Editor:
The divisions between church and state are ever more cloudy … and now, our medical care has its own church versus medical ethics? (“Every Sperm is Sacred,” April 5.)
We did allow St. Joseph’s to take over our General Hospital … and have been reaping the “benefits” ever since. Jobs have been lost, and people are now turned away for operations which are seen by the “holier than thou” as sins? Anyone else disturbed by this? Yes, it is somewhat gender biased, as are many of the issues on the docket today. And being of the gender generally taken “hostage” I object … best way I can … with my feet.
Isn’t there a billionaire out there secretly longing to buy out St. Joe’s?
Ginni Hassrick, Bayside
This article appears in Flash Fiction 2012.
I feel ya on this one – what a shame that the largest and most capable hospital in our area is run by folks who don’t always have our best interest in mind. Really sucks. Ruins people’s lives. But..how many billionaires are there who generally have better ethics than the Catholic church? I mean the Catholic ethical standards are not much to meet…but billionaires tend not to be the most ethical people around….
Ginni – it should come as no suprise that medical care has it’s own church vs state medical ethics. In the last few decades there has been a huge shift in the thinking of what is a medical necessity or even morally permisible. If your beliefs happen to be consistent with the beliefs before this shift, you will find yourself opposed to current medical ethics. Sterilization, abortion, contraception, and euthanasia are the ONLY areas of “medicine” that specialize in the ENDING of life.
Also, why would someone objecting to sterilzations be “holier than thou?” why can’t it just be having consistency and integrity with your faith viewpoint? And just because a religious organization runs a hospital doesn’t mean that its not allowed to fire people.
Our great nation allows a separation of Church and State. Which gives EACH the freedom to act in sometimes contradictory ways. This is a Church hospital, it gets to choose to be consistent with the morality of it’s faith. Just like a non-religious hospital gets to do things that a Church hospital would not do.
That’s called freedom.
Alicia – I’m glad that you see at least something of worth in the Catholic Church’s ethics. I wish that we were doing a better job showing you how robust and beautiful our ethics really are.
How many billionaires do you know? How many of them are unethical? I know lots of rich people, my job is to advise them on their investments. There are 2 kinds of rich, those with lots of money and those with high incomes. Those with lots of money I have found to have the best character out of any one I meet. They are honest and trust worthy. They manage their affairs with respect and pay fair prices for what they find adds value to their situation. They listen to good advise and follow it, and they trust their principles over “current trends”.
Those who have high incomes who are rich, are “rich” because they spend lots of money. They are the jerks, and the cheats. I assure all most all billionaires are of the first group and 90% of millionaires as well. I hope because someone has brought enough value to be compensated by millions or billions of dollars, doesnt warrant a branding of unethical.
Lastly it’s easy to cry foul play when a religious organization fights for their beliefs, but the catholic church is the same religious organization that fights and protects religious freedom around the world, and political persecution from over zealous governments. Catholic relief services provides more aide to impoverished, or nations suffering from a natural disaster then the next 3 largests relief organizations including the red cross. Catholics also assist in the placement of hundreds of thousands adopted children,and care for millions of elderly sick and dying. Catholics around the world also pray daily for people who attack the church, mock her beliefs, and scandalize her members. At the heart of the church is humility, and that humility is why millions of catholic sisters and brothers commit there lives to prayer in solitude instead of preaching from street corners. Millions more preach through service. Millions more preach trough living their vocations in their families as fathers and mothers. I hope that all my sins, joys, hard work, and sufferings can bless you all with the peace and joy of christs love for you in your heart. Gob bless you.