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  Religious conservatives argue their moral beliefs against contraception give pro-life pharmacists the right to refuse dispensing prescriptions for various contraceptive methods. Pro-choice advocates argue personal convictions, whatever they may be, do not give these pharmacists the right to withhold patient medications. It has been unclear which side will triumph after years of active debate. One question, however, has been overlooked and must be addressed now: When did the right to free exercise of religion become the right to force it?

  To get our answer, let’s look at the First Amendment. The relevant section deals specifically with religion and government. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Although written over two hundred years ago, the language isn’t that hard to understand. Simply put, it says that Congress can’t force a state or national religion onto Americans, nor can it prohibit them the right to free exercise of religion.

This statement is so simple there shouldn’t be any doubt as to its meaning or intent. Yet pharmacists who insist it is their right to refuse filling prescriptions for contraceptives for religious or "moral" reasons are missing the obvious. Specifically, that "free exercise of religion" stops with each individual. When a pro-life pharmacist says he will not fill contraceptive prescriptions because his religion doesn’t permit it, he has crossed the line. He is no longer exercising his religion for himself but is establishing through force his religious doctrine on the customer. If Congress isn’t allowed to establish a religion nor religious doctrine for a state or country, it cannot be legally possible for one individual to force his or her religion onto another.

Karen L. Brauer, President of Pharmacists For Life, states pro-life pharmacists have a "right of conscience". She and others argue that this right or "conscience clause" permits them to do two things: opt out of filling prescriptions for contraceptives, and refuse passing on the slip for dispensing by another pharmacist. Brauer makes several arguments why their perceived right trumps that of the customer who brings in a prescription for contraceptives. We need to look at the objections presented, and answer each one individually.