Politics, Religion, Science, Supreme Court

Separation Of Church And Hospital

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

Savita Halappanavar, a 31-year old dentist, had the bad fortune to have her pregnancy go wrong in Ireland, referred to, by hospital officials, as a “Catholic country.” Savita was 17 weeks pregnant when, on October 21, she arrived at University Hospital Galway complaining of back pain. She was found to be miscarrying.

Savita was in severe pain for three days in the hospital and requested a termination. Savita and her husband were led to believe that the law would not allow a termination until there was no fetal heartbeat. Savita died of septicemia a week after entering the hospital.

Women in El Salvador and Mexico have been jailed for both abortions and “suspicious” miscarriages. Nicaragua has implemented a total ban on abortion.

In the United States, approximately 20% of hospital beds are at religiously-affiliated hospitals. A study of doctors at religiously-affiliated hospitals, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, found that 86% would encourage patients to seek the recommended intervention at a hospital that permits the intervention. Only 4% would risk their hospital privileges and provide the prohibited treatment.

For many patients, going to another hospital may not be a viable option.

In Doe v. Bolton (1973) a 7-2 Supreme Court held that:

The interposition of a hospital committee on abortion, a procedure not applicable as a matter of state criminal law to other surgical situations, is unduly restrictive of the patient’s rights, which are already safeguarded by her personal physician.

The interposition of a religious committee on abortion would likewise be unduly restrictive.

Health care procedures should be governed by the best science-based medical knowledge available. We need a wall of separation between church and hospital.

H/T: LGM, AAFP, Irish Times, Jodi Jacobson, Dr. Jen Gunter, Peter Lipson, ACLU, Pharyngula.

43 thoughts on “Separation Of Church And Hospital”

  1. Savita inquest: Jury returns verdict of medical misadventure

    THE JURY AT the inquest into the death of Savita Halappanavar has returned a unanimous verdict of medical misadventure.

    After two hours and 45 minutes of deliberation, it also accepted the coroner’s nine recommendations, with the foreman stating it “strongly endorses” each and every one after much consideration.

  6. According to the Catholic Church the only life worth saving is that of a fetus that hasn’t been born yet. Women are expendable. In Catholic teaching by some of the Fathers of the Church women are the source or the gates of hell. With a philosophy like that in your history what can you expect from men whose life seems dedicated to control not service or than helping the poor .
    A Catholic Hospital in this country would be just as likely to do the same and pay any malpractice award with our tax dollars.

    1. The gates of the city of God will be the gates of hell to those not being like Jesus is not teaching the truth. God is in that city being hell to the wicked outside of that city. Revelation 20 KJV says fire. The wicked see Gods light as fire that will be the end of them consuming them.

  8. The law makes people fearing to go against it. That is reason enough to not have it so people can think for themselves taking each situation as it comes.

  10. Phuck family values! One can live and have a life without a family. Except on deserted islands, the chance may come.

    But human values are needed by all. Even this poor woman who they, in the name of their Dog, killed deliberately and coldly and heartlessly.

    JC, cry on your cross for those you tried to save.
    Failed again.

    (Thanks to shano for the reminder)

  11. Abortion kills?
    Abortion would have saved this womans life so she could live and possibly have another baby in the future with her husband. Now the husband is alone without his wife.

    Which of those 2 outcomes mirror ‘family values’?

  13. Please do….. Oh wise and knowing Dredd …. What did Bill Clinton have to say about “is”…….

  14. Oh wise and knowing dredd…..

    I now know more about that than I ever wanted to know about that…….

    Reference is to ” Religions that have no class I might add”…,, in reference to Elaine’s posting…..

    Why don’t we do the Johnny Carson monologues next….. I see an envelope being placed near the pineal glad….. What does it reveal……

    1. Religious people wanted Jesus dead being jealous of him because people were beginning to follow him. Penal code only knows how to piss on people. Both are without Christ in it.

  16. Anonymously Yours 1, November 18, 2012 at 1:13 pm

    Dredd,

    Could you expand upon that…. Por fa vor….
    =====================================
    Not sure what you are in reference to, however, if it is that then here is this:

    that   [that; unstressed thuht] adverb; conjunction pronoun

    1. (used to indicate a person, thing, idea, state, event, time, remark, etc., as pointed out or present, mentioned before, supposed to be understood, or by way of emphasis): That is her mother. After that we saw each other.

    2. (used to indicate one of two or more persons, things, etc., already mentioned, referring to the one more remote in place, time, or thought; opposed to this ): This is my sister and that’s my cousin.

    3. (used to indicate one of two or more persons, things, etc., already mentioned, implying a contrast or contradistinction; opposed to this ): This suit fits better than that.

    4. (used as the subject or object of a relative clause, especially one defining or restricting the antecedent, sometimes replaceable by who, whom, or which ): the horse that he bought.

    5. (used as the object of a preposition, with the preposition standing at the end of a relative clause): the farm that I spoke of.

    adjective
    7. (used to indicate a person, place, thing, or degree as indicated, mentioned before, present, or as well-known or characteristic): That woman is her mother. Those little mannerisms of hers make me sick.

    8. (used to indicate the more remote in time, place, or thought of two persons, things, etc., already mentioned; opposed to this ): This room is his and that one is mine.

    9. (used to imply mere contradistinction; opposed to this ): not this house, but that one.

    adverb
    10. (used with adjectives and adverbs of quantity or extent) to the extent or degree indicated: that much; The fish was that big.

    11. to a great extent or degree; very: It’s not that important.

    12. Dialect. (used to modify an adjective or another adverb) to such an extent: He was that weak he could hardly stand.

    conjunction
    13. (used to introduce a subordinate clause as the subject or object of the principal verb or as the necessary complement to a statement made, or a clause expressing cause or reason, purpose or aim, result or consequence, etc.): I’m sure that you’ll like it. That he will come is certain. Hold it up so that everyone can see it.

    14. (used elliptically to introduce an exclamation expressing desire, a wish, surprise, indignation, or other strong feeling): Oh, that I had never been born!

    Idioms
    15. at that,

    a. in spite of something; nevertheless: Although perhaps too elaborate, it seemed like a good plan at that.

    b. in addition; besides: It was a long wait, and an exasperating one at that.

    16. that is, (by way of explanation, clarification, or an example); more accurately: I read the book, that is, I read most of it. Also, that is to say.

    17. that’s that, Informal . there is no more to be said or done; that is finished: I’m not going, and that’s that!

    18. that way, Informal . in love or very fond of (usually followed by about or for ): The star and the director are that way. I’m that way about coffee.

    19. with that, following that; thereupon: With that, he turned on his heel and fled.

    Origin: before 900; Middle English; Old English thæt (pronoun, adj., adv. and conjunction), orig., neuter of se the; cognate with Dutch dat, German das ( s ), Old Norse that, Greek tó, Sanskrit tad

    (Dictionary). I could also go into Bill Clinton’s dissertation on “is” …

    It is no wonder that one 4 letter word takes a book to fathom, because the English rebellion makes that language not all that it is cracked up to be.

  18. Elaine M. 1, November 18, 2012 at 12:49 pm

    rafflaw,

    Women are considered to be second-class citizens by many religions.
    =================================
    Religions that have no class I might add.

  20. “Beverelliee
    1, November 18, 2012 at 10:57 am
    Abortion itself is murder. Or have we forgotten that?”
    ==============

    Technically so is taking a blood sample. In fact more cells than are killed by a day-after pill,

    And the circa 25 percent natural miscarriages which terminate pregnancies. Is God to blame, Did he kill
    the “baby”? And why did he do that?

    Womankind like men are given the power, together, to reproduce. ´But it is the mother who bears the life burden. Nature gave her also a brain. Did it mean that the brain wss not to be used to see to that birth occurs when desired, and not as a slave to the biological monthly calender.

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