Pharmacist refuses to sell birth control pills

[Slickster 0]

Plus, I think it was pointed out earlier that this particular pharmacy was the only one within 20 miles or so, so the pharmacist leaves people with no choice but to drive another 30+ min to go get the product.

 

I think that's why this story is an issue; if he was in the heart of Chicago and was one of 50+ pharmacies I doubt this would be a story at all.

 

Also, it's kind of a psychological thing. We EXPECT stores to carry these products, much like we expect a supermarket to carry bread or apples. It's like people assume that this is somehow government-mandated that stores MUST sell certain products. When they don't (and people see that they didn't have to in the first place), that's unsettling to some people.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

I'm not Catholic. Nor do I prescribe to the idea that sex is merely for procreation. That's much more a Catholic thing than a Christian thing.

SP, I'm sick of your hypocrisy.

 

Here you are, taking bullets for all your fellow misunderstood Christians around the world, and then you start spewing about stuff you know nothing about. Your generalizing is just as bad as everyone else's. Now I have many views that differ from the Church, but if we're going to talk about "a Catholic thing" please KNOW what you're talking about. The Church says sex should be both unitive and procreative, for BOTH lovegiving AND lifegiving. In their view, sex only for love is inappropriate but so is sex only for procreation.

 

And I'm not going to pitch a fit, like you might, and tell you how to type things. But you're little Catholic vs. Christian deal really irks me. I know you may think Catholics aren't true Christians, but who made you the authority? Whose bed do I have to shake to get a second opinion? If I see some demons, maybe I'll start calling you a false believer. The really ironic thing is, you spend time calling for acceptance, while I'm the one taking time to PRAY for you, and everyone else at Mass. I say, hey you may not get it right according to my view, but God speaks many languages and you're leading a good life, so you should have a place at the table.

[Guest thebigjig]

I'm not Catholic.  Nor do I prescribe to the idea that sex is merely for procreation.  That's much more a Catholic thing than a Christian thing.

SP, I'm sick of your hypocrisy.

 

Here you are, taking bullets for all your fellow misunderstood Christians around the world, and then you start spewing about stuff you know nothing about. Your generalizing is just as bad as everyone else's. Now I have many views that differ from the Church, but if we're going to talk about "a Catholic thing" please KNOW what you're talking about. The Church says sex should be both unitive and procreative, for BOTH lovegiving AND lifegiving. In their view, sex only for love is inappropriate but so is sex only for procreation.

 

And I'm not going to pitch a fit, like you might, and tell you how to type things. But you're little Catholic vs. Christian deal really irks me. I know you may think Catholics aren't true Christians, but who made you the authority? Whose bed do I have to shake to get a second opinion? If I see some demons, maybe I'll start calling you a false believer. The really ironic thing is, you spend time calling for acceptance, while I'm the one taking time to PRAY for you, and everyone else at Mass. I say, hey you may not get it right according to my view, but God speaks many languages and you're leading a good life, so you should have a place at the table.

Oh what do you know... you need to read into the teachings of Pastor Harry Hardwick at www.landoverbaptist.org

 

a quote from one of my favorite sermons, "Why do Catholics worship Mary?"

 

"Something that should clue the world in is the fact that Catholics insist on getting ALL their information about the Bible from old men who like to play with little boys' penises. Does anyone here understand that? I think the only thing we can do is just say that Catholics must be mentally sick. I figure that's an accurate statement, seeing as how they think they're Christians and not a one of them has ever cracked open a Bible to find out what they believe in. They'd rather have an old pervert in a dress teach them about Jesus"

[Dr. Tom 0]

Wow. That's a dreadfully inaccurate and unfair categorization of Catholics and their Church. I might be an atheist now, but I went to Catholic school and Church for quite a few years, and that cretin is simply off his rocker.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Well surely they have to be serious. They couldn't be joking. I mean, they're endorsed by whitehouse.org and everything.

[Guest thebigjig]

Well surely they have to be serious. They couldn't be joking. I mean, they're endorsed by whitehouse.org and everything.

lol it's a complete mock-website... very very funny

[Guest SideFXs]

Hey, there are any number of reasons.

 

If it is religious, fine, its his pharmacy. He has every right not to fill it. Just so its clear, these drugs prevent the release of the egg, so there is no conception. They are not abortifacient, in normal circumstances.

 

Perhaps he knows oral contraceptives promote promiscuity and discourage the use of condoms. The result, HIV/AIDS is growing fastest among women. I won't elaborate any further because of P.C.

 

Perhaps, its because he knows the estrogen component can cause blood clots, especially in women over 35, and the danger is worse in those who smoke. So he would rather not have the risk of a lawsuit .

 

Personally, I can't stand working Sundays because 50% of my business is dispensing contraceptives, because Monday is the start of the next months cycle. And let me tell you, I would rather not have to put up with the attitude among this demographic.

 

Now there are a lot of uses for oral contraceptive beside preventing pregnancy. Treat endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, prevent ovarian cysts, prevent heavy menstruation, restart the cycle. But mostly its an easy and usually free way, not to get pregnant.

 

Yeah I am a pharmacist. And I still encourage the use of condoms, even if the patient takes oral contraceptives. But I usually get a blank stare and the attitude that they know better. I don't blame the guy for not wanting this clientele. So he sends them over to my corporate pharmacy LOL. We fill anything that is legal.

[Guest SP-1]

I'm not Catholic.  Nor do I prescribe to the idea that sex is merely for procreation.  That's much more a Catholic thing than a Christian thing.

SP, I'm sick of your hypocrisy.

 

Here you are, taking bullets for all your fellow misunderstood Christians around the world, and then you start spewing about stuff you know nothing about. Your generalizing is just as bad as everyone else's. Now I have many views that differ from the Church, but if we're going to talk about "a Catholic thing" please KNOW what you're talking about. The Church says sex should be both unitive and procreative, for BOTH lovegiving AND lifegiving. In their view, sex only for love is inappropriate but so is sex only for procreation.

 

And I'm not going to pitch a fit, like you might, and tell you how to type things. But you're little Catholic vs. Christian deal really irks me. I know you may think Catholics aren't true Christians, but who made you the authority? Whose bed do I have to shake to get a second opinion? If I see some demons, maybe I'll start calling you a false believer. The really ironic thing is, you spend time calling for acceptance, while I'm the one taking time to PRAY for you, and everyone else at Mass. I say, hey you may not get it right according to my view, but God speaks many languages and you're leading a good life, so you should have a place at the table.

Thanks for clearing that up there, Spicy. It's appreciated. That's the first I've heard a Catholic put it that way from any source. It remains that I've heard that far more from the Catholic side of the fence than I ever have from the Protestant Christian side.

 

I've never said that all Catholics aren't true Christians. I challenge you to find that. I have, however, said numerous times that there are alot of Catholics that are saved. But there are alot that have no real idea about what happened on the Cross and in the Ressurrection. Many who are caught up in confession and regulations that are needless and unbiblical.

 

I've also said on occassion that there are alot of people in protestant Christian denominations who do the same damn thing with different sets of rules that are, again, unbiblical and needless. We call it legalism. It destroys BOTH of our peoples.

 

You've got to face the fact that there's a divide between the Catholic belief system and the Protestant system. And from a purely biblical standpoint, its a very important divide that can have ramifications in eternity. But I've never said that all Catholics aren't true Christians. Don't put words in my mouth. There's no need for that between you and I.

 

 

As for whomever asked the question about selling medication to a homosexual? That's an entirely different issue and scenario. Selling birth control encourages a specific set of sinful behavior. That's different from selling medicine to someone to help them stay alive. Completely different. One stops life. One helps mantain it.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

All I had to say was done already by Tom back during Page 1.

 

Although I did get a flashback to a news story I remember hearing about regarding those Rasta people with the funky hair suing UPS (or was it Fedex?) about having to cut their hair...

[Guest Ether]

Why aren't they over the counter.

 

Side effects and lack of medical supervision would be the main reasons. Most women, when they see their doctor to get the yearly prescription, are examined to ensure their is nothing abnormal going on, like an STD or cervical cancer. They're risky in some women - smokers and women with blood clotting disorders come to mind. Those women should be checked out by a doctor to ensure a serious complication doesn't occur, like a blood clot in the lung. Other women definitely need a doctor and a pharmacist to help them take the medication right. I've run into plenty of women who would otherwise think to only take them when they have sex, or would buy two different brands if they were OTC, thinking that two types will be better than one.

 

Having said all that, I'm actually for easier access to them. I live in an area with a lot of teenage pregnacy, and I think that would help. Of course, the Bible thumpers here (who are mainly Baptist, not Catholic, by the way) would be horrified by this, giving that they try to block any attempts at sex education in the schools here.

 

These drugs prevent the release of an egg.  They are not an abortifacient.

 

Their main mechanism is prevention of ovulation. However, they can keep a fertilized egg from implanting to the womans uterus. To some people, this is abortion, and that is where their problem lies. Promiscuity isn't the issue.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

I've never said that all Catholics aren't true Christians.

Perhaps I overreacted, it seemed that's what you were implying. I apologize if I misunderstood.

 

I have, however, said numerous times that there are alot of Catholics that are saved.  But there are alot that have no real idea about what happened on the Cross and in the Ressurrection.  Many who are caught up in confession and regulations that are needless and unbiblical.

 

I've also said on occassion that there are alot of people in protestant Christian denominations who do the same damn thing with different sets of rules that are, again, unbiblical and needless.  We call it legalism.  It destroys BOTH of our peoples.

 

You've got to face the fact that there's a divide between the Catholic belief system and the Protestant system.  And from a purely biblical standpoint, its a very important divide that can have ramifications in eternity.

Again after all of this, the question remains: who made you the authority? How do you KNOW? The truth is, if it's up to a god beyond our understanding, we don't KNOW if we will be saved. That's what faith is for, that's what Jesus is for.

 

The problem I see is too heavy a reliance on the Bible. The Bible has flaws. Flaws in Jesus' message? No. But there are flaws nonetheless. The important things are the teachings, and our actions that come from them.

 

To me, action is more important than the specific belief when manifesting faith in God. That's why I'm a little more liberal with who I believe should be saved, and why I don't think anyone will be taking a dip in a lake of fire.

[Guest Loss]

There are many reasons women are on birth control that have nothing to do with sex. I have friends who are virgins that have to take a pill every month to stay regular. It's not a black and white issue.

[Guest SP-1]

Spicy: I don't feel like getting into the Bible and whether it has flaws debate in CE. Mostly because everybody and his brother wants to throw a "flaw" at me and I can't get to everyone and eventually get burned out on the research involved to deal with everyone that comes out of the woodwork in those times.

 

But if you want to PM me, I'd like to hear out what flaws you think are there and try to address them. I've found that its usually something that you have to go back to the Greek or the Hebrew for it to make sense properly, or its a cultural or historical occourence. Most of the "flaws" I've heard of end up being straightened out and explained once you get past the English translation and Western/Modern take on events.

 

I'm not the authority. But the Bible is. If I had seen any evidence that there were true flaws there I might back off of that, but as yet I've not seen any. Like I said, I'm fine discussing it over PM (or even AIM), but not in CE because of the sheer volume of posts and work it brings about.

[Vyce 0]

Wow. That's a dreadfully inaccurate and unfair categorization of Catholics and their Church. I might be an atheist now, but I went to Catholic school and Church for quite a few years, and that cretin is simply off his rocker.

Have none of you ever heard of Jack Chick?

 

You must read some of his religious tracts. You MUST.

 

My personal favorite was the one where he blames Catholics for vampirism. Goddamn GOLD.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

The best has got to be the rock band, signed by manager Lou Siffer (SNEAKY). Their number one hit was "Rock rock rock, rock let's rock, rock rock rock, rock." They all do coke and die, and one of them is punished with the evil of AIDS for embracing rock music and signing his soul to the devil.