Religious Autonomy

Words: 1292
Pages: 6
Open Document
Finally, Conly discusses the right to religious autonomy. This is an especially robust debate in the United States, a theologically diverse country with strong religious principles and constitutional protections for religious freedom. In this country, “religious beliefs are generally accorded a high priority within beliefs of conscience”, and most of us believe deeply in respecting others’ right to practice their religion. This is evident in many existing United States laws and policies. For example, it is widely accepted that prisoners—who have been stripped of many of their rights through incarceration—maintain “a moral right to have their religious preferences respected, and for that reason to be given food according to their religious …show more content…
According to Conly, a one-child policy would not overly burden individuals or their religious groups: “Many churches have changed their stance on the use of contraception, without any seeing any collapse of their organizations”. Having satisfied part (a), Conly concludes that it is permissible to curtail some degree of religious autonomy if the justification for limiting procreation is sufficiently strong.
V. EQUALITY AND EQUITABLE POLICY
According to Conly, equality is “essential to our well-being […] that we are equal to others, and that others recognize that”. It is an intuitive principle for people across countless cultures and geographies, and it becomes especially important in the administration of laws that may not be equitably enforced: “if we think drugs are [de facto] outlawed only for minorities, we do feel resentment, because then the law is no longer a statement about drugs but instead is a statement about a particular kind of people”. Even when laws are equitably enforced, they can still violate our sense of equal standing or respect. In an initiative to prevent obesity, the mayor of New York recently enacted a policy that prohibited the sale of large sodas. His citizens were outraged: “The idea that other people have better ideas than we do about what we should drink […] seemed to drive people crazy”. It is easy to see how a one-child policy could be offensive to our sense of …show more content…
To do this, I will begin with my own perspective on the issue, and then discuss my thoughts in the context of the work of Russell Sinnott-Armstrong and Shelly Kagan, two consequentialist moral theorists who have written on the topic. In most of my moral reasoning, I tend to start from a relatively libertarian and consequentialist perspective. I believe that in almost all cases we should have the right to do what we desire—including having as many children as we want—unless our actions result in significant harm to
Show More

Related Documents: Religious Autonomy

Second Great Awakening Research Paper

society was characterized by an ardent religious revivalism that took the form of movements such as the Second Great Awakening which had a heavy emphasis on personal salvation and reform. This coincided with a period of widespread activism aimed at addressing pressing social issues such as gender inequality and racial hierarchies. These campaigns marked the first reform movements that would advocate for abolitionism, women’s rights, and religious individuality. Religious and reform movements such as the…

Words 1294 - Pages 6

Rboteau Vs Boles

Do slaves exercise religious autonomy? We can see the difference in how two historians respond to this question. Among many who said that slaves did indeed exercise religious autonomy, Albert J. Raboteau was one who believed that slaves engaged in religious freedom. He argues, “The blacks were flocking to hear the message of salvation in hitherto unseen numbers”(Raboteau, 378). He says that Protestantism encouraged many free blacks and slaves to preach. They were doing it, even though the whites…

Words 977 - Pages 4

Presentation: Blood Transfusion and Patient Essay

The aim of this essay is to analyse the legal and ethical dilemmas doctors and other healthcare workers may encounter in the working theatre environment. The essay will explore the concept of ‘Autonomy’ and ‘Paternalism’ and how these apply to health care in a given case scenario. Standards set out by the Health Professionals Council for Operating Department Practitioners will be discussed with regards to the patient scenario The case scenario for this essay is a forty seven year old lady who…

Words 2182 - Pages 9

Pamela Hamilton Case Summary

Pamela, diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma of the femur with possible metastasis to the spinal column, and her father refused treatment on the grounds of religious objection. Under some cases, a court order would be appropriate, but given the low chances of success, as well as the likely side effects from the treatment, in addition to the religious objections of the family, a court order should not be filed. This case raises the question of what is more important, the ability of a patient and her…

Words 540 - Pages 3

Religious Uniformity In Colonial America

religion, government, and cultural influence, the American colonists differentiated themselves from the citizens of Britain. In the early 1700s, religious life in colonial America and England followed vastly different paths, reflecting…

Words 1080 - Pages 5

Freedom In Early America

freedom that was to basically not be owned by someone. They looked for alleviation from the life of enslavement. The Europeans that settled and colonized in America characterized freedom much in an unexpected way. Their idea of opportunity included religious freedom, financial opportunity,…

Words 995 - Pages 4

Slavery: Slavery in the United States and Slave Owners Essay

slavery in the antebellum south. This description describes the protection of slaves by their slave owners but restricting their freedom or any autonomy they sought. The booming cotton industry and the white masters being hugely anti-modern defined this era in American history. Any threat to the master or the social hierarchy was stamped out and autonomy to an extent was only a luxury for some slave plantations. The hierarchical society that was present in the American South was deeply rooted in…

Words 2764 - Pages 12

Assisted Suicide Research Paper

Kevorkian and others like him may have acted unscrupulously, supporters of assisted suicide point to the fact that autonomy and freedom over one’s own person includes the right to make decisions regarding the time, place, and manner of one’s own death. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, “The right of a competent, terminally ill person to avoid excruciating…

Words 1744 - Pages 7

Roe Vs Wade Research Paper

Since its landmark decision in 1973, Roe v. Wade has been at the center of one of the most contentious debates in American society. The ruling, which legalized abortion nationwide, has continually faced challenges from various political, religious, and social factions. Roe v. Wade originated from a Texas law that criminalized most abortions unless performed to save the mother's life. The case reached the United States Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of Norman Dorsen, asserting that a woman's…

Words 990 - Pages 4

Roe Vs Wade Research Paper

Since its landmark decision in 1973, Roe v. Wade has been at the center of one of the most contentious debates in American society. The ruling, which legalized abortion nationwide, has continually faced challenges from various political, religious, and social factions. Roe v. Wade originated from a Texas law that criminalized most abortions unless performed to save the mother's life. The case reached the United States Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of Norman Dorsen, asserting that a woman's…

Words 990 - Pages 4