Christian pediatrician denies child service because parents are tattooed

[The Straight Story]

(Edit - I called them and asked about this - see below!)

Christian pediatrician denies child service because parents are tattooed

Last Update: Feb 14, 2007 7:40 PM

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.

http://www.kget.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=f290458b-dd7d-4a20-ac99-525e48365b08

From one christian to another - that is so not the way Jesus would have done things.

I don't know where that dr got his faith from, but I am guessing it was from inside a cracker jack box.

[maveric]

1. "creating a Christian atmosphere for his patients..."

I betcha Jesus would turn a family and child away from care for that reason. :sarcasm:

[redqueen]

2. How is that Christian?

To judge people and refuse to help them because they look different?

:shrug:

[The Straight Story]

4. "She had to go that entire night with her ear infection with no medicine"

Yeah, that made the Lord all happy :)

What a dick. Email and phone call time.

I will be living there in about a month, I may just have to stop by his office.

[Meat Stew]

153. Well

technically they can find other doctors. If the kid was dying then this person might end up in his so-called hell. But to refuse to see someone or make an appointment is really no big deal. The Taxi Cab drivers not giving rides because of their beliefs are sort of the same thing.

[redqueen]

155. Heard of the hippocratic oath?

I think you're pretty much completely wrong, comparing taxi cab drivers to doctors.

"... To keep the good of the patient as the highest priority."

[Meat Stew]

161. .

If the kid was dying then I can understand the outrage but to be refused an appointment I have to say the guy has every right just like the taxi cab morons...

[redqueen]

167. Untreated ear infections can cause severe complications.

I'm not making this up... having an infection that close to the brain is no small thing.

[badgerpup]

183. Not to mention the EXCRUCIATING pain...

and high probability of punctured eardrum that an untreated ear infection can cause.
The poor little kid...:cry:

I can just imagine the environment of the office...smug, self-congratulatory...
Why doesn't he just put up a sign stating "Pharisees Only"?
:grr::puke:

[redqueen]

190. YES! "Pharisess Only"

That would be perfect... if only they would realize and admit what they are. *sigh*

[Bill McBlueState]

170. Neither should have "every right"

If someone's superstitions are going to keep them from providing an essential service, they need to find a different line of work. That goes for doctors and taxi drivers.

[Warpy]

3. So let him found a store front church

His license should be pulled for that.

[BOSSHOG]

5. Is there any such thing to pick and choose in the hypocratic oath?

I suggest the fascist, constitution hating scum of a doctor put a big ole sign out front. I'M A CHRISTIAN, THEREFORE THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE I WILL HATE YOU FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO ELSEWHERE.

[Poll_Blind]

And he turns down those without beards or those wearing mixed-fiber clothing. NOT!

Just enforcing whatever rules he wants to follow, discarding those he doesn't. Claims he's following the tenets of Christianity. This dude is acting about as un-Christian as you can get.

What a sack of shit.

PB

[BOSSHOG]

but isn't picking and choosing

what rules to live by the "christian" thing to do in the 21st century? Find some verse to justify your hate then ignore the passages that might make one's life difficult. Its all the rage in today's "chrisitian" community.

[Poll_Blind]

34. Based on my experience, it sure as hell is. I'm an athiest but I respect...

...people who have chosen to truly follow religion. So long as it doesn't pick and pockets or break any legs, it's benign personal choice as far as I'm concerned. And I am also impressed with the piety that true followers of religion exhibit. Not the 99.6% who wear the jersey and think they play for the team.

  I grew up in the Deep South, but anyone could have learned the lessons I did, anywhere in America: Christianity (or WHATEVER religion happens to be dominant in the region) is typically adopted by adherents who are mostly ignorant of what the teachings of that religion actually are. They take their cues from their pastors and from other poobahs in the hierarchy (which does not always include official members of the church but sometimes their spouses & children) and then "run with it".

  And that's how you get people doing all sorts of bullshit while thinking they're doing "The Lord's Work". It's really sad. Lives are torn up. Real lives of real people with hopes and dreams. It's a majestic, grotesque travesty.

  And the sickest thing I can top this all off with, but it's 100% the truth based on my understanding of history, is this is the least offensive religion has been in the last thousand years.

  Let's face it, most organized religion has been working pretty fucking hard to put Love out of style and to crown Power as the real goal.

  I actively believe there is no God. Actively. Agressively. Unlike being an agnostic, it requires just as much faith as an ardent diety worshipper. I have a great deal of faith that there is no God. Because any God who would let these horrible things be done, not just done, but done in their name isn't worth my time.

PB

[Zodiak]

81. Poll_Blind, you are an honest atheist

" I actively believe there is no God. Actively. Agressively. Unlike being an agnostic, it requires just as much faith as an ardent diety worshipper. I have a great deal of faith that there is no God. Because any God who would let these horrible things be done, not just done, but done in their name isn't worth my time."

And you state your reasons clearly.

I do not mind atheists....it is a form of belief like any other. What bothers me are atheists who claim to be smarter and more logical than everyone else because they do not believe in a God. The fact that atheism takes a form of faith and that one can never prove a negative is often lost on them.

Religion takes belief.
Agnosticism is logical, albeit not satisfying at all (people like answers).
Atheism takes belief.

[qnr]

88. Sorry. I totally disagree. I don't need "faith" not to believe. I just don't believe.

There are no day-glo purple elephants with baby-poop green polka dots floating outside my window. Again, no "faith" I just don't believe.

[unpossibles]

95. I don't know - I'm seeing those elephants outside of my window

but I suspect flashbacks more than faith...

:D

[qnr]

105. heheh n/t

[Zodiak]

115. Funny....agnostics don't believe either

If you are sure there is no God, you are placing certainty in a negative, which is logically fallacious. Whether you call it faith or not makes no difference. Faith is just a word for making the illogical leap.

If you simply "do not believe"....that makes you agnostic. Once certainty is placed, you have a belief.

Just like you believe your elephant is not out the window. Until you check, you really do not know with 100% certainty. It is not likely to happen based on what you know, but existence is independent of what you know.

[qnr]

117. It's not my job to give definitions of hard atheist and agnostic to you, look them up yourself,

it will take you all of 45 seconds to see how your "definition" is skewed. You shouldn't waste people's time when you don't understand what you're saying.

[Cameron27]

120. !

:thumbsup:

[Zodiak]

123. Oh, so now there is a "new" definition

Fine. Although separating the spheres of thought renders agnositicism completely meaningless, although millions of people describe themselves as such.

I refer to hard atheism by your vernacular, of which I am not bound. Atheism sensu stricto in common usage.

But good luck redefining the common usage of the terms.

And next time, present your own evidence rather than be dismissive. If you have some info to disseminate and terms to redefine from common usage, you need to present the evidence.

a·the·ism
–noun
1. the doctrine or belief that there is no God.
2. disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.

So weak atheists argue that they are atheists based on the second definition of the term (which is the less common usage by convention).

There are 4 definitions of disbelief, and many of them refer to denial....not only the state of disbelieving.

So since we are talking mutable terms that have lots of definitions to lots of people, you should take a less "you don't know what you are talknig about" attitiude and more of a "try to see it like we do" approach because you are referring to esoteric word parsing by your fellow weak atheists and not common usage or common knowledge.

[Skittles]

131. they're determined to give us all faith

it's an affliction I tells ya

[Megahurtz]

204. Hahahahahaha!!!

:rofl: I see a couple Pink Elephants once in awhile.

[Prophet 451]

186. Depends on the type of athiesm

"There is no god" takes belief. "I don't believe in God" takes only a lack of belief.

[DarkTirade]

222. I disagree... to believe that there's no way to know is certainly a belief.

Some, probably most agnostics just stick with the basic 'I don't know', but others have actually thought it through and made up their minds officially about it. :)

[LifeDuringWartime]

188. certainly seems to be the case

this guy would probably refuse to dispense the morning after pill too (if he were a pharmacist)

[Cabcere]

214. In that case...

I could kind of see his logic in refusing to dispense the morning after pill. That, at least, might have some basis in religious beliefs and/or moral implications regarding the behavior of the patient. (Please note that I am NOT saying this would be right or agreeing with the Dr.'s behavior in any way; I'm just playing devil's advocate here and trying to see how something like this might be justified.) In this case, though - as I understand it - he refused treatment to a little girl because he didn't approve of her mother's appearance. The child was the one who was suffering and who needed medical attention, which was denied because of nothing the little girl did "wrong," but because of her mother's appearance. :puke: In my eyes, that is unacceptable. :grr:

[knight_of_the_star]

196. This is why I'm not Christian

My Gods don't tolerate stuff like that or say it's ok just to say, "Because you believe in us you'll be ok in the end anyway. We don't care what else you do." Some stuff in Christianity I think is good, like helping the poor and loving thy neighbor and all that, but its too easy for fundies and the fakes to say they're Christian because they believe in their God without living up to what their God tells them to do. I prefer what I have, much more focus on individual responsibility, namely if you aren't a virtuous person and live according to the Nine Noble Virtues, you WILL get yours sooner or later, no dodging that bullet.

[atreides1]

6. I know where he got his "faith" from

He got it from a book and by listening to someone full of hatred.

[BlackVelvet04]

7. Oh dear God in heaven....

what is wrong with people like this.

"Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of these my brethren you have done it unto me."

"Suffer the little children....."

[mmonk]

8. I guess they'll just have to leave their tattoos at home then.

[The Straight Story]

13. I should walk into his office and yell 'Ze PLANE, ZE PLANE!' and see if he kicks me out

:rofl:

[mmonk]

32. .

[blogslut]

9. Ahhh

So, Moral superiority trumps "Love thy Neighbor"?

[AspenRose]

10. That's abhorrent and definitely UN-christian

:mad:

Jesus would NEVER turn ANYONE away. And whatever happened to "First do no harm?"

Other Christians in his community (especially Christian doctors), as well as right-minded folks in his church, should set him straight ASAP. :spank: Unfortunately, I fear that his congregation may be just like him.

Gee, I can't imagine why anyone isn't beating down a path to Christianity with attitudes like the one this guy has. :sarcasm:

What was it Gandhi said? "You Christians are so unlike your Christ."

[keith the dem]

38. One of the main stories of the gospels

is the healing of the lepers. It was actually against the law to go among and touch those "unclean" people, he went anyway. This story is an important part of the Gospel because it clearly showed that jesus accepted all people. What bible do these people read?

[JuniperLea]

90. Probably the same Bible that tells them The Prince of Peace

Wants this war in Iraq, is backing GWB, hates gays, etc. I think these are the same people who sit around on pins and needles hoping for the rapture with every international hiccup, even though Jesus told us that no man knows the day or hour.

The lady on RaptureReady.com, who just had to rush out and get her hair done before she meets Jesus, when the whole Israel/Hezbolla deal went down last year. These are the people Jesus warned us of! Many will come in his name...

[Anakin Skywalker]

202. The Pick and Choose Version of the Bible, Apparently.

[youngdem]

11. Do no harm, eh?

Strip him of his state license to practice medicine.

It should be a constitutional right to be seen by any doctor or professional you wish to see.

A requirement of ANY professional license should include an anti-discrimination clause meant to insure service to ALL of the public.

Besides, this guy is an asshole, not a Christian. Jesus washed the feet of the poor and placed hands on the leper. This guy is acting in a MOST un-Christian manner. But then, so do most 'Christians' today. Seems to be the refuge of the uninformed, bigoted and biased these days.

[AirmensMom]

12. What's Christian about that?

:shrug: Some people are seriously fucked up. :banghead:

[Ecumenist]

14. Umm, WTF??!! This "doctor" is ignorant AND prejudiced...

BIGTIME!! The early Christians oftentimes sported a tatoo that showed a fish, the Cross etc. In fact, most of the traditional Coptic Christians STILL DO. What the f*ck does a tatoo have to do with treating a suffering child for an ear infection? Something else is going on here and I would love to see what colour the doctor was and the colour of the parents.

Edit: if the child in question is the one pictured one pictured in the article, I wonder if colour is still the issue. Is the doctor black, (I'm black and have seen this kind of issue rear it's ugly head time and time again. In any case, this wrong and this doctor needs to have their licence examined and yanked. The last time I checked, wasn't there the little thing about the Hippocratic Oath? ie, "DO NO HARM?" Isn't refusing the treat a child because of the tattoos on the parents doing just that?

[Jo March]

15. As a Christian, I am horrified

Jesus would not turn away lepers, prostitutes, the poor, or the children who came up to Him. What makes this doctor above Christ?

[lapislzi]

16. Um, I would hardly call it SERVICE

When it comes to medicine, it's CARE, not service. It's not like your local Applebees. See, this is the problem when everything is for profit. They're not patients, they're customers. I find that nearly as disgusting as the doctor's behavior.

Say it with me: the doctor denied CARE to a little girl.

Just another reason why we need single-payer health care, and soon.

[WinkyDink]

51. Thank you. I was trying to figure out how to word this.

[AspenRose]

67. Damn straight....and the AMA would back up this buffoon

From the article:

"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."

All about the sweet almighty dollar. Love of money is the root of all evil.

Universal Healthcare NOW.

[lapislzi]

76. That makes me sick.

And I'm sure the asshole has no trouble sleeping at night.

I try hard not to judge people, but I can't help myself in this case. It makes that whole "love everybody" philosophy very difficult to practice at times. But still, I will try. Maybe it will make me a better person for it.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

17. can you imagine if Jesus had treated people this way

"Sorry...I am only here to save the people I think look ok. All you other people are just screwn. I suggest you stick with whatever you got..."

sP

[Chulanowa]

94. Matthew 15

21
Then Jesus went from that place and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
22
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, "Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon."
23
But he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, "Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us."
24
10 He said in reply, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
25
But the woman came and did him homage, saying, "Lord, help me."
26
He said in reply, "It is not right to take the food of the children 11 and throw it to the dogs."
27
She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters."
28
Then Jesus said to her in reply, "O woman, great is your faith! 12 Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Jesus didn'tgive his "services" to Canaanites unless they groveled, apparently.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

96. you miss the point of this part of scripture...

this was a lesson to the disciples...but hey, miss what you will.

sP

[Occulus]

159. Actually, there are TWO "points" to that

And christians usually see only one.

The one they see is that Jesus was so great as to heal one who was generally scorned, one whose "faith (was) great".

The one they don't see is that she had to BEG for it before it happened.

I guess we all just have to have a little faith that they're worth begging to :shrug:

I'm going to clarify, so there's absolutely no confusion on the topic for anyone:

He said in reply, "It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs."

Jesus called her a dog. That's not in 'interpretation'. That's rock-solid fact if you believe the bible.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

163. sorry...the begging wasn't for him or her...it was for his disciples' benefit

but hey...once again...see what you will and try to spin it as negatively as possible. Nevermind that Jesus lived with and for those who the Pharisees would have nothing to do with. Cherrypicking the gospels whilst leaving out the entireity of the message simply shows your motive.

sP

[Occulus]

164. Um, no

She asked. He refused. She begged. He called her a dog. She begged again. Finally, he relented. She had to "prove" her faith was great?

Jesus. Called. Her. A. Dog. Get it?

I should add: I don't much care for the insinuation that I don't "get" the message in this part of the Bible. I understand it all too clearly. I am merely saying for the benefit of those who are "in the box" that those of us who are cast out of the box, as I am, by your religion, daily, on a regular basis, see things very, very differently than you.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

175. to add...

you see what you want to see. You obviously don't get it from my POV because you conveniently ignore the rest of his life and people he came to serve. You are not cast off by my religion. You may be cast of by people that claim to practice it...but not the religion itself. See, you frame it in that way, it indicates what you have chosen to believe. I have chosen to believe that Jesus came to save everyone as the rest of his life displays...not just me and not just you. In that choice of belief I can see this for what it is. Your choice of belief, that Christianity discards you, blinds you to what is going on there. I accept that you see it that way and really have no problem with you interpreting this however you want. It is no skin off my nose...heck I would see it that way too if I believed as you do. The fact that you suggest that Christianity has cast you out indicates that you don't see what Jesus came to do for you...but rather you see what crappy people have done to you as Christianity. There are plenty of Christians who would no more cast you out than Jesus would.

And by the by, Jesus was proving her faith (which if you believe he is God he would have KNOWN) to the disciples. She knew who he was. He knew she knew that. He made a point to the disciples about her faith.... But like I said...you will see it the way your beliefs dictate...negatively.

sP

[Occulus]

176. Okay, now I KNOW you're just full of it.

"You are not cast off by my religion."

The FUCK I'm not. I'm gay, and your religion treats me like a dog on a regular basis, and does so very gleefully indeed. You used to be on my ignore list, before I declared amnesty and cleared it. Now I know why you were there in the first place, and you're going right back on it.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

177. nope...people treat you that way

there are plenty of gays that are accepted by my religion. Too bad you don't believe in gay Christians...

And now I shall cry for being on your ignore list...thanks for putting me back there. It is obvious you have nothing beneficial to add. But I do find it odd that someone who is nothing more than accepting of who you are and try to offer hope would be ignored...

sP

[CBGLuthier]

18. They mention the old

"reserve the right to refuse service signs."

Surely the writers of this article are aware those signs were nothing but a way to deny access based upon race.

I guess this "christian" just got to the part that says suffer the children and that was enough for him.

[Rosemary2205]

19. How can a guy that stupid graduate medical school?

the idiot should lose his medical license - unfortunately the courts have decided docs can refuse to treat for any damn reason they want for "religious" reasons.

[Poll_Blind]

41. Remember, serial Ted Bundy had a full law degree. You would...

...think that a person who is deeply flawed in one aspect of their life would show weakness in other aspects. This is not always true and often times I am impressed with how flawed a person can be in one area of their life and succeed or even excel at other parts.

  Another curious trait for a species of curious traits.

PB

[bedazzled]

122. i don't think ted ever graduated -- he was a perennial student

he was sidetracked by his murderous hobby...

just a little extraneous info from a long time true
crime fan...

although i've gotten out of the habit of reading
true crime books recently. the newspapers hold
enough horror for me now...

[Poll_Blind]

132. You were right! I had erroneously recalled the judge's comments....

...during his sentencing about how he would have loved to see Ted practice law in his court instead of being there for murder. I jumped to the wrong conclusion- thanks for the correction!

  By the way, I used to date a girl who was a huge True Crime fan. I used to think it was a really odd hobby, given the subject matter. The more I knew her the more I realized that she was 100% normal. If I wouldn't have dated her I probably would think True Crime fans are weird. Just another hobby, similar to my delicious timewasters of cryptozoology and politics.

  They're all about learning about problems not easily solved, learning about the situation, and taking your own crack at it. Only difference is the subject matter.

Anyway, thanks for the comment,

PB

[bedazzled]

143. bundy was the stereotypical repug faker (a murderous shark in lamb's clothing)

harbinger of things to come! would that we have known!

i've was a little ashamed of my hobby for awhile. a lot
of those types of books are really graphic and gross, and
i've gotten away from them in the last few years. i still
find some cases interesting, though...the manson family,
bundy, the clutter murders (in cold blood.) they resonate
with me -- they seem to be a reflection of the time they
happened...

i like the procedures -- the forensic investigation, the
trial -- and a lot of people seem to have become interested
in the subject. the csi tv show seems to be really popular.
can't watch it, though. too bloody. can't stand the sight
of blood and mayhem(!) i just leave it to my imagination...

as far as your hobbies go, i think cryptozoology is probably
a lot more understandable than politics at this point. the
abominable snowman is a lot more appealing to me than, say,
dick cheney. sweeter smile, nicer disposition, etc.

[no_hypocrisy]

20. Sue his ass. He can use the same rationale to discriminate for

any reason.

[tanyev]

21. Those standards have nothing to do with his Christian faith.

They have everything to do with his Pharisaic intolerance.

[dicknbush]

22. Hey you bimbo...Jesus was pierced several times....

Would you refuse him treatment as well?

Just wondering!

[Felinity]

25. But not for jewelry. For Jewry.

Go ahead hate me, I had to say it.

[Felinity]

23. 11th Commandment: Thou shalt not tatoo.

Also included in New Testament, "suffer the little children to come unto me, unless of course the child's parents haveth tatooage.

[Richard Steele]

24. This "doctor" needs to have his license yanked, pronto.

Despicable. Unconscionable. Inhumane and inhuman.
CLEARLY not someone a rational society can trust with the
responsibility that comes with a Medical License.

His "faith in God" tells him to refuse treatment to a child in pain?
As someone once said, "If there is a God, it ain't that one".

[Midlodemocrat]

46. Yup.

"First, do no harm"

And what he did was harmful.

[Mr. Ected]

26. His Practice Just Went Down the Toilet

I hope the message is spread LOUD AND CLEAR around
Bakersfield.  The man's practice will ultimately be limited to
other bigoted idiot faux Christians just like him.

That's what's great about the free enterprise system.  You
vote with your dollar.  Vote this asshole out of commercial
success.

[hlthe2b]

27. Good Lord... This reminds me of the "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

episode when Larry finds his Mom had died and that rather than bury her in the family plot, the rabbi had moved her to the area of "unconsecrated ground" where they bury the "non-believers, the criminals, etc." The reason? She was found, upon pre-burial inspection to have had a tatoo on her ass,. which Larry's father proudly proclaimed--from their courtship days...

As funny as that bizarre sitcom episode was, I never thought it would play out in real life....:eyes:

[Solon]

28. This guy should NOT be a doctor in any capacity...

This guy is an asshole of the highest order, pull his license, NOW.

[The Straight Story]

30. Let's hope Olbermann gets a hold of this and it goes national

that Dr will rue the day he turned into a prick.

[Solon]

36. Being a medical practictioner should mean you serve ALL, without discrimination...

I'm leaning towards this guy getting thrown in jail for reckless endangerment, or possibly assault. Why not? The child had to suffer unnecessary pain because HE decided to let the child suffer, throw him in jail for child abuse as well.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

184. And revoking his license...

but perhaps that's assumed. This guy should be parking cars for a living.

[Solon]

193. He'd probably refuse service to those cars that have custom body and paintjobs...

for being "unchristian" or some bullshit like that.

[Bake]

29. Jesus, of course, NEVER hung out with sick people ...

No lepers, prostitutes, adulterers, for HIM! No sireeeee.

This doctor is in no way a Christian, any more than Smirk is a Christian. "By their fruits shall ye know them ..."

Bake

[MADem]

31. Those tattooed people should consider themselves "blessed"

Because they don't have a substandard, mouth-breathing, NITWIT treating their child.

They're lucky, really. Anyone who thinks like that isn't the person I'd want caring for a family member of any age--that's just 'dumbass cogitation' IMO.

[The Straight Story]

33. He dosen't even allow gum chewing in his office

This guy's office will be getting a call from me in a few minutes, looking up the number now :)

[MADem]

49. Ask if he treats Muslims? You could have some fun with the questions! NT

[The Straight Story]

53. DOH I already called em, call info below, feel free

just report back :)

[lapislzi]

56. The only word that comes to mind is "fuckwit" n/t

[nickyt]

59. B-b-but - what about "Scriptural" gum?

Three Pages Of Scripture Candy
Page 1 2 3

Fruity Bubble Gum (Bag Candy) 1 Lb.
$5.99
SC-BG-Bag
Each Piece wrapped in KJV scripture verses. 6 Delicious Fruit Flavors! Banana, Orange, Cherry, Grape and Wintergreen. Kids Love Them! You will Too!

1 Lb. Bag Approx. 90 Pieces

http://www.guidinglightvideo.com/shop/ScriptureCandy3.html

[uppityperson]

35. Did Jesus check people for tattoos before he healed them?

I haven't read the bible for a while, but don't remember that part.

[Az]

37. Um maybe its a good thing they didn't get their child treated by this knucklehead

I mean if this is any indication of his intellect and compassion.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

39. What a shit.

To hell with him. Straight to hell.

[Leopolds Ghost]

40. Mark Twain 3:16 "Thou Shalt Not Piss Against the Wall."

[dogday]

42. Holy crap what a waste product this Dr. is.............. nt

[SaveElmer]

43. Luke 10:25-37....

You asshat!!!

[kestrel91316]

44. Who would Jesus allow to go deaf because their parents had tattoos?

[sam sarrha]

45. pull the assholes license

[Name removed]

47. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[kestrel91316]

64. Yeah! K&R for this info alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wicket]

66. Thanks!

This christian will be giving him an earful :D

:kick:

[AspenRose]

75. We look forward to the report

:D

[wicket]

148. I called

I told them I was upset that this doctor is using my religion as an excuse to deny treatment to a little girl that needed it. And that Jesus would have never turned any one away. They thanked me for my "opinion" and that was that.

I'm still miffed :grr:

[nickyt]

48. Hey man, it's in the Bible:

Then comes the commandment about tattoos. In Lev 19:28 :

"You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD. " (NKJV)

(snip)

In a prophecy in Isaiah 3:18-24 it shows that there will be nose jewels that will be removed when this disaster comes which indicates to me that they were affixed in some way as they are today by body piercing. This does not however mean that God approves of them.


http://www.biblestudy.org/question/what-does-bible-say-about-tattoos-and-body-piercing.html


No mention of chewing gum, though.

[The Straight Story]

52. That's so old testament, might apply if he was a jewish dr though :) (nt)

[Hippo_Tron]

140. Christian fundies tend to apply the more absurd parts of the old testament

More than Jews do. Then again I suppose there are Jewish fundies as well.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

185. Glad he's not a gynecologist....

The Old Testament has some interesting things to say about the menstrual cycle.

[ninkasi]

130. That's going to make some fundamentalist

right-wing White Supremacists squirm, I think. They are really, really big into Nazi tattoos and body piercings, from what I can tell. And they are dead certain that they are doing God's work when they spew their hatred. What an idiotic thing to deny a child medical treatment over.

[redqueen]

157. Where's the part where it says that if someone does that

that you're not obligated to help their children, should they come to you for help? That you get to say, "Sorry, fuck you, kid... tough luck you have parents who aren't perfect like me... go home and cry in pain... lose some of your hearing, see if I care."

[The Straight Story]

50. Ok - I called em!!!

I told em I was thinking of coming in and that I had a tatoo and piercings. They said I CAN come in IF I cover the tatooes and remove my piercings....

[mmonk]

62. Tell them ok if he'll cover his face

and remove his head out of his ass.

[Az]

54. Cuz Jesus was known for haning out with all the most clean cut upstanding people

He never mingled with the poor, the different, or the socially unacceptable.

[Swamp Rat]

55. jeebus famly valyooz

[silverweb]

57. That is just SO wrong!

This has gone far beyond the realm of disgusting. At this point, I'd rather go to a voodoo witch doctor than any licensed physician who advertises his "Christian" allegiance.

:grr:

[kestrel91316]

58. Ok, this looks like a case for some activists here at DU to

MAKE NOISE AND GET THIS SHITHEAD'S MEDICAL LICENSE REVOKED, or at the very least get him censured by any medical associations he belongs to. THIS HAS GOT TO STOP. You DO realize, don't you, that the next step is to deny medical care to children of all non-fundies? And to the adult non-fundies, too.

Read the handwriting on the wall. This needs to stop here and now.

His info at the CA Medical Board:
http://www2.dca.ca.gov/pls/wllpub/WLLQRYNA$LCEV2.QueryView?P_LICENSE_NUMBER=40322&P_LTE_ID=790

How to file a complaint:
http://www.mbc.ca.gov/Complaint_Info.htm

I realize that only the wronged party can actually file a complaint, but if enough people call the board on the phone and tie them up in knots over this, maybe they will be forced to issue some sort of statement saying he's not right to do this.

[nickyt]

89. Here's an email address on the Dept. of Public Health in Kern County:

KERN COUNTY DEPARTMENT Of PUBLIC HEALTH
MATERNAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH
1800 MOUNT VERNON AVENUE, BAKERSFIELD, CA 93306
[phone] / [phone]

www.co.kern.ca.us/health

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MEDICAL PROVIDERS

Bakersfield
Christian Medical Services
Gary A. Merrill, M.D.
2920 F Street, Ste. C-6
Bakersfield, CA 93301 ... [phone]

http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:yy37X3xIJKgJ:www.co.kern.ca.us/health/MCAH/CHILD%2520MEDICAL%2520PROVIDERS.pdf+Dr.+Gary+Merrill+christian+medical+services&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us

[booley]

60. Why do so many "Christians' think they have to exclude people?

I guess it's probably a rhetorical question but this bugs me.

These people claim they are being oppressed as Christians.

But they haven't been persecuted for worshipping. Their churches arent' being burned. They are excluded from the political proccess. There isnt' a massive movement ot limit thier rights or create laws aimed specificly at makign thier lives harder.

The only thing they are being denied is the "right" to limit the rights of others. and that's no right at all

[OnionPatch]

104. Kinda blows my mind, too.

Especially seeing how their hero hung out with prostitutes, etc. I've read the teachings of Jesus and I don't remember him saying anything about tatoos and piercings or even about people who have "strange customs."

Christianity today has become a club of elite snobs. They make me gag.

[Az]

61. Somebody should go in there and read him Luke 6:30

and then ask him for his car.

[The Straight Story]

63. I posted a phone number above, sounds like a plan :)

:rofl:

[iconoclastic cat]

65. Go to Google Maps and search for "Christian Medical Services Bakersfield"

Their phone number is listed.

"Hello, my name is Bob. I think I have leprosy. Will the doctor see me even if I have tattoos?"

[The Straight Story]

69. I called em, see my post above for their reply (nt)

[LeftyMom]

77. When you call, ask him why he doesn't follow Jesus's example in Luke 18:16

Luke 18:16 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)

16But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Then ask him where Jesus told the disciples to check the children's parents out first before they came to him. Ask him why he thinks he's better than Jesus.

[left is right]

102. and Jesus also didn't say

'But, first wash the peanut butter and jelly off of their fingers and faces before they come to Me"

[kestrel91316]

68. Come on, people, ONE MORE RECOMMEND

[Done]

70. Wasn't Jesus pierced? nt

[smoogatz]

71. My mother-in-law's a pediatrician who has, in the past, refused service

to the children of lawyers. Or so she claims. Not quite the same thing, but still pretty wacky.

[redqueen]

160. Wacky is one word for it...

shitty is the one I'd use.

[smoogatz]

165. She's had a couple of bad experiences with the legal system--

a completely baseless lawsuit in which she was a co-defendant (she was forced to settle), and a bad experience on the witness stand in a child sexual abuse case in which her credibility was called into question by the defense attorney in cross-examination. She'd been wronged in both cases, completely at the mercy of a system that didn't give a damn if it ruined her reputation and destroyed her livelihood. So she won't treat the children of personal injury lawyers--entirely her right, and actually not unreasonable given that she practices in the most litigious region of the most litigious state in the country.

[redqueen]

168. If she were refusing to threat the lawyers, I'd (sort of) get it...

cause really... are all lawyers the same? No. No more than all doctors are.

But refusing to threat their children? Sorry... not getting it.

[smoogatz]

172. Well, obviously if she's on call or working hospital rounds

she'll treat them. But she won't take them as patients in her practice, because she believes (rightly) that doing so greatly increases her chances of getting sued if anything (and it really is any damn thing) goes wrong. A lawsuit would threaten both her assets and her ability to continue to make a living. It's not a choice she wants to make, but she feels it's wise to make it. And it's not like there's any shortage of pediatricians in her area. And it's not like the legal profession hasn't brought this kind of thing on itself, to some degree.

[redqueen]

173. Ah, I see the point now...

the danger of the parents taking her to court if the least little thing goes wrong.

Such a shame...

[smoogatz]

174. Yep. Sorry I wasn't more clear about that in my earlier post.

It is a shame. They live in SoCal, so it's lawsuit central. Things have gotten so out of control there, it's now pretty common for parents hosting play-dates to require the parents of the guest-kids to sign legal waivers, in case junior falls down and chips a tooth. Sounds crazy, but I'm not making it up.

[BurtWorm]

72. What if the tattoo looked like this?

[BurtWorm]

74. Or this?

[BurtWorm]

80. Or this?

http://a1.vox.com/6a00c2251fe8738fdb00c22521f2998e1d-200pi

[LeftyMom]

84. That's beautiful work

Not really a subject I find appealing, but beautifully done. I like that the artist did it all in grayscale, over time color really stops looking good.

[saltpoint]

73. Run for your lives, everyone. Those people over there have tattoos.

This "Christian" doc knows as a fact that Jesus didn't have tattoos? I suppose he COULD know this as a fact if he were over 2000 years old and had, years ago, showered with the Jerusalem Slugger.

Absent those conditions, I think he's full of shit.

A child's ear infection required medical attention. This guy failed one of the basic Christian tenets, near as I can tell.

Shame on 'im.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

78. I wonder what happens when he finds out one of his Xtian patients has an STD. Does he boot them out

of his practice?

I remember when I was a medical student (training in the military) I was on an OB/GYN rotation.

One of my fellow students had a patient who was seeking a birth control prescription, but the student didn't want to provide the prescription since the patient's husband was away on a lengthy deployment, so the prescription was most likely because of an affair she was having.

Luckily, while the student was discussing this situation with their supervising intern, the senior resident (who was supervising both of them) was standing in the doorway behind them listening to the whole thing, and then proceeded to rip the student a new asshole for being such a judgmental dork, and to explain to them how different the real world was from their conception of it.

I had a few classmates who expressed their distaste for taking care of patients with HIV and similar disease, and their desire not to take care of any such patients--they were going into radiology, so I guess it was more or less possible for them to achieve this, but it disgusted me. No one wants to assume the risk of being exposed to communicable diseases, but it's simply part of being a doctor.

[enki23]

79. sounds pretty christian to me.

at least, what i've known of them. and i've known quite a lot.

[kestrel91316]

82. BTW, taken to this logical conclusion, he is within his rights to

deny medical care to anyone who isn't his brand of fundie. Enough of them do this, and.......................can we say genocide of liberals?

[Az]

87. I don't think the reaction is to whether he has a right to do so or not

It is that he is claiming to represent Christianity in doing this and it strikes most as they absolute in hypocrisy. Jesus administered to the poor and the outcasts. This Doctor definately seems to be missing a key compassion component in his mental makeup.

[KansDem]

83. DAMN!!! And he did such a good job with Bette Davis!

In All About Eve

[mnhtnbb]

85. That family needs to file a complaint with the CA State Board that licenses MD's.

This guy may think he has a 'private' office, but his practice is sanctioned by the State.

What a typical piece of hypocritcal shit. A truly righteous and holy a$$hole.

Here's the link to file a complaint.

http://www.medbd.ca.gov/

[JuniperLea]

86. That's no Christian... Christ would never deny a child help

Too many of today's Christians don't know what the word means.

[Jed Dilligan]

91. Lots of tattooed Christians in Bakersfield

If he bans mullets, too, he might go out of business!

[WI_DEM]

92. these so called "christians" make it harder for real christians

[mnhtnbb]

93. Declaration of Professional Responsibility: Medicine's Social Contract with Humanity

Take a look especially at III: Treat the sick and injured with competence and compassion and without prejudice.


Granted, this is a voluntary oath, but this guy fails it, miserably.


http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/upload/mm/369/decofprofessional.pdf

[TroglodyteScholar]

97. Christ would definitely allow the helpless, innocent child to suffer

Fucking assshole

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

98. Whoa. What A Jackass.

Lemme go find that number....

[chicagomd]

99. This is going to be flame bait...but...

I am a physician.
I am a pediatrician.
I am an advocate for a single payer system of health care, I think the All Kids system Illinois has developed is great, and I am a participating provider.

I am not a Christian, so I will let the Christians judge if his actions are consistent with their faith.
I do not believe what this guy did was morally appropriate.
I do not think he violated any professional standards of conduct based off of what was posted, and based off this incident bad press is about all he deserves.


As a private physician he in theory has the right to deny service (and at this point in this country medicine is a service, like it or not. For the record, I don't like it). Doctors refuse to see patients for a variety of reasons: insurance, failure to pay bills, full practice, etc. Now, if they were established patients and he recently made this change, then refusing to see them because of it is patient abandonment and that is a totally different story.

Not that I don't sympathize with the family, but if their child was in so much pain they should have taken her to an emergency department for evaluation. The statement the mother made about that her daughter "had to go that entire night with her ear infection with no medicine because he has his policy,” is absolutely ridiculous. Is he the only doctor in her town? Is there not an emergency room or urgent care center available to her? According to:

http://www.switchboard.com/Hospitals/Bakersfield/CA/14/Yellowpages_Results.html

there are a number of different institutions that could have given her child relief that night, and many of them would not have worried about the tattoos. I don't agree with his policy, but it was not his policy the made her daughter go the night without medication.

So by all means call the media and his office and express your outrage, but lets not bring out the gallows for something like this. There are plenty of bad doctors out there more deserving of our attention than Dr. Merril.

Flame on...

[barb162]

127. You're right

I was wondering why she didn't take the kid elsewhere. It seems she wanted to make a point about her tattoos versus getting the kid fixed up someplace else.

[lapislzi]

146. She could still have made the point and obtained care for the child

In fact, it makes a stronger point to the profit-above-all-things crowd if you point out that an ER visit typically costs much more than an office visit. That's just bad business: to let the ER handle--and the insurance pay for--a simple ear infection that can be treated with a few dollars' worth of antibiotics.

Having said that, I still think the doctor is the moral equivalent of pond scum.

[w8liftinglady]

156. No flame...I live in a rural community where there is no ER

I am a nurse,and respect the physician's right to refuse treatment-for the appropriate reasons.We have family physicians here.I have never had a problem with any of them as far as seeing patients.I know the difficulties that rural physicians face and feel their care should be subsidized.

[yardwork]

166. Maybe they couldn't afford to go to the ER or another doctor

Their health insurance plan dictates which doctors they can see. At the end of the article linked in the opening post, it says:

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.”

[hedgehog]

169. You're right - doctors refuse to treat patients all the time.

Usually the reason is inability to pay. I don't blame the doctors, they have to make a living. Usually what it means is that a doctor will take so many Medicare patients and so many charity cases then draw the line so their practice doesn't fold.


It's a reminder that when we do get Universal single payer, we have to make sure that family doctors, GPs and internists aren't given the shaft while surgeons are treated as gods.

[bmbmd]

187. Above all,

I must not play at God.

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

[knitter4democracy]

100. I hate to say it, but doctors have the right to refuse care.

Just as patients have the right to refuse care from anyone for any reason, doctors have the same right to refuse care for any patient for any reason. Where that right is limited is when he's already established a doctor-patient relationship with the patient. Then, if he "fires" the patient (the AMA's term for it), he has to give notice (different in every state but generally 30 days) and give care in the meantime until the patient finds a new doctor.

Patients refuse to see doctors because they have tatoos, look too young, are the wrong gender, or, in the case of my hubby, are wearing a Dean pin on their labcoats. Doctors have the same right--most just don't exercise it because it would be a stupid way to lose money. Doctors usually refuse care if a patient is abusive of the doctor or the staff, violent, or refuses to follow the doctor's care plan repeatedly. To fire a patient because her parents have tatoos is going to lose this guy a lot of money, something most peds cannot afford (they're on the lower end of the doctor payscale).

[chicagomd]

101. Yeah, what you said...

Exactly.

Thank you for stating that a little more eloquently.

[knitter4democracy]

121. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

Not everyone here is anti-doctor, but there is a rather vocal minority that is. Please feel welcome to speak up about the realities of being a doctor. I do what I can (Hubby's an internist), and we have a few other doctors here, too.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

103. Yes, and the community has a right to not utilize the doctor for being a jerk, too.

Works both ways.

[knitter4democracy]

118. That's why I said it's going to cost him.

Policies that stupid will cost him patients and billing in the long run. He's definitely an idiot.

[Az]

111. Not quite the point

I think we all recognise it is the Doctor's right to refuse treatment to anyone he wishes to. But it is his public declaration of adhering to Christian doctrine and his turning away of a child in need that creates the hypocritical issue at hand.

Its not that he has the right. Its that we have the right to be disgusted by what is arguably inhumane behaviour.

[knitter4democracy]

119. Don't get me wrong--I'm disgusted by his policies and choice.

I think a doctor who turns away anyone for dumbass reasons needs to get smacked by the marketplace and lose many patients and lots and lots of billing. The parents were sent there by their insurance company, and he has other parents with tattoos whom he hasn't turned away, which leads me to think he really doesn't want their insurance but wants to make it sound like it's the parents' fault for his choice.

Grrrr. If this were a doc I knew, I'd be calling up his wife and asking what the hell is going on. Then, I'd ream him out on the Christian thing. Hell, I would consider making an appointment with him and purposely shaking the dirt off my shoes in the exam room and leaving (he'd know what that means). That kind of thing burns me.

It doesn't change the fact that he has the right to be a dumbass, though.

[lonestarnot]

106. Who'd want to see a doctor like that? Get another one.

Having a tatoo doesn't put one in a protected class, therefore not discrimination.

[Lars39]

107. Could be this doc is the only pediatrician on their health plan

{if they have one} for miles around.

[lonestarnot]

108. I'd rather see a vet than that motherfucker!

[Lars39]

110. Me, too.

:hi:

[lonestarnot]

112. Heh!

:toast: :hi:

[kestrel91316]

134. I'm a vet. I have days (like today) when I am sorely tempted to screen

clients by their religion, and turn away those who don't share my religious or political views.

But then my common sense gets the better of me............I have bills to pay, and never enough money.

It sure would be nice to give the phony "christians" a taste of their own medicine and essentially SHUN THEM. Because that is what this freak is doing.

[lonestarnot]

205. Heh. Shine on kestrel 91316

[mainer]

109. What if you have an "I Love Jesus" tattoo?

Or is that okay?

[Canuckistanian]

113. I don't imagine that lepers looked that pleasant to Jesus Christ

But he healed them just the same.

Where does the Bible say that you must refuse help to someone who doesn't meet your "appearance standards"?

[Miss Chybil]

114. Yes, I was just reading in Matthew how thou shalt not get tatttoos

and if thoust does, thine healers shalt not heal thine or thine's seed. It's right there in black and white. Jesus said it, chapter 107 vs. 749. I swear.

[Dorian Gray]

116. That's unbelievable.

How awful. What a total jackass. Not only is he not acting in a "Christian" manner, but he's also not acting in a doctorly manner. What a tool.

[Katherine Brengle]

124. Are doctors even allowed to turn down a patient in need of care???

That is so fundamentally fucked up - they should sue that asshole.

[mondo joe]

145. Why wouldn't they be allowed to deny service? I mean this guy is clearly an asshole,

and unethical to boot. But as a legal matter, why would physicians in private practice be required to see anyone?

[knitter4democracy]

152. Yes. As long as it's not life-threatening.

If it's a life-and-death situation, then they're not. An ear infection wouldn't be a life-and-death situation (as nasty as they are to deal with). They also can't refuse care if they have an established doctor-patient relationship.

If the doctor has not established a relationship with that patient (as he hadn't, from the article), then he can refuse care for any reason at all, including no reason. Most don't due to monetary issues, and he's going to pay for this stupid decision, but they have the right.

[w8liftinglady]

154. I beg to differ-respectfully

I have been a nurse for a long time..an ER,Pediatric and ICU nurse.I have seen the results of children who have had delayed treatment for ear infections.Meningitis,pneumonia and sepsis.This would have been a 10 minute examination,with a simple amoxicillin prescription.IMHO-he violated his oath that he took as a physician-to first-do no harm.

[chicagomd]

180. Delay of care can be bad but...

Delay of care even for a "simple" ear infection can have desastrous consequences, but in this particular case if the patient was that sick the mother would have been more than justified to take the child to an emergency room.

[MADem]

192. Perhaps they didn't have the dough for that. They likely had lousy coverage if any

that wouldn't support an ER visit for such a thing.

[w8liftinglady]

223. you are right,of course-if there is an ER

i live in a rural area with no bus service.Sometimes,options are limited

[knitter4democracy]

197. It depends on the severity, you're right.

I knew most of the pre-meds at our evangelical college (well, I married one of them), and I can't think of anyone who would've done what that moron did. It makes me think he's a later-in-life convert who's gone overboard and has been encouraged to do so by his faith community and pastor. He probably thinks all this press just shows how persecuted he really is. Grrr.

Ironically, my daughter is healing up from an ear infection today. Her doctor is a friend of ours, too, and I well-remember her screams in the middle of the night from the pain just the other night. If her doctor had kicked us out, I would've contacted the state medical board the next day.

The problem is, they weren't established patients. He had the right to be a moron and refuse care. They had the right to take their daughter elsewhere (which usually is a crappy thing--only the ER is left, and that's freakin' expensive). They also had the right to go to the press, and I'm glad they did.

[sakabatou]

125. .

[dysfunctional press]

126. i'm guessing that the parable of the good samaritan was lost on him...?

religion tends to make people stupid...or stupid people tend to make religions...take your pick.

[pk_du]

128. So this asshole gets funding from State of CA thru Kern Co

http://www.co.kern.ca.us/health/chdp.asp

...promising "your child can receive a health examination at no cost to you"



http://www.co.kern.ca.us/health/chdp.asp

Child Health Disability Prevention (CHDP)

Certification of CHDP Providers

CHDP Providers offer free health examinations for children to find and correct health problems early in life.

Well child checkups given at no cost to the eligible child.

Provide education and continuing support to the CHDP Providers through workshops and anticipatory guidance, immunizations, dental health, back-to-school information, vision, hearing, and lead poisoning information.

Provide information for the promotion of healthy children and prevention of diseases through Newsletter "CHDP in Touch", and participation in health fairs.

Coordinate and collaborate with other agencies and health care providers to promote healthy children and disease prevention. The agencies include the; Network for Children's Collaborative, Department of Human Services, Department of Probation, two Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans, school systems, Head Start Programs, State sponsored Pre-schools, Kern County Dental Needs and Access Team, Lead Coalition, and Immunization Coalition.

Provide case management of the CHDP children who are income eligible or have fee-for-service Medi-Cal.

Treatment Program provides for follow-up care for problems identified during CHDP health examinations.

Coordinate the provision of Emergency Dental Services.


HE NEEDS TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM THIS PUBLICLY FUNDED PROGRAM

[Tsiyu]

144. Yes, you are absolutely correct

To receive public funds, one must treat ALL of the public without bias or prejudice. Why? Because the money comes from tax dollars paid by all sorts of people - people with tattoos, people who have "alternative lifestyles" and even people who may not believe in Jeebus.

I can't imagine how cold-hearted and cruel this MD is. I certainly would not want this creep touching any of my kids - he has zero empathy and appears to be a control freak.

But he is my "Christian of the Week" and by that I mean if anybody tries to "save" me this week, I will bring up this Doc and explain why Christianity could never work for me. I worked in Peds for five years and I could never, ever, ever, turn a sick child away merely for disagreeing with the lifestyle/appearance of the parents. No sireee. You Christians can keep your self-righteous mindset. I never wish to share your faith. Ever.

Shame on this Doc. Shame shame shame.

[knitter4democracy]

198. Yes, he does! That's amazingly wrong!

How can he discriminate like that and get state funding? Oh yes, he needs to get removed from their lists.

[appleannie1]

129. I agree

he sure does not follow the same God I believe in.

[Skittles]

133. that sanctimonious piece of shit needs a good ass-kicking

yes INDEED

[lapislzi]

182. In the style of JC and the Pharisees n/t

[ninkasi]

135. These points may be trivial, but...

what if one of the parents has a tattoo on a part of their body that would not be seen unless they were examined in the nude? What if the parents were Wiccan, but did not declare their religious beliefs? Doctors like this appear, to me at least, to be the type who wish to loudly, and publicly, proclaim their Christianity, while privately ignoring most of Christ's teachings. In other words, they seem to be smug, self-righteous, holier-than=thou types. If I were a doctor, I could not turn any child who needed treatment away, regardless of the appearance of the child's parents. What do you want to bet that this doctor is adamantly against abortion, because every baby is sacred. Does the child's sanctity disappear once they pass through the birth canal?

[fortyfeetunder]

136. Anyone on DU go to church with this guy ---

that is anyone willing to admit it? What is this guy's moral character???

I want to know which Christian denomination would condone discrimination like this....

[ComerPerro]

137. Muslim, Wiccan, Pagan, or Atheist, and the media would go fucking nuts

but since its a Christian doctor, this won't get very far.

[Pushed To The Left]

138. The right wing radio hosts would accuse those who criticize this doctor of "bashing Christians"!

I've never heard of tattoos being incompatible with Christianity before this.

[DarkTirade]

208. There is an offhand reference in the old testamant about

not marking thine body or something like that.
Of course, there's also something in there about how cutting your hair or shaving your beard is 'an abomination', and the right-wing christians seem awfully fond of being clean-shaven and having short hair.

[DarkTirade]

139. I'm sure he took his hypocritic oath...

[Hippo_Tron]

141. This doc must've read the Gospel According to Falwell

You know, the one where George W Bush is the Lord and Saviour.

[tom_paine]

142. How do these Nazis live with themselves?

This guy is definitely in the running for the Camp Doctor at Halliburton Concentration Camp.

Can't you see him, placing twins (with tatoos and body piecings, making them untermenschen) in refrigerators to see which one would die first?

I can. Oh, not in the current environment, but if Bushevik policies are successful in finishing the somewhat reluctant transition from freedom to tyranny, and in a consequencessless environment in which Dr. Merrill is ENCOURAGED to bring out his "inner Freeper" I have very little doubt that it's "warm up the two 'fridges!" time.

[notadmblnd]

147. I had my son in a private religious school several years ago

When I first enrolled him they hadn't decided to go fundie, but the second year I recieved a phone call from the principal. He wanted to discuss our six year olds earing (my husband had taken him to get it pierced because our son wanted to be like his cousin). He attempted to explain to me that they had standards and what image the school wanted to project to the public. I asked him if he thought Jesus would turn his back on my son if he met him on the street with an earing. The principal didn't have an answer. I love reminding these nutball x'tians of the character whose life they are supposed to be emulating. I finally took my son out of the school after his 3rd grade teacher was fired for improper behavior with the little girls.

[w8liftinglady]

149. I am a nurse,a philanthropist,and tatooed..he violated his hypocratic oath

what a self-righteous prick.I hope they take his license away.

I swear by Apollo, Æsculapius, Hygieia, and Panacea, and I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses, to keep according to my ability and my judgement, the following Oath.
To consider dear to me as my parents him who taught me this art; to live in common with him and if necessary to share my goods with him; To look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them this art if they so desire without fee or written promise; to impart to my sons and the sons of the master who taught me and the disciples who have enrolled themselves and have agreed to the rules of the profession, but to these alone the precepts and the instruction.

I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.

To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause his death.

Nor will I give a woman a pessary to procure abortion.

But I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts.

I will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners, specialists in this art.

In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or with men, be they free or slaves.

All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal.

If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my lot.

[knitter4democracy]

199. You're right. I wish it were legal.

I forget the new one they have that wrote abortion out of it, a Swiss version, I think, that Hubby took in med school. *sigh* Medicine would be so much better if they all followed the Oath.

[Pacifist Patriot]

150. What the fuck is wrong with these people?

And by "these people" I am NOT painting all Christians with a broad brush. I'm talking about the sick warped deviants who would crucify Jesus again if they met him on the street today.

[CoffeeCat]

151. Didn't Jesus love the little children?

I have two daughters who have experienced multiple ear infections.
These hurt so bad. More than anything else they've experienced.
It hurts so bad that they wimper and try not to move, and they
suffer so terribly.

I cannot imagine any HUMAN BEING--much less a self-proclaimed Christian--
allowing a child to suffer like that--in the name of RELIGION.

This man--and people like this--know absolutely nothing about Christ and
his teachings.

This doctor is more worried about appearances, than he is about the suffering
of children. This man's views are more in line with Paris Hilton's, than they
are with Christ's.

Will he ever figure that out? No. These people are a stain on our society.

[IronLionZion]

158. Jesus doesn't turn anyone away eom

[dethl]

162. Yet another wacko Fundie trying to impose his beliefs on everyone around him...

Surround yourself with enough delusions and that's all you're living. I'm amazed these people can even function in the real world.

Fundamentalists give Christianity a really bad name. This Doc is no different. He needs his license revoked along with all the other doctors/pharmacists out there who refuse to give meds or provide services due to their religious beliefs.

[IWantAChange]

171. Anyone want to venture a guess as to this BOZO'S political affiliation??

[HuffleClaw]

178. WTF ????

'and a host of other requirements'? ???

and there's this... "He said if they don’t like his beliefs, they can find another doctor."


--- it doesn't take much to imagine what those 'other requirements' are. no same-sex couples, no mixed-race couples...

[emald]

179. Religion is of satan. Religion is evil.

Relationship is what Father desires. Religion is man's attempt to get to Father. Relationship is His attempt to get to us. This doctors actions are based on religion, he supports satan but is to spiritually ingrown to realize it.

[noonwitch]

181. If the kid has a hearing problem due to delay of treatment, the parents should sue

This guy doesn't even represent most fundamentalists. There are a lot of artists in the contemporary christian music field with tattoos and body piercings. It's a generational thing, not a morality thing. Younger people are into it. I'm not, I have pierced ears (one earring in each ear), and that's it.

[Prophet 451]

189. The Christopublicans strike again

Another example of that very peculier hybrid of fundementalist Christianity and extreme-right politics where saying the right words is more important than doing the right thing and smug superiority is the most Godly stance.

I knew there was a reason I worshipped the devil.

[earth mom]

191. And this guy calls himself a Christian?!

:wtf:

:puke:

[Javaman]

194. Wow, there are just so many things wrong with that doctor...

so much for the Hippocratic oath, huh?

[knight_of_the_star]

195. How is that a Christian thing to do?

I'm no Christian but I was under the impression that Christianity preached love they neighbor and other things like that.

[LibDemAlways]

200. The well being of the child should be the physician's only

concern. He may have been within his legal rights to turn the family away, but morally and ethically, it was just plain wrong.

[Anakin Skywalker]

201. What If The Tattoos Were

all crosses of different sizes and types, would that have been OK by this jerk of a doc?

[Megahurtz]

203. Does this Idiot Doctor know that

it's shit like this that turns people away from Christianity???

Or is he content just knowing his own selfish ass is taken care of,
oh how truely "Christian" of him. :sarcasm: :puke:

[Dervill Crow]

206. Holy crap . . .

If that pediatrician is a churchgoer, the pastor and elders of his church should give him a stern talking to. That doesn't sound like any flavor of Christian I'm familiar with, but most of the ones I know are NICE. I don't recall anything in the New Testament about tattoos, although I do vaguely recollect that if you are tattooed you can't be buried in a Jewish cemetery.

[DarkTirade]

207. The part of Leviticus that lays out the rules for being a kosher jew

mentions not doing any kind of body modification... also it's against wearing cloth of two different kinds of thread, planting fields with two different kinds of crops, shaving beards and cutting hair, gay sex, and eating shellfish.
Apparently 'christians' only seem to care about two of those things.
I do find it rather ironic that the ones who quote that line about not laying with mankind as thou woulds lay with womankind, or however the line goes, are usually clean-shaven and have short hair.
And the really funny bit is that the word used to describe cutting your hair or shaving your beard is the word 'abomination'... same as is used to describe gay sex.

[Dervill Crow]

211. Ah yes, Leviticus and the rules. Thank you.

The reconstructionist Christians who glom onto certain passages of the Bible are so obviously missing the idea that religion should make the world a better place to live in. If not, why bother?

[DarkTirade]

212. Also, to add to the irony, they're the same ones who insist that you can't just

pick and choose what you like from the bible. :)

[Dervill Crow]

213. Mmm hmmmm. One of the reasons I'm a pagan.

I admit that I pick and choose how to express my spirituality, knowing that if I screw up there is no savior to bail me out from any natural consequences of my actions.

[DarkTirade]

218. I've had a few wiccan friends jokingly refer to their religion as

the Choose-Your-Own-Religion kit. :)

[Dervill Crow]

219. LOL

Works for me, although a "Hard Gard" can be as legalistic as a fundy Christian! :scared: I hang more with eclectics.

I love your avatar. In Portland there is a huge overlap in the Pagan and Pirate communities.

:::Shameless post of pirate pic:::

[DarkTirade]

221. Funny that you mention that...

if all my friends and family weren't all here in Orlando, I probably would have moved to Portland a while back. I have a half sister there who I've only met a few times, but when I visisted her there in Portland I just fell in love with the city. Not only does it strike me as the kind of place where one can SURVIVE without a car (unlike where I am now), but it just seemed like such a nice, open and culturally non-devoid place. And it's not swelteringly hot 90% of the year. Pretty much the opposite of where I am now. :)
And I'm kind of loosely eclectic pagan too. (although if someone described themself as militant eclectic, I'd be a bit worried. :) )

[SoCalDem]

209. Devil's advocate here.

http://www.magicyellow.com/category/Pediatrics/Bakersfield_CA.html

This link lists ALL the pediatricians in Bakersfield. The idiot in the story is NOt the only doctor, so if the child suffered all night, I would wonder about the parenting skills here..

and

what better way to attract publicity to a creep like this, than to deliberately "poke him with a stick" and watch him react.

It's a good thing to "out" a guy like this, but I'm not buying the whole a story here..

[knitter4democracy]

210. They were sent there by their insurance company.

It's in the full article. The insurance company is none too pleased, either. I wonder if his actions violate his contract with the insurance company somehow--there are usually all kinds of small-print provisions not all doctors read.

[GreenPartyVoter]

217. I did wonder why not take the tyke to another doc?

[gulfcoastliberal]

215. That'd be cool id they could get a huge numberof people to picket the office,

They could all wear crucifixes and carry signs asking Who Would Jesus Heal?, videotape the place, etc. Like what they do at abortion clinics- make it next to impossible for patients to run the gauntlet. At the vey least, I'd write to the state department responsible for discrimination.

[GreenPartyVoter]

216. Jesus NEVER meant that when he said, "Suffer the lIttle Children"

[and-justice-for-all]

220. If that Child is left in pain...

..I would sue the doctors ass off.

A doctors civil responsibility comes before their private beliefs (OR AT LEAST SHOULD), the HIPPOCRACTIC OATH does not promote religous beliefs over that of the ill.
"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."

But like with all other things that xtians get their dirty hands on, they twist the words in order to make it fit their delusional mind sets.

http://scienceweek.com/2004/sa040917-6.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/hippocratic-oath

from ANSWERS.com the Oath is rather clear and to the point, the only way to misunderstand it is to not read it at all.

[Dastard Stepchild]

224. Have none of you read the conclusion of the parable that states...

And Jesus said, "Thou shalt not provide succor to those bearing the mark of flash art."

That's only funny to people who know tats. And maybe not even then. I apologize in advance. :eyes:

Actually, this is not a laughing matter. I feel sorry for the family. That seems like a pretty terrible reason to not provide care to a sick individual.