How is this moral?

[PurpletheHeathen]

Okay I saw this on another forum I'm on, and it honestly, as a mother disturbed me. I cannot understand how this is moral, how it is right....

Christian pediatrician denies child service because parents are tattooed
Last Update: Feb 14, 2007 7:40 PM

Posted By: brynn galindo

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Posted 2/14/07
BAKERSFIELD - A family is turned away by a local pediatrician, they say because of the way they look.
The doctor said he is just following his beliefs, creating a Christian atmosphere for his patients.

Tasha Childress said it’s discrimination.

She said Dr. Gary Merrill wouldn’t treat her daughter for an ear infection because Tasha, the mother, has tattoos.

The writing is on the wall—literally: “This is a private office. Appearance and behavior standards apply.”

For Dr. Gary Merrill of Christian Medical Services, that means no tattoos, body piercings, and a host of other requirements—all standards Merrill has set based upon his Christian faith.

“She had to go that entire night with her ear infection with no medicine because he has his policy,” Tasha Childress said.

Merrill won’t speak on camera, but said based on his values and beliefs, he has standards that he expects in his office.

He does that, he said, to ensure the patients he does accept have a more comfortable atmosphere.

According to the American Medical Association and other doctors, he reserves that right.

“In the same sense that any other business person has the opportunity to decline service, be it a restaurant if they’re not dressed properly, be it any other type of business,” said Dr. Ronald Morton, Kern County Medical Society.

Morton said certain ethics apply if a person’s life is in danger, but besides that, there is no requirement to serve anyone they don’t approve of.

“I felt totally discriminated against, like I wasn’t good enough to talk to,” Tasha Childress said, “like he didn’t have to give me any reason for not wanting to see my daughter because I have tattoos and piercings.”

17 News found other patients who had a different experience with Merrill.

“I have tattoos, actually, and no, nothing’s ever been said about it,” Brandi Stanley said, Merrill’s patient.

Childress’ insurance company, Health Net of California, who referred her to Merrill, said in a statement: “We provide our customers with a wide breadth of doctors that meet certain medical quality standards … If a customer doesn’t feel comfortable with a particular physician, it is our responsibility to provide that customer with access to another doctor who does meet their needs.”

But that’s not enough for Childress who wants the policy changed immediately and an apology from the doctor for making her feel like an outsider.

“Really, it didn’t matter what he didn’t want to see us for. It isn’t right,” she said.

If you have a story idea, mail it to 2120 L Street, or submit it at KGET.com by clicking on “Your Stories.”

Merrill said he will continue to enforce the rules he has in place, which even include no chewing gum in his office.

He said if they don’t like his beliefs, they can find another doctor.

If you are a Christian, would you back up this doctor? Tell him hes right and say amen brother? Most Christians believe abortion is wrong, and would have begged this woman not to aport her child, but now that she has had this baby shes not good enogh to be seen by the same doctor as your children? If you feel this behavior is unchristian wold you stand up to this doctor and say so? I am honestly disturbed by this, and would feel so much better about being a californian, and an american, if Christians were as well. We talk all the time in the hypothetical about Christians who hurt others, and other Christians tell us (non-christians) they are not "real" Christians, but no one ever seems to confront their brothers and sisters in Christ when they do hurtful things. This act, in my opinion as a mother was more then just emotionally hurtful and I wonder if anyone would call one of their own on actions like this.

Before you respond to this, imagine if you took your small child to a doctor with an ear infection, and they refused to see you because you were wearing a cross. Yes, you can get up the next day and take your child to another doctor, and I am sure you would never see that doctor again, but how would you feel? Is that right?

 

[Seekermeister]

A Christian, much less a doctor, has an obligation to provide emergency medical services to anyone that requires them. Outside of an emergency situation, treatment may depend on other factors, such as ability to pay, or even a doctor's personal preferences. I would not call a doctor that acts as described in your article to be acting as a Christian should, but that would be true of many Christians.

However, what has this question to do with Christianity in general?

 

[PurpletheHeathen]

Often, not always, but often, when one Christian does something like this many others will get behind them and back them up. It's rare OTOH that when someone does something liek this that others will stand up and say "Um that's not right." Why? This doctor said he did this to create a safe place for his Christian patients, does it follow that this is what many Christians want?

 

[InnocentOdion]

What a mean doctor.
Please don't think this guy speaks for the rest of us. What he's obviously done, is decided he doesn't like tattoos, and decided to put a policy up against it.

I would stand up to the doctor and say so, but I've got enough on my plate at the moment. If it's a hypothetical thing, yes. The Bible tells us to love one another, not pick and choose. By the way, this might be useful, one of the churchpeople from near my university was speaking to me some time ago, and he said that we should correct our brothers and sisters gently, in private. This doesn't mean rioting and waving signs.

I've been told to stop wearing my cross in quite a few places and I've just told them no, I refuse. I understand where you're coming from. If someone stopped me, my partner, my child, or my friends, from wearing a cross, I'd fight life and limb to get justice. I heard of a woman who worked as a maid for some Saudis in Britain, who wasn't allowed to wear her cross there, despite being devout Catholic.

As a Christian, what I want is a welcoming place for all.

Now, do you have a question about Christianity?
God bless,
IO

 

[PurpletheHeathen]

I guess to me, this IS a question about Christianity. Why fight tooth and nail for yourself, but not for someone elses 2 year old? Why fight over a maid wearing a cross, and not for a sick child? So, shes' not going to die, okay, but my 19 year old just got over an ear infection, and if she had had to wait over night to start her meds and start gettign better just because of some doctors feelings about tatoos.... well, I'm not sure what I woudl do.
Why? That's my question, why not get just as riled over this as peopel seem to do over lyrics on a rock album? Why aren't there church group outside his office picketing, and if not that writing the paper that reported this saying this is NOT how Christians feel. If this was your doctor would you still be seeing him? You can say he does not speak for all of you, but sorry, if he says "hi I'm a Christian and I am doing this for Christians", and no one speaks agaisnt him that is what most people are going to think.

 

[Seekermeister]

I guess to me, this IS a question about Christianity. Why fight tooth and nail for yourself, but not for someone elses 2 year old? Why fight over a maid wearing a cross, and not for a sick child? So, shes' not going to die, okay, but my 19 year old just got over an ear infection, and if she had had to wait over night to start her meds and start gettign better just because of some doctors feelings about tatoos.... well, I'm not sure what I woudl do.
Why? That's my question, why not get just as riled over this as peopel seem to do over lyrics on a rock album? Why aren't there church group outside his office picketing, and if not that writing the paper that reported this saying this is NOT how Christians feel. If this was your doctor would you still be seeing him? You can say he does not speak for all of you, but sorry, if he says "hi I'm a Christian and I am doing this for Christians", and no one speaks agaisnt him that is what most people are going to think.

If you are simply attempting to raise a Christian voice against that particular doctor, it's not going to work. He doesn't speak for Christianity, nor does Christianity speak for him. It doesn't really matter if he professes Christian reasons for his policies or not, nor is it the place for any Christian or Church to demand his conformity. That doesn't mean that any Christian should't speak out, or voice their opinion by choosing to do business with him or not.

Nor is it the government's place to enact laws that forces doctors to conform in this manner. I would suspect that many of his current patients were not aware of these policies, until this story broke. So, their attitudes may well cause him to change his.

 

[David Brider]

Okay I saw this on another forum I'm on, and it honestly, as a mother disturbed me. I cannot understand how this is moral, how it is right....



If you are a Christian, would you back up this doctor? Tell him hes right and say amen brother? Most Christians believe abortion is wrong, and would have begged this woman not to aport her child, but now that she has had this baby shes not good enogh to be seen by the same doctor as your children? If you feel this behavior is unchristian wold you stand up to this doctor and say so? I am honestly disturbed by this, and would feel so much better about being a californian, and an american, if Christians were as well. We talk all the time in the hypothetical about Christians who hurt others, and other Christians tell us (non-christians) they are not "real" Christians, but no one ever seems to confront their brothers and sisters in Christ when they do hurtful things. This act, in my opinion as a mother was more then just emotionally hurtful and I wonder if anyone would call one of their own on actions like this.

Before you respond to this, imagine if you took your small child to a doctor with an ear infection, and they refused to see you because you were wearing a cross. Yes, you can get up the next day and take your child to another doctor, and I am sure you would never see that doctor again, but how would you feel? Is that right?

Not sure how private medicine works in the US, but I suspect that if he's a private doctor, he's within his rights to refuse treatment for whatever reasons he sees fit. I don't agree with his reasons, though - in fact, I think he's being a bit daft, and I seriously hope that the local populace decide to use other doctors in the area.

In the UK, AFAIK an NHS doctor would be obliged to provide treatment for anybody, whatever he thought of the appearance of their parents.

David.

 

[heron]

Each doctor swears by the Hippocratic Oath. It changes from time to time, but focuses on the best care for the patient. It doesn't literal say they won't turn anyone down, but "will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures [that] are required."

An ear infection is a painful, almost debilitating illness, that needs immediate attention. The infection is very close to the brain.

Often, not always, but often, when one Christian does something like this many others will get behind them and back them up. It's rare OTOH that when someone does something liek this that others will stand up and say "Um that's not right." Why?

Wow, you said a mouthful!

Why fight tooth and nail for yourself, but not for someone elses 2 year old?

Exactly what Jesus was trying to get across. I wonder if the doctor had read Jesus' work in the field of medicine.

Nor is it the government's place to enact laws that forces doctors to conform in this manner. I would suspect that many of his current patients were not aware of these policies, until this story broke. So, their attitudes may well cause him to change his.

Yes, it may come to voting with their dollars. If his patients disappear, he will have to reasess his stance.

I can understand rules about covering tattoos when entrusting someone with leadership or PR roles, and in churches or corporations. But to turn away someone who has already made an appointment, and is in a weakened state that needs attention??!!

 

[Seekermeister]

heron,

Perhaps it has changed, but the only thing that I found in the oath, along this line, regarded dietetic advise:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/oath_classical.html

 

[heron]

Different medical schools put out different oaths
these days.

 

[Seekermeister]

Different medical schools put out different oaths
these days.

I should hope so. The one that I linked would have little to do with today's standards, medically or otherwise.

 

[PurpletheHeathen]

If you are simply attempting to raise a Christian voice against that particular doctor, it's not going to work.

I am simply trying to understand Christian reasons to not be upset enough about this to stand up and say so.

He doesn't speak for Christianity, nor does Christianity speak for him. It doesn't really matter if he professes Christian reasons for his policies or not, nor is it the place for any Christian or Church to demand his conformity.

Flip it, lets say a doctor of another faith wants to create what they believe will be a positive atmosphere for their patcients of their same faith. A Christian goes in with a sick two year old and gets turned away because they are wearing a cross, or any other symbol of their faith. You are going to tell me no church would be out protesting this? That no Christians would be outraged enough to start bringing it to the awareness of the local populace? If a hindu, Muslim, Wiccan, Satanist, Buddahist, Krisnaist, or whatever doctor did this? In the US at least, I don't see people going, well, it's his right to serve whoever he wants in a private buisness.


Plus, eveyone is saying here, she only had an ear infection, yes, but how did he know that? Did he see the child and diagnos her himself? If he did so, didn't that fully compromise his reasons for not seeing a patcient, since they would have been in the waiting room anyway? If he did not see her at all, how did he know, for sure, that her symptoms were mearly an ear infection?

Also, demand conformity? Isn't this exactly what this doctor is doing? Conform or I won't treat you?

That doesn't mean that any Christian should't speak out, or voice their opinion by choosing to do business with him or not.

Agreed.

Nor is it the government's place to enact laws that forces doctors to conform in this manner. I would suspect that many of his current patients were not aware of these policies, until this story broke. So, their attitudes may well cause him to change his.

We can hope so, but are many of his patcients going to read that story?
What if most of his patcients like the policy?(Christianity is the majority, even here in California) Leading to many more doctors adoupting the same, at what point do we say, um wait who's going to treat the non-christian?

 

[PurpletheHeathen]

n,

Perhaps it has changed, but the only thing that I found in the oath, along this line, regarded dietetic advise:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors...classical.html

Really? What about this part?


"I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice."

Did this doctor cause harm? Well he certainly caused a two year old to suffer longer needlessly. What about injustice?

 

[Seekermeister]

PurpletheHeathen,

You are not satisfied that apparently everybody that has read this article agrees with you...you want them to become outraged like yourself. There is plenty of evil in the world, even sadder than this, and if most Christians were as emotional as you are, they would have no inner peaee, nor ability to help anyone, physically, spiritually or politically.

Apparently, you owe this doctor a debt, because he is providing you with a cause to be involved with. Personally, I have other things that I would rather focus on than this.

 

[PurpletheHeathen]

PurpletheHeathen,

You are not satisfied that apparently everybody that has read this article agrees with you...you want them to become outraged like yourself. There is plenty of evil in the world, even sadder than this, and if most Christians were as emotional as you are, they would have no inner peaee, nor ability to help anyone, physically, spiritually or politically.

Apparently, you owe this doctor a debt, because he is providing you with a cause to be involved with. Personally, I have other things that I would rather focus on than this.

In your second paragraph are you really telling me I owe this doctor a debt for giving me something to do? That is skating very close to personal insult.

I have not made any assumptions about anyones personal feelings about this, or any other issue on this board I will ask you to give me the same curtosy, and maybe it would be nice if you retracted your false assumptions about my emotions, and how I spend my time, thanks.

 

[BelindaP]

What the doctor did was reprehensible. However, I would not change the law, because there are times when a doctor needs to be able to filter patients. If he were my doctor, I would get a new doctor upon hearing what he did to those people. Not only would I change doctors, but I would tell him why.

To give some background, there are some Christian groups who view piercings or tatoos of any kind to be sinful and un-Christian. It's not just because the doctor didn't like the look of them. I'm not defending him, just trying to give some clarification on his convictions. As I said before, I would vote with my dollars and explain to him why I thought he behaved in a non-Christian way.

 

[duskiness]

Plus, eveyone is saying here, she only had an ear infection, yes, but how did he know that?

nobody is saying this

Also, demand conformity? Isn't this exactly what this doctor is doing? Conform or I won't treat you?

that's probably what he was doing
but what are you asking from us?
Should i say that people are much more keen to fight for symbols than for other people (especially those "different")?
Or that nobody likes to "attack" those who are "our"?
Or that Christians often don't live up to what we are supposed to be?
That's all true.
the fact that you came and asked here means probably that you expect something better form us. For this we can only be thankful and sorry that we have failed.

Leading to many more doctors adoupting the same, at what point do we say, um wait who's going to treat the non-christian?

she wasn't denied help because of her faith. Just have hope in common sense...

 

[PurpletheHeathen]

Originally Posted by PurpletheHeathen
Plus, eveyone is saying here, she only had an ear infection, yes, but how did he know that?

nobody is saying this

Actually, many are saying that he would be obligated to see her if it was an emergency, but since it was only an ear infection....

Quote:
Also, demand conformity? Isn't this exactly what this doctor is doing? Conform or I won't treat you?
that's probably what he was doing
but what are you asking from us?
Should i say that people are much more keen to fight for symbols than for other people (especially those "different")?
Or that nobody likes to "attack" those who are "our"?
Or that Christians often don't live up to what we are supposed to be?
That's all true.

Why? Why is all that true?

the fact that you came and asked here means probably that you expect something better form us. For this we can only be thankful and sorry that we have failed.

I don't expect it, it just seems that you wold expect soemthing better from those that are "yours".

Quote:
Leading to many more doctors adoupting the same, at what point do we say, um wait who's going to treat the non-christian?
she wasn't denied help because of her faith. Just have hope in common sense...

She was denied help because of the way she, or the way her mother looked, because really it was a 2 year old that needed the help. The doctors reasons were based on his faith, and what he determines is right or wrong based on his faith. I'm not sure it's a matter of common sense, but of mean spiritedness. Someone else said I'm not satisfied with everyone agreeing with me, quite frankly I don't think I gave much to agree or disagree with. I'm just wondering when Christians do not just say, oh, thats not a real Christian and walk away, and instead say "Wow, that's just so wrong, and act." It does seem to happen when it is not one of your own, yes, and maybe that is just human nature, but don't ya'll claim to be attempting to rise above mere human nature?

 

[PurpletheHeathen]

[QUOTETo give some background, there are some Christian groups who view piercings or tatoos of any kind to be sinful and un-Christian. It's not just because the doctor didn't like the look of them.{/QUOTE]

Actaully I am aware of that. I just do not see it as a reason to not treat a child, and make them go a night without meds.

I'm not defending him, just trying to give some clarification on his convictions. As I said before, I would vote with my dollars and explain to him why I thought he behaved in a non-Christian way.

Well, I'm glad to hear that, thanks.

 

[Key]

Okay I saw this on another forum I'm on, and it honestly, as a mother disturbed me. I cannot understand how this is moral, how it is right....

The first thing I had to grasp as a Christian, was, what is moral is not always legal, and what is legal is not always moral.

This Doctor had every legal right to do as he did, regardless of his faith or convictions, just as if he threw me out for wearing a cross.

Was this a Moral thing to do, well, I have no idea what the whole story is, he made a judgment to say that her presence was disruptive to his other clients.

I think it is sad that the child did not get medical attention, and even if he threw the mother out for what ever reasons, he still should have offered care to the child. That would have been the Christian thing to do.

In a case like this, there really is no good answer, because I really have no idea what transpired, or what the factors were.

But care should have been given to the child, or at the very least offered.

God Bless

Key.