Spanish bishops demand freedom of conscience for care workers

The Spanish Bishops' Conference responds to the "process of enacting laws in which human life is seriously vulnerable" with the doctrinal letter. Furthermore, it stands up against the "increasing difficulties in exercising conscientious objection by those who refuse to cooperate in these practices", Die Tagespost reports.

Christians should not only avoid direct cooperation with acts violating the right to life but also "avoid any action construed as cooperation, even indirectly with it", the bishops write.

According to them, human rights are not based on what people say or what the state or public authority decides. On the contrary, they are founded on "man himself and God." The clergymen stress that the right to life is valid from conception to natural death, which makes all forms of abortion and euthanasia illegal. In addition, they point to the freedom of religion as a fundamental right.

However, the societal perception of human rights has slowly changed. "It is characterised by an individualism that does not want to accept any ethical boundaries", the bishops state. They argue that behaviours are classified as rights. In contrast, they are actually "an expression of subjective desires", such as euthanasia, which was recently accepted in Spain.

“Citizens have to disobey regulations that are contrary to the right of life”

Die Tagespost writes that decisions of conscience are always based on universal moral principles. According to the doctrinal letter, the state should "respect the individual's autonomy. It can never forbid anyone from forming their own opinion on questions affecting the life of society."

The bishops refer to the Catholic Catechism, which reads that citizens have to disobey state regulations if they contradict "the requirements of the moral order, fundamental human rights or the precepts of the Gospel." Earlier, John Paul wrote in his Gospel Vitae, "No human law should presume to legitimise abortion and euthanasia", that Christians have an obligation to oppose laws that legalise these concepts.

Therefore, the Spanish Bishops' conference calls on all Catholic politicians to protect life by objecting to laws contrary to this right. "And if it is not possible to repeal existing laws, they should support proposals to limit the damage of these laws."