An Ethical Dilemma

It was morally and legally correct for the organizations, Wheaton College and Hobby Lobby Craft Store, to deny birth control coverage to their respective staff and students. Due to their conviction that the use of birth control goes against their religious principles and beliefs, several organizations have chosen to deny the coverage. In order to avoid breaking the rules of the Affordable Care Act, sometimes known as Obamacare, which mandates that insurance plans cover birth control, they have taken this action. Wheaton College no longer offered health insurance to its students, forcing them to find alternative forms of health insurance. Only students were impacted by the move; personnel were unaffected. They argued that the mandate was an assault to their religious freedom.

Wheaton College is a Christian liberal arts college while hobby lobby craft store is a Christian company. Christians believe that the use of contraceptives is morally wrong; they are unnatural, antilife and a form of abortion. The natural law states that sexual intercourse is meant for the purpose of conceiving a child, therefore contraceptives interferes with this natural order of the universe. This fact is based more on religion as compared to the secular belief. Life is a good thing; those who use contraceptives are intentionally preventing a new life from coming into being. Christians argue that contraception is a form abortion, which is a morally wrong behavior. According to Christianity, life begins at conception. Therefore, by using morning after pills also known as a plan B pill, an abortion has already been done. The availability of contraceptive leads to sexual immorality, man and woman become aware that they have total control over their reproductive life, when contraception fail, the result (pregnancy) is easily terminated.

Contraceptives have several negative side effects which can damage the health of an individual. A person using birth control pills is likely to have many sexual partners hence there is a high chance of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. The use of contraceptives increases the chances of sexual intercourse outside marriage since one is aware that there is no conception going to take place. Marriages are broken after a partner realizes that adultery has taken place.

Wheaton College is a Christian institution therefore the students should be aware that the school had the right to impose its religious principles and values on its student population. Providing the health care insurance would mean that the collage was to violate its religious beliefs. The use of contraception method such as the plan B emergency pills that prevents a fertilized egg from being attached to the uterus equates to abortion which is an immoral and unethical act. It is within their moral obligation to do what they believe is right regarding their religion. Wheaton however understands the welfare of the students and set aside funds to help the students who cannot afford the high cost of insurance cover. (Manya, 2015).

David Green, the founder of Hobby Lobby Craft Store led the company through his religion (Christianity). The company was strict in following their religion such that it agreed to pay a fine of $1.3 million dollars a day for not following regulations of the Affordable Care Act. The act violated its religious values by requiring that the company provides for its employees an insurance cover that included contraception. The company did not pay the fine as the Obama care mandate was revised allowing third party health insurance companies to provide the cover that the employers could not. According to the Kantianism ethics, Hobby Lobby was acting ethically, the theory states that; people should do things for the right reasons regardless of the consequences.

Hobby Lobby Craft Store acted in respect to what they knew was right according to their values. They were expressing their religious rights that were known publicly and by the government. The company continued to stand in their faith, thereby enabling other companies to benefit from the revised mandate. In regard to the virtue theory Hobby Lobby Company is acting ethically. The theory states that, a person should always express good character. The company shows courage by opposing the government’s decision since it violated their religious freedom. Their desire for justice made them file a case in court. They did not betray their moral standard of character regardless of the fine they were supposed to pay (Bauman, 2013).

The two institutions did not ignore the welfare of their respective subjects. Wheaton College helps students who cannot secure health insurance cover. Hobby Lobby Company allowed their employees access to contraception having in mind that the company was not directly providing the services. Through these actions the people have become aware of their rights and the government has learnt to act more rationally regarding matters of medical scope. Healthcare decisions should not only be made through the basis of science, there should be considerations of the moral and ethical values that the people hold true.













References

Bauman. M (2013). Hobby lobby braces for millions in mandate fines. Retrieved from http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/hobby-lobby-braces-for-millions-in- mandate-fines/.

Manya. B (2015). Wheaton College Halts Student Health Coverage Due to Birth Control. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-wheaton-college- ends-student-insurance-met-20150728-story.html.