An Illinois county must pay more than $370,000 in attorney’s fees for requiring a Christian nurse to refer women for abortions and provide abortifacient contraceptives, a state judge ruled Wednesday.
Sandra Rojas had worked as a pediatric nurse for 18 years in the Winnebago County Health Department when, in 2015, she and other nurses were required to undergo training that involved learning about abortion referrals and abortifacient contraceptives.
Rojas objected, saying her Christian faith prohibited her from assisting in abortion services. Although her supervisor gave her a temporary religious accommodation, Rojas was told that the training and the abortion-related services were required to work in her position.
Rojas resigned her position and then sued the county, alleging it had violated her freedom of religion and freedom of conscience rights.
Judge Eugene G. Doherty of the 17th Judicial Circuit sided with Rojas last year, ruling the department “improperly discriminated” against Rojas “by refusing to accommodate her objections of conscience.” The department, the judge ruled, had violated the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act.
On Wednesday, Doherty ordered the county to pay $374,104 in attorney’s fees.
Alliance Defending Freedom served as co-counsel in the case alongside Noel Sterett of Dalton & Tomich and Whitman Brisky of Mauck & Baker.
“Medical professionals should never be forced to engage in or promote activities that violate their beliefs or convictions,” said ADF senior counsel Kevin Theriot. “Sandra served as a nurse according to her conscience and religion – a right for medical providers that is protected under Illinois and federal law. The court’s fee award sends a clear message that health care workers are free to practice medicine in a manner consistent with their conscience and religious beliefs, and there will be a steep penalty if the government fails to respect that legally protected freedom.”
Doherty said the case presents “legitimate interests in conflict.” Rojas “had a right” to have her objections respected, and the county “had the right” to run its clinic. He noted that the county offered Rojas a position in a nursing home.
Still, the county “could have reasonably accommodated” her “without removing her from her job,” he ruled, adding that the clinic would have operated efficiently even with her objections.
HD Editor’s Note: Why Is This News Biblically Relevant?
Major ramifications arise from requiring those seeking to go into the medical industry to receive abortion training.
For one, it effectively purges Christians and Conservatives from public health, as most are rightfully be unwilling to violate their conscience. As a result, the same pushback is not be present in the industry against the culture of death.
In Titus chapter 2, the apostle Paul, speaking about servants (or modern-day employees) instructs believers to be obedient, hard-working, and reserved. However, Paul emphasized that these things were not to come at the expense of “fedelity,” meaning their conviction of truth and faithfulness to Biblical teachings.
As our world becomes increasingly hostile to Christians it is even more vital that believers in Jesus not back down or be bullied into silencing their much-needed voice in our secularized culture.
In 2 Timothy 3:12, we are told that in the last days before the return of Christ, persecution would come upon all who “live godly in Christ.” In other words, those who live by the Biblical and godly standards outlined in God’s word, which run contrary to the world.
2 Timothy 3:1, 12-3 KJV – “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come…. all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”
Welcome in our world or not, Christians are instructed by Jesus to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). We are called to delay the decaying process of our “progressively” wicked society.
