Claims Religious Intolerance
J D Guckert – TALUN NEWS EXCLUSIVE
Mark Malouse, a pharmacist employed by the Albertsons chain in Baton Rouge, LA has filed suit against his employer for religious discrimination.
Mr. Malouse, a recent convert to Christian Science, states that the firm is demanding that he fill prescriptions for medications that are in contradiction to his spiritual and moral beliefs.
The Church of Christ, Scientist, teaches that disease is only correctly treated thru prayer. As such Mr. Malouse has stocked his pharmacy with tracts on the efficacy of prayer and for a small fee will provide his customers with copies of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.
Pharmacists must be free to exercise their consciences, states Mr. Malouse. “Every day “, he states, ” I see customers claiming that they have “diseases” like diabetes come to my counter with false hope in things like insulin, when God teaches us that what we really need is to humble ourselves in prayer”.
Mr. Malouse notes that it is intolerable discrimination that Albertsons has adopted the policy of allowing pharmacists of some denominations to refuse to fill prescriptions to which their denomination objects, and yet will not do the same for him and his fellow Christian Scientist pharmacists.
The devout life-long Christian is hoping to start a group, Christian Scientist Pharmacists for Conscience to support others suffering oppression.
“The sad thing”, noted Mr. Malouse, “is that our secular culture discriminates against so many people of faith – not just Christian Scientists such as myself”
As an example, he noted the case of a Hindu neighbor who was employed by McDonalds and was forced to serve customers hamburgers.
