requiring someone to perform or assist in abortions.
According to ADF, the school requires applicants to sign an acknowledgment, stating: “I am aware that I may be providing nursing care for women who are having” procedures, including terminations of pregnancy.
“It is important that you are aware of this aspect of care and give careful consideration to your ability to provide compassionate care to women in these situations,” the documents state. “If you feel you cannot provide care to women during this type of event, we encourage you to apply to a different track of the Nurse Residency Program to explore opportunities that may best fit your skills and career goals.”
The ADF complaint, filed on behalf of an unnamed Mississippi woman, was submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. According to HHS, Vanderbilt received $313.6 million in federal funding during fiscal year 2008.
“Christians and other pro-life members of the medical community shouldn’t be forced to participate in abortions to pursue their profession,” Matt Bowman, legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, said in a news release.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center spokesman John Howser said the application’s acknowledgment was created to inform applicants that they will be asked to provide care to women who have had, or are seeking, abortions. It does not mean that residents with religious or moral objections will be required to participate in the actual procedures.
“The letter was added in order to create an awareness that terminations are performed here at Vanderbilt,” Howser said. “If you choose to participate (in the nurse residency program), you will around patients who have had or are seeking terminations, and you may be asked to care for them. It does not say that you are required to participate in performing or in the performance of terminations.”
Additionally, the university says it has its own, specific policy that exempts employees from participating in certain activities due to religious beliefs.
But David French, ADF’s senior counsel and director of its Columbia-based Center for Academic Freedom, suggests that the university should include the policy in its application materials so students know their rights. “The issue here is their application materials,” French said. “You can’t create a better way to screen out pro-life applicants if you try. That violates the (federal law) regardless of whatever policy they might have.”
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Comments (139)
Stronge
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:40pmSo nursing students will be required to provide care for people who have had or who are going to have medical procedures, while not being required to participate in the procedure itself. Sorry, where’s the problem?
Report Post »PatriotDaze
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 12:37amAgreed Stronge. This is like a Urology fellow not learning how to perform a Vasectomy or tying off Fallopian tubes. They can freely decline to perform those procedures once in private practice….but to have M.D. after their name, they must learn the surgical procedures!
Report Post »Its Gonna Getcha
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 6:26amJust consider this for a moment. You are in training to be a gangster. Then you witness your first hit by your collegues. You do nothing to stop it, and you are not necessarily expected to do it. Can you then be charged as an accomplice to murder? It’s murder. Abortion is murder.
Report Post »Stronge
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 7:22amAbortion actually isn’t murder. Murder is, by definition, unlawful killing. And abortion isn’t illegal.
And providing nursing care for someone in need of it is not the same as being an accomplice to murder.
Report Post »cykonas
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 8:35amI can only speak for myself Stronge. My “problem” comes in when Federal money is used. For me it doesn’t matter if the question is teaching an abortion procedure, a particular “beginning of the universe” theory, or Chinese checkers. Take the Federal money out of the equation and I’m 100% for letting the schools do what they want and teach what they want to teach. But, because Federal money comes from everyone, everyone’s feelings and beliefs have to be accomodated. I think the reason abortion is a particularly sticky question in our country is that the split is so close to 50/50. I think the solution is to get the Federal government out of education all together.
Report Post »Stronge
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 7:41pmBut they’re NOT teaching an abortion procedure. Read the article. The whole piece is based on a false premise.
Report Post »Pragmatica
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:40pmThat headline is misleading and makes it sound like the nursing school is forcing women to have abortions! Just saying. They should not be forced to participate in abortion medical procedures during their training, but that headline made me think this was much worse!
Report Post »retriever
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:31pmAny person who kills babies knows that it is murder. It is not a procedure, a termination of pregnancy, abortion, etc. Any “so called” nursing student who is willing to participate knows what is being asked of them. Therefore if they are not innocent of killing innocent human babies. It is between God and them with no excuses regarding their eternal outcome.
Report Post »www.InternetAnchorman.TV
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:25pmWe sure have heard alot of talk about violence lately. And although the terrible events of Saturday represent bonifide terror and violence what about the violence of killing millions of unborn babies? What about the violence of millions of deaths in these unconstitutional wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? What about the violence from the international bankers who are collapsing economies? What about the medical vaccines that have killed violence?these are all real acts of violence being ignored by sheeple.
Report Post »http://www.InternetAnchorman.tv
Chet Hempstead
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 1:54amWhat about the medical vaccines that have killed violence? I don’t know, what about them? I think I know what you’re trying to say, and I think you’re wrong, if you’re trying to say what I think you’re trying to say, but I can’t be sure.
Report Post »scout n ambush
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:23pmIf this was a muslim school what would the outcome be .if a girl want‘s to murder her child in the womb it’s ok ? if she does it after it comes out it’s murder ………the gov‘t shouldn’t be involved in any school in any way except west point.The gov’t and the courts liberal judges are responsible for this.
Report Post »Non_Probate_Asset
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 12:06amYeah, we wouldn’t want the government helping people get those dangerous educations! They might start thinking for themselves! We can’t have that. Also, West Point is not even the only military academy, so I’m not sure what point you are trying to make. If you had even read the article, you’d know that the school does NOT require anyone to participate in abortions and to back that up, it has a policy which respects each person’s religious beliefs.
The Blaze prints a lot of nonsense, but this is the biggest non-story I think I have read in a long while.
Report Post »PDSD
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:21pmExcuse me but why is Vanderbilt received $313.6 million in federal funding during fiscal year 2008. ???? that seems to be alot of money for a college per year????
Report Post »Its Gonna Getcha
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:08pmCall me crazy, but if I imagined myself in a classroom of say, 100 of these nursing students, there’d always be at least one person who would see this, be freaked out, and find a way to let the rest of us know what’s really going on. But that’s just my imagination.
Report Post »deskpilot
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:55pmFrom a wording point of view, not a pro life / pro abortion stance, I submit that VU administrators, faking a career as lawyers, SUCK:
“It is important that you are aware of this aspect of care and give careful consideration to your ability to provide compassionate care to women in these situations,” the documents state. “If you feel you cannot provide care to women during this type of event, we encourage you to apply to a different track of the Nurse Residency Program to explore opportunities that may best fit your skills and career goals.”
They probably make better nurses than lawyers. IMHO, the major fault in this wording is “provide care to women during this type of event, we encourage you to apply to a different track of the Nurse Residency Program to explore opportunities.” It SMACKS of perform abortions or find another career. If it had simply advised them of their right not to participate in the performance of an abortion, but that nursign students may still be required to care for women who have had that procedure, that would be a totally different advisory document. As it seems to stand, It’s a very bad acknowledgement letter.
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:54pmBe branded on your forehead if you are not ashamed. Otherwise shut the FU
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:42pmAny woman that would do this should be branded so that all will know
Report Post »FoxholeAtheist
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:38pmIn other words, the school is preparing them for real life situations. Good for them.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 1:01pmFoxhole – No, they are not preparing them for real life situations. They are preparing them for the murder of an innocent baby. That is real life – the baby is real life. God is calling you. He knows your name. He loves you & wants to save your soul. God is calling you by name to come to Him.
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:26pmYou dont hear too much from me but this has gone too far. Every nursing student with a brain should leave this school now
Report Post »ltb
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:20pmThis university was established by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South… its founders would be appalled that, 135 years later, its professors are teaching students how to murder babies.
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:14pmI would not want a nurse with this upbringing to put her hands on me. When these graduates apply for jobs a red flag should pop up
Report Post »Thunderstorm 316
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:09pmSince January 22, 1973, when people who belived in Eugenics pushed to legelize abortion up to the day of brith (people like Margaret Sanger), almost Sixty Million babies have been killed by abortion, and the number looks likes it will not slow down. It is time for this to stop, but the little Progressives say that this is about womens rights O.K……? So what about the rights of the women who have been aborted in their mothers whoms?
Report Post »TOSKIMAN
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:07pmWhere is the clause that says, “we will not terminate you as a student should you choose to discuss, with the patient, the ramifications of an abortion.” ????
Report Post »ltb
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:23pmAnd what happened to “First Do No Harm?”
Report Post »utstick
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:00pmIt is an ABORTION not a TERMINATION. Just another way that liberal educators are changing their words to hide their actions (like man-made disasters, undocumented citizens…etc). Their rhetoric is dangerous for fetuses.
Stick
Report Post »shorthanded12
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:05pmThe libs have there own dictionary…. you know global warming went to climate change. They have to hide behind there agenda.
Report Post »rlmeals
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:08pmExactly. When the term becomes detrimental to your cause, change it to something else. You know, I had a miscarriage and we lost our first child. We were devastated. But then to add to the pain even more, when I looked at the hospital bill, it said “abortion.” That is simply because the D&C procedure to take my unborn baby out of my uterus is the same procedure they use to preform some abortions, and that is the way they label it on the bill. Needless to say, I was very much offended, although I’ll admit emotions were running high. But even in my clarity now, I’m still offended.
Report Post »kentuckypatriot
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 9:59pmMe wonders if a civil suit brought on by a Christian group will survive by our pathetic world of liberal judges! The Blaze needs to keep tabs on this story as it progresses.
Report Post »shorthanded12
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 9:59pmSounds to me it was a back door job by libs…sneaky parosites.
According to HHS, Vanderbilt received $313.6 million in federal funding during fiscal year 2008. <——–NO WONDER THIS COUNTRYS BROKE While the students tuition continues to go up some dayum professors pay goes up and there cushy benefit packages payed for by the TAX PAYERS.
Report Post »kentuckypatriot
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 9:57pmMe wonders if a civil suit brought on by a Christian group would go very far in our pathetic world of liberal judges! The Blaze should keep tabs on this story.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 12:56pmThe Alliance Defense & the ACLJ have been winning many lawsuits. It’s hard to believe. They have even won cases against the ACLU. Praise God! I think HE’S had enough & I pray HE is giving our country another chance to redeem itself through HIS people.
Report Post »Curator_JDR
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 9:56pmIs this part of the “complete lives program” from Obamacare?
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 9:54pmMy daughter is a graduate of Baylor School Of Nursing in Dallas and she would be sickened by this. She has to see this
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 2:20pmYou see Non-Sequitur, just because one animal performs a certain act or behavior does not necessarily make it natural for another or all types of animals. Your supposition was wrong because you assumed that it did.
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 9:46pmAs i said in another thread, The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were infested with liberals. God dealt with the problem back then and i feel he’s about to do it again
Report Post »walkwithme1966
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:51pmInfested with liberals? And where in the Bible does it say that? Where does it say in the Bible that Sodom and Gomorrah was infested with liberals? That is the absolutely stupidest thing I have ever read as being in the Bible. I suggest you enroll in some Bible studies somewhere because it is obvious that you need some refresher course in the Bible. http://wp.me/pYLB7-v9
Report Post »AzDebi
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:03pm“The Nation that forgets God will perish”…HE doesn’t have to do ANYTHING…WE are doing it to ourselves!
@PC BE DAMNED….God, I love America too!
Report Post »NeoFan
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:06pmThe people in Sodom and Gomorrah were wicked just like liberals. Liberals support the ACLU which never misses an opportunity to support pedophiles like NAMBLA. Liberals never miss a chance to spit on our returning soldiers. Liberals are never satisfied with the number of abortions they always want more. Liberals constantly attack those that do go and do everything they can to support murderers by things like opposing the death penalty.
Report Post »scout n ambush
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:27pmThe definition of liberal is – anything goes and everyone knows .
Report Post »neverending
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:47pmThat is guaranteed.
Report Post »Chet Hempstead
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 1:40amNeofan
Report Post »I’m a liberal and I;ve missed many opportunities to spit on our returning soldiers. In fact, I’ve never spit on any of them. I think that I probably would not have even if I lived closer to the airport.
Colonial Revolutionary
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 6:15am@dealer678
I agree with you. I think a better way to state it is “People with morals like liberals”
Report Post »Ghostrider
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 8:57amInfested with liberals because the liberals believe that it is good and natural for a man to have sex with a man, that a woman should and can have sex with a woman. They have taken what God has given, sex with the opposite sex in marriage, and turned what God made good into something that man has made evil. Homosexuality is evil, not natural, against God’s law and the Law of nature. If it was good and natural and proper, you would see it in the animal kingdom, but you do not, because not even an animal would commit such a heinous act. Now what does this have to do with abortion? The liberals believe it is good and natural for a woman to kill her unborn babyf for her good. They want to take what is the safest place for a human, the mother’s womb, and turn it into a killing ground because the woman is just not ready yet, or it’s the wrong sex, or any number of things the devil tells them. That is what is wrong with liberals, and that is why God will deal wioth them and every other sinner. You can run, but you cannot hide from God. You can make all the excuses you want, but on Judgment Day, you will stand mute before God as your own words and life condemn you to an ever lasting Hell.
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 11:19amWe must be very careful here!!!! Our fight is not against flesh and blood but against the powers, rulers and authorities of darkness. Liberals, for all their faulty reasoning and wicked agendas, after all are simply slaves to their sin. Just as we all were at one time. “There is no one righteous, no not even one”. It is there but for the grace of God go I. If we had not been set free from the sin nature through faith in Jesus Christ we would be joining right in with them in one form or another. Therefore, while we must stand absolutely, unashamedly, and courageously against all wickedness we must continue to make the gospel attractive…..yes even to the liberal. 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy
Report Post »Non-sequitur
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 1:32pm“Liberals constantly attack those that do go and do everything they can to support murderers by things like opposing the death penalty.”
Ahaha, I’m going to save this into my “Stuff conservatives say” file. Gold. Pure gold. You MUST be a troll because there‘s no way you’re for real.
Report Post »Non-sequitur
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 1:35pm“If it was good and natural and proper, you would see it in the animal kingdom, but you do not, because not even an animal would commit such a heinous act.”
Aaaand another Troll trying to make Conservatives look stupid. Animals have homosexual sex, and not just “sniffing the butt”. Look to our closest living relatives, the apes. Female bonobos actually prefer sex with female bonobos. Homosexuality IS natural since it appears in nature. The only thing you could argue is that it goes against your morals.
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 2:17pmTo Non-Sequitur—–Are we to assume that cannibalism is ok? It occurs frequently in the animal world, yet dare I assume if this were to occur among humans there would be nearly universal agreement on its offensiveness and unnatural distinction in our society. We cannot hold up a philosophy as a slam dunk when the presuppositions are false to begin with. Just wondering what your thoughts were on this?
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 2:27pmYou see Non-Sequitur, just because one animal performs a certain act or behavior does not necessarily make it natural for another or all types of animals. Your supposition was wrong because you assumed that it did.
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 2:37pmAs an example of what I mean……Dung beetles (Scarabs) do what? They role up piles of animal dung and live primarily or exclusively on animal feces. Needless to say, if you made this your regular practice people would be safe in assuming you were unnatural and bizarre, even though it does occur in the animal world. Know one would have a moral objection just that it wasn’t natural for **** sapien sapiens to do this!!!
Report Post »wisehiney
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 9:44pmNever quit.
Report Post »teammommy
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 9:40pmMr. French, I hope you win. Way to go up against the machine!
Report Post »Steverino
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 9:54pmMan, these progressives are, at the very least, gifted at blurring any line that any segment of society may hold dear.
Report Post »It is a messy, messy world. Clarity seems to be a scarce commodity.
Steve
http://stephencharles-poppin-off.blogspot.com/2011/01/utter-hypocrisy-of-left-this-post-may.html
P C BE DAMNED
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 9:55pmWe refuse to live in the dark ages any longer. The child has different chromosomes than the father and the mother making the child unique to itself. It is not your body and you will have to answer to an angry God if you continue to live for self only. There is forgivness through the merits of Jesus and his Father. But come into the light. And stop murdering innocent children. God I love America!
Report Post »godlovinmom
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:04pmdon’t you just love the terms they use for killing babies…“procedures” “situations” “types of events”…call it what it is …murder!
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:06pmForced to participate in MURDER? Yea,,,any real Christian will take a stand. If they don’t, I wouldn’t want to be them. I am pretty sure God dosen’t want you killing His creation…As a matter of fact I am sure He still calls it MURDER…
Report Post »VanGrungy
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:29pmI will never understand this anti-human thought that warms the cockles of a commie’s heart
“Yay, deleted people”
Report Post »Creestof
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 11:42pmI consider myself to be a Christian, yet I can imagine a time when an abortion may be needed to save the life of the mother, rather than lose the mother and the child. In such an instance I’d like to know that the nurse/doctor attending in either a hospital or emergency situation knows how to properly perform one. The particulars regarding federal funding and upfront notification to the applicants I will not get into.
Report Post »JohnLocke
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 12:03amThe way, it seems, that they have blurred the line is by creating a new definition of “Compassionate Care.” Somewhere along the way, they actually fooled themselves and many others into believing that compassionate care is murdering an unborn baby.
Report Post »Cobra Blue
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 12:14amSounds like the ADF has a good case. But….if things continue in this country on the same track they are currently headed you can bet that Christians will be forced to make hard choices about what they participate in. Christ never said it would be an easy road. He just promised to walk it with us. Time is already here that we are going to have to choose a side and stick to it even if cost us our job, money, whatever. Are we going to be men and women of conviction or a luke warm belief system. Choose this day whom you will serve…and get ready to stand on it…So Help Me God.
KICKILLEGALSOUT
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 12:15amOf course, the only protected religious groups in this country under the Obama admin. is the Muslims!
Report Post »RKade
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 12:51amIt is good to know that people are standing up to these progressives. the Progressives are always pushing and pushing. It is time to push back.
Report Post »Diamond Girl
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 2:07amAmen to that..Amen.
Report Post »cykonas
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 7:57am@JohnLocke
Report Post »I don’t think the believe it any more than you or I. They use softer words in an attempt to assuage their consciences and to advance their agenda of science over the Divine.
dontbotherme
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 12:49pmCreestof – I have made it very, very clear to my family, that if, while pregnant, it came down to a choice between me or the baby, they d_mn well better choose the baby. As a Christian any other choice would be immoral.
Report Post »Brooke Lorren
Posted on January 13, 2011 at 5:02pmChristians already can‘t fly if they want to follow God’s laws regarding nakedness and immorality.
That being said, I’m against forcing people to participate in abortions, but not all abortions are murder. I’ve had two abortions that took place after the babies had already died. The first time, I had to have it because I was bleeding to death and that was the only way to stop it. The second time, the baby had already died weeks before, and I was once again bleeding uncontrollably. In both cases, I didn’t want to do it (and I was left with scar tissue after the second one) but I was gushing blood and that was the only way to make it stop.
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