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Abstract
Most definitions of conscience in the US legal context are broadly defined as including religious, moral, or ethical principles. The wave of state and federal laws and bills supporting conscience protection for medical personnel are increasingly covering all health care services, and this has created counterclaims challenging the idea that health-related professionals may deny legally and medically permitted therapeutic interventions, particularly if their objections are personal and religious. The question is whether Americans deem it proper to put a person in the position of leaving his or her job or violating his or her conscience. Although such laws make reference to "conscience," most define that term in a virtually boundless fashion to include religion, moral, or ethical principles and convictions. Such a broad definition may bring the freedom of conscious debate clearly within the protection of Title VII and its prohibition of religious discrimination.
