The prospect of a Vashon Health Center controlled by Franciscan Health System calls to mind the significance of the Reformation and the Enlightenment in freeing individuals from religious tyranny. The Reformation claimed the right of people to read and interpret scripture for themselves; the Enlightenment established our freedom to reject religious authority and to base our conduct on our own moral reasoning, rather than the dictates of a central authority.

The Constitution and government of the United States are founded on these ideas: that individuals can choose their own religious paths while respecting the freedom of others to do that same and participate in democratic society with people of many faiths and values.

Today the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs) offer a set of moral prescriptions from a central authority, which health care providers in the Franciscan Health System must obey. A system in which our only accessible health center is controlled by the Roman Catholic Church creates a situation where all of us — regardless of our personal beliefs — are compelled to abide by its teachings and attitudes.

The requirement to obey a single religious authority in the conduct of our personal lives is reminiscent of authoritarian regimes where self-determination holds little value. Such hierarchies fit poorly with a diverse and democratic society such as ours. Religious control over health care systems can produce tragic outcomes for individuals. I suspect that the unwillingness of female physicians to apply for jobs at the Vashon Health Center today reflects the likelihood that under the ERDs they will not be able to offer appropriate care to their patients, especially reproductive health and end-of-life care.

Our constitution is founded on the idea that each of us determines her own faith and code of personal conduct, as long as we don’t interfere with the liberty of others. Requiring health care providers and patients in our community to adhere to the dictates of the ERDs defies the Constitution and overturns the freedoms claimed by the Reformation and the Enlightenment several centuries ago. Why would anyone want a health care system run by an authoritarian church — unless he or she was a member of that church and adhered to its principles? Who wants someone else’s “infallible” authority to control our most personal choices?

We need a real alternative to the health care offered by Franciscan Health Services — health care controlled by our community, in alignment with our values, where the dignity and conscience of each person is respected.

I hope we can put our heads to-gether and create one.

— Margot Boyer writes, teaches and works in a family-owned small business.