Protestant Denomination Opposes Trump’s Surgeon General Pick

FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—The Southern Baptist Conference’s public coverage arm opposes President Donald Trump’s nominee for surgeon basic, in line with a letter obtained by The Day by day Sign.

The Ethics and Spiritual Liberty Fee, the general public coverage arm of the SBC, wrote a letter to the Senate Well being, Training, Labor, and Pensions Committee expressing “deep concern” over the nomination of Dr. Casey Means for surgeon basic.

“Dr. Means’ displayed convictions increase quite a lot of considerations for us as Southern Baptists,” ERLC interim President Gary Hollingsworth wrote.

Trump informed The Day by day Sign final week that withdrawing Means’ nomination amid opposition within the Senate was a risk. Nonetheless, White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt later mentioned that “the president stands by her and the Senate ought to transfer to shortly verify Dr. Means as our subsequent surgeon basic with out additional delay.”

The SBC is primarily involved about Means’ stance on abortion.

“First, because the Bible teaches, Southern Baptists affirm the complete dignity of each human being and imagine that each life is worthy of safety and celebration,” Hollingsworth wrote. “We imagine life begins at conception and that each one types of abortion deny treasured preborn human beings of their very lives.”

“Dr. Means has repeatedly opposed these positions and supported abortion,” he continued.

The letter highlighted Means’ affirmation listening to, by which she “skirted questions” concerning the chemical abortion tablet mifepristone. She declined to reply a query about whether or not mifepristone ought to solely be prescribed after an in-person physician go to.

“The query of whether or not it needs to be an in-person go to is out of the purview of the surgeon basic’s workplace,” Means mentioned, “however I do imagine that each affected person must have a really thorough dialog with their physician earlier than taking any treatment.”

 “I believe that each treatment has dangers and advantages,” she added. “I believe that each one sufferers have to have an intensive dialog with their physician and have true knowledgeable consent earlier than taking any treatment.”

Nonetheless, Means did take a agency stance on the contraception tablet, saying it’s prescribed “like sweet” and displays a “disrespect of issues that create life.”

The Southern Baptist Conference discovered it “alarming that the candidate for our nation’s prime public well being official is clearly noncommittal on such a strong drug, a drug that harms girls and robs harmless kids of their very lives.”

The denomination additionally mentioned that Means’ “blatant flaunting of prior illicit drug use is purpose for alarm,” citing her “ongoing experimentation with psilocybin.”

In her guide, “Good Power,” Means advisable that readers who “really feel known as” ought to think about using psilocybin, an unlawful psychedelic drug.

“Those that search to guide others in pursuit of well being and wellness wouldn’t ignore the dearth of great, evidence-based medical knowledge on psilocybin use,” Hollingsworth wrote. “Doing so is opposite to the protocols of the workplace she seeks.”

The SBC concluded that Means is “not certified to function our nation’s subsequent surgeon basic.”

“Ought to her nomination come up for a vote in committee, we urge you, with ample trigger for medical, ethical, and authorized concern, to oppose Dr. Means’ nomination,” Hollingsworth wrote to senators.