Separation of church and health
In Texas, a Catholic bishop made two hospitals cease doing tube-tying operations for women who are not going to have more babies. In Arizona, a nun was excommunicated and the hospital where she works was expelled from the church after 116 years for allowing doctors to terminate a pregnancy to save a woman's life. At the same time, some doctors and other health professionals have faced disciplinary action for refusing to perform procedures or provide medications that go against their religious beliefs.
Should Catholic hospitals be able to restrict doctors from performing common and legal medical practices? Do such restrictions unfairly impinge on the rights of non-Catholic patients and doctors, particularly those in rural or underserved areas where alternative hospitals are not readily available?
I feel the same about separation of church and health care as I do about separation of church and state. People have the right to follow the god of their choice, and denominations have the right to make rules for their flocks. A religion need not accept government funds, but any money a religion receives from our secular government may only be used for secular purposes.
A church-related hospital that receives no public funds can choose to make medical decisions (for previously informed adults) based more on the advice of church leaders than medical practitioners. My problem is with church-affiliated hospitals that impose their medical restrictions on uninformed patients.
For financial reasons, some church hospitals are merging with secular hospitals. If they don't publicize what they offer (or, more likely, what they don't offer), patients probably won't know. I'd like to see some truth in advertising, where all hospitals are required to prominently display what religious restrictions they place on health care. Perhaps we will see signs like:
"We are more likely to pray over you than give you a blood transfusion."
or
"Exorcism is among our psychiatric services."
or
"Our sexual advice to couples comes from celibate priests."
Signs or brochures of this type would be fine, though I might exercise my First Amendment right to proselytize for secular health care. Unfortunately, there are many communities with just one hospital, sometimes one with religious restrictions that prevent the quality health care a patient needs and deserves. Our government tries to assure that nobody is denied emergency health care for financial reasons, and it should also try to assure that nobody be denied standardized secular health care because of the hospital owner's religious beliefs.
By
Herb Silverman
|
January 24, 2011; 8:30 PM ET
Save & Share:
Previous: What makes a hospital Catholic? Jewish? Etc? |
Next: Maternal health and reproductive rights are global concerns
Posted by: wiki-truth | January 30, 2011 11:40 AM
Report Offensive Comment
Good ideas here. Health care paid for with tax dollars needs to be based on science, not ideology. It is fine with me for religious based hospitals to provide "health care" based on religious ideology to their own adherents. But, when events require it, they damn well better provide scientifically based health care options that save a life, even if the required action is contrary to their religious beliefs . Failure to do so should subject them to civil suits that could put them out of business and get medical licenses suspended.
We need to be able to trust our hospitals to deliver scientifically based health care. All of it.
Posted by: amelia45 | January 27, 2011 12:17 PM
Report Offensive Comment
"The choice is not between religious affiliated hospitals and non-religious ones. The choice is between a religious-affiliated hospital and no hospital at all."
Actually that isn't true - I have my American Hospital Association hospital guide right here - virtually every county in Texas (where you are writing from) has at minimum a governmental owned hospital - and there are many many private non-religious hospitals. Your choice is a false one.
Posted by: hohandy1 | January 26, 2011 3:29 PM
Report Offensive Comment
We have to face the reality. As long as there are naïve believers, there is religion. Give religion an inch, they claim a mile. All we can do is to keep the church and state separate.
Posted by: Kent-State-University | January 26, 2011 7:11 AM
Report Offensive Comment
Living in a major metropolitan area, there are lots of choices when it comes to hospitals. In fact, we have 5 local hospitals that are nationally ranked...
...like Baylor University Medical Center - a Baptist University and winner of the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence.
...the Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation is ranked #15 in its area of specialization.
...Presbyterian Hospital is nationally ranked in neurology, neurosurgery, digestive disorders and orthopedics.
And yet, despite their statistically proven excellence and plethora of awards, some of you numbskulls still want to associate being religious with being inferior.
A lot of small towns have only one hospital, often with a religious affiliation. Talk smack all you want, but if that hospital dried up and blew away the penny-pinching government isn't going to fund a replacement, nor are the for-profit hospital chains going to build where the money isn't. The choice is not between religious affiliated hospitals and non-religious ones. The choice is between a religious-affiliated hospital and no hospital at all.
I'm sure there are people, well-meaning and versed in the science of economics, who will tell you why that is so.
Posted by: rubytues63 | January 25, 2011 10:58 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Not long ago, I wrote about the case in Philadelphia in which parents prayed over their two year old son instead of taking him to a hospital. The son died and the parents were convicted for his death. Their crazy pastor still preaches that prayer alone works better than medical science. But what would happen if this pastor had a hospital all his own?
Private hospitals can treat their patients any way they like as long as the patients are informed consenting adults. I don’t care if a religious hospital chooses to use leaches if the patients are informed consenting adults. They can even perform exorcisms and cast out demons for all I care.
You can read the rest of my response to this topic:
http://exm.nr/gYxcoQ
I will be responding to every issue posted in the 'On Faith' section. If you would like to be notified when my new response is up, please subscribe.
Posted by: dangeroustalk | January 25, 2011 2:37 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Bus mechanic said bus trouble. Mexican suppliers. NAFTA. The buses are like big Yugos. Not worth fixing, not worth riding. We are supposed to get a greyhound track according to racket sources. Most dogs I know lay around or like chasing balls. Now it Vick vics and fraud. The dogs ain't real happy either. Cheese is fatty, dog is lean. Have German Sheppard pie for dinner.
Posted by: jobandon | January 25, 2011 12:32 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Lie to kids. My nephew thinks Leon Panetta is a bishop. Told him DHS is a home shopping channel. He's an astronaut and architect. Kid has own bank, not FDIC approved or insured. He ain't getting it in the fannie either. He still likes Huggies. When it raines it pours. Keep umbralla handy.
Posted by: jobandon | January 25, 2011 12:23 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Industry collapsed here. Union racketeers all found government work. Sheriff ended up under house arrest. Before that OJ dream team showed up in limo to raise money and votes for high offices. The newest scam is pumping chemicals into shale for gas. Cancer units are beefing up.
Posted by: jobandon | January 25, 2011 12:15 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Did it ever occur to people that the biggest problem is continuing to tell our children that there really is a God up there in the sky - when in reality we know no such thing. In ancient times it made sense to believe such superstition, because we didn't know any better. We were ALL superstitious back then, and folks believed in all kinds of Gods; and fought wars over who had the RIGHT God.
As long as people continue to insist that their children be indoctrinated into one God belief or the other - hatred of those who believe in another God will cause more crazy wars over and over again. We all have to be more honest and should tell our children the truth as far as we know it; that there are no Gods and never were.
Posted by: Rongoklunk | January 25, 2011 12:13 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Bar here has AA just for lawyers and judges. We call it DA. In TX you can vote absentee from space. FL considering the same. Busy with more important matters, like Jim Morrison pardon. We have subsidized flights to Paree, thanks to passion for rock representatives.
Posted by: jobandon | January 25, 2011 12:04 PM
Report Offensive Comment
People are pulling off petty crime here to get into county jail health clinic. I tried it and they wouldn't look at my injury. Judge said I don't like what I see here. I thought, good thing justice is blind. Now I owe the hospital 15 grand and didn't even want to stay for so long. A rather interesting operation. Got to see things from the other side of the grave. Food was good, no pie though which sucked.
Posted by: jobandon | January 25, 2011 11:58 AM
Report Offensive Comment
Senator here had campaign volunteer use tele at office and put up sign in yard. They have a grand jury. We're supposed to get table games next. It's like Lost Vegas here. Writing congressman to lobby for legalized house of female companionship. Could pass in next session. They were all going to get laid anyway. We can tax it and lower school taxes.
Posted by: jobandon | January 25, 2011 11:49 AM
Report Offensive Comment
It's a political football. Those with massive head injuries get paid the most. Communities that need hospitals most get hospital closures. Snow removal handicap means waiting hours or days for EMS. You can call 311 when 911 does not work. We are banking on games and games of chance. You idiots don't get it. Those people were all going to die anyway.
Posted by: jobandon | January 25, 2011 11:42 AM
Report Offensive Comment
These hospitals should be required to provide psychological counselling for the religiously impaired. Those who suffer from dependifillia, dogmatism, and blind faith.
Posted by: slowe111 | January 25, 2011 6:21 AM
Report Offensive Comment
Well said Herb. I like your "signs"! Especially the third one.
Posted by: fhay18 | January 24, 2011 9:29 PM
Report Offensive Comment
If only there was some genetic component to the gullibility and credulity of religious believers ... if only. Then we could be assured that they would kill themselves off demanding faith healing instead of vaccinations or blood transfusions.
Soon, our species, our common genetic pool would be cleansed of this genetic disease.
But then again, these religious morons choose modern medicine over the barbaric and primitive dictates of their religion almost every time.
I guess religion goeth before disease. Yeah, like you religious idiots really believe that crap you say you believe, right.
Posted by: eezmamata | January 24, 2011 9:10 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Twitter










.
.
.. ______________ . . . . _________
.. |HUFF IN G T O N| ..... |"Adrianna"|
.. |P O S T Sukks!!!!| ......| Is An AIR- |
.. |______________| ..... |HEAD Ya.!.|
............. \./ .................... |.________.|
. . . . . . . .|| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \./. ...
. . . . . . . .|| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|| . . . .
. . . . . . . .|| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .||. . . . . .
. . . . . . . .|| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .||. . . . . . . . . .
. . . . , . . .||. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . || . . . . . . . . . . . . . v..
.
.
.
Note: Dear Ms. Sally Q. & CO., Please excuse me for being a "Prodigal Blogger" (not only a son; or Daughter) But i[WE] just had to 'TEST" the HUFF HUFF and a PUFF PUFF Bullacrapa "R-E-L-G-i-O-N" section.
Example: When i tried blogging (Yesterday was me 1st day registering) and They DID NOt post me subject line on the Phony Xrstian Conspiracy for trying to Satanically Sneakin {Into our Public Schoools Systems} that superStupidStitious (un)iNTELLigent Schemea (opps Design). And (me tricked them; but ize learned somethn by Sneaking in me comment) ON: The Discovery Of one of Albert Einstein's {pbuh] Lost/Stolen Papers about him RECANTING his statement during ww-II about that BIG LIE: "Science w/out Religion lalala stuff was only about Saving JEWs and the hope that Germany Nazi (and Ishlami's) would go easier on their poor Victims. And WHY A.E. {pbuh} Really Refused being Israels 2nd President etc..
__
Note: What's good about "Huff Huff and a Puff," besides Recognizing some Ex-Moderator's (break aways) from here or whatever, that WE[i]'m impressed to see that all that Content (landing Page) , Large pics etc.. Loads Very Fast On 4 major Browsers. Otherwise ADRIANNA & Staff are Copy Cats & yes, Plagiarizers too. OYE...! Note: me thinks Their Anti-MORMON et al?
iMORTANTANTO: 'HUFF Huff in the PUFF' is being sued by an Insider (who Made Adrianna Famous; but Stole The Concept, not Only Credit). Please See: HUFFINGTON POST "STOLE WEBSITE IDEA" [And From This Site; And some of me Ideas from me ex web site).
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/45168.html
AND [See How Pigeons pooopoo on Arianna & Co.]
http://www.aboutyourbreakup.com/arianna.html
AND
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/media/story/2010/11/18/huffington-post-lawsuit.html
- PS: WE [i] will Start Recommending [THIS] Bless'th "ONFAITH" Neewsweek Blog and Patheo's sometimes. Please Start Buying Xtra SERVERS for the beginning of MARCH! Note: Me is Only Volunteering to do this. Free Will, Free Spirit & TRUTH (opposite MYTH)! Soo, LET THE BATTLE BEGIN! YAYA!
Praise The HOLYi NO MAN/WOM!
[THIS] WAPO's "ONFAITH" site is the Greatest Blogg On Earth! Yea! Ya! SE! DA! CAN!!
HUGG's -n- KiSS's To ALL/Every/Any "O-N-F-A-i-T-H" Bloggers (New & Old and future)!