ST. LOUIS–(KMOX)–A crowd of about 200 conservatives turned out for a rally at a downtown park, calling for the repeal of President Obama’s healthcare reform act.

Speakers, including U.S. Senate hopeful Todd Akin, and conservative author Bill Federer, warned that America’s religious liberties are threatened by the law.

Listening to the speakers in the shade of a flowering crab tree, Bridget van Means, the President of  ThriVe St. Louis,  says she believes Obama’s healthcare reform law “violates the word of God.”

“One of the commandments says thou shall not kill, so I’m part of the majority that believes abortion is the intentional ending of an innocent life,” van Means said, “And I don’t want to be forced as an employer to provide that service to employees.”

Those in the crowd told KMOX the event was organized by email and word of mouth. Many attending brought their young children, some babies in arms.

Looking forward to the November election, Brian Westbrook, executive director of Coalition for Life in St. Louis, says the pro-life issue will be big with voters.

“This by far, the life issue and our religious freedoms, are by far the top issue we need to be talking about in this upcoming election,” Westbrook said.

Copyright KMOX