Should religious medical practitioners leave their faith at the surgery door?

[sp1814]

If you went to your GP complaining of pains in your lower abdomen, and he or she suggested the best course of treatment was to dance naked around a yew treat whilst dousing your stomach with the tears of an unwed virgin (witch doctor style), you may question his professional judgement.

Should Christian GPs be allowed togiven free reign to practice their beliefs ina professional capacity?

Devil's advocate - if you knowingly go to a Christian medical practice, why complain if you are given faith-based advice?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...england-kent-18445924

[sp1814]

Of course - that should be 'yew tree'.

Heaven knows what a 'yew treat' is - probably involves quite a lot of sap..

[FredPuli43]

We do that dance in this village. The next one is due when England win the World Cup. Happily, our yew tree will live for 2,000 years.

[Answerprancer]

Yes they should. Then again, I would consider herbal/alternative/shamanic medicine if the conventional sort wasn't working so yew trees and dowsing would be a welcome option. I would avoid christianity though.

[FredPuli43]

Depends what faith-based advice is. A doctor who said "If you don't find Jesus. you'll never be cured" would not be doing his duty as a medical practitioner. He should know that his treating of a patient is not to be conditional upon their having any faith, or none.But if his patient is a committed Christian, like him, and he feels that prayer will have some psychological benefit in calming or encouraging the patient,always a beneficial state of mind, of course he may recommend it alongside treating the patient conventionally.

[alidoc]

A true doctor should be above religion. If someone believes that prayer or some other rite will help them who am I to argue, unless I think it is medically harmful. My bugbear is those who at the end of successful medical intervention put success down to prayer alone.

[mushroom25]

is this the subject of Madonna's next album (yew trees, virgins, witch doctors) - or, maybe you meant to ask this in "news"......

:-D