Comments on: Lesson learned: My Catholic hospital can limit my medical choices

By: M.C.S. '81

M.C.S. '81 — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 03:00:00 +0000

In reply to James Stephen. That is technically true, but the Amendments are not absolute. For example, if a religious organization wanted to coerce the public to follow their dogma in any way, they need to understand it will cause the organization political and legal problems when the public complains to the authorities, and should a religious organization do something the government finds objectionable it will be up to the courts to decide what they want to do about it.

By: mjw1952

mjw1952 — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 22:10:00 +0000

You are absolutely correct in your article. When most people choose a doctor, they don’t think about the hospital the Dr might work at. I am currently thinking of changing doctors because I found out my doctor uses a Catholic hospital. But I am past child bearing age, but so it is not as important a decision. But to suggest that people should consider this when they decide where to live, well that is a leap. But these same so called faith based institutes also think they can decide what medicines their employees should be allowed, even if they don’t practice the faith. So if you really need a job as a cleaner, but the only one you can find is at a Catholic institution, be careful because they rule your life, whether you want them to or not.

By: James Stephen

James Stephen — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 07:10:00 +0000

“At no point was I informed by my doctor that seeking care at a Catholic facility could affect my access to care.”

Right, you had absolutely no reason to infer that a Catholic hospital that probably has a majority Catholic staff wwould try to live out their faith in the way they give medical care.

“With hospitals, I don’t think that these options exist. When the only option is a regional hospital and that hospital has a religious affiliation that prevents its staff from offering certain services, patients are left with no choice but to abide by the rules of a religion they may not even believe in — and with concrete consequences to their health. I think that’s tyranny.”

You had the option to do a little research on the hospitals in the area before choosing where you lived.

“On the other hand, when the hospital follows its religion to the detriment of its non-religious patient and doesn’t allow the patient to make the tough ethical call, then I strongly feel that that’s the exact type of tyranny our forefathers were trying to avoid with the 1st amendment.”

Wrong the 1st Amendment prevents only Congress (and the states via the 14th Amendment) from establishing a religion or prohibiting the free exercise of religion. It says absolutely nothing, about a private organization such as a hospital. In fact, the 1st Amendment was written to protect religious groups from people like you using the government to force their ideology on everyone.