# Atheist dealing with doc who mentions God's intervention every single GD time I visit **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 27, 2015, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765 "2015-09-27T21:09:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![diggerwam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@diggerwam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggerwam)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/1 "2015-09-27T21:09:22Z")
My back went out last week, so I jumped into the brave new (to me) world of Chiropractic medicine. Previously without treatment my back would be out for 4 weeks before it got back to normal. With treatment, it’s already much better (knock on wood). Problem is, my doc, who I’ve been seeing almost every day for my back emergency mentions divine intervention every GD time I’m there. I understand that you have a somewhat exclusive practice, but that does not mean that God’s intervention somehow brought me to your doorstep. You simply have a practice near my office, that’s all. I’m an atheist and this kind of conversation bugs me. I’m getting helpful treatment so I don’t want to call him out, but still. On top of that, he name dropped a couple of his patients who also happen to go to him for treatment. So therefore, if I call him out of this conversation, I’m fearful that Atheist info could get back to co-workers. If he’s willing to name his patients to me, it could happen. I think I should just let it go, hopefully I won’t see him past this week. But on the other hand, I’d sure like to have a teachable moment. Thoughts?? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/2 "2015-09-27T21:15:39Z")
Find a more professional doctor to take your business to? ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/3 "2015-09-27T21:16:24Z")
yeah… if you know mutual people I’d try to avoid addressing it. I’m an Atheist too and it would piss me off too. Particularly for a doctor to do that. Shoe salesman, car mechanic… meh… but doctor… very unprofessional. ---
**Author:** ![iljitsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/77aa72/32.png) [@iljitsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iljitsch)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/4 "2015-09-27T21:39:33Z")
I’d say that if you’re trusting your health to a person who, at least on some level, believes that all that ails you can be fixed by prodding your bones, low-level evangelism is the least of your worries. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/5 "2015-09-27T22:51:11Z")
I am a Christian and I would not want to go to a “doctor” who puts so much of his faith in to his practice. I would not want to go to a doctor who evangelizes to anyone during an appointment. And I would not want to go to a doctor who violates HIPAA by discussing other patients with patients. So, I can imagine it’s worse for an atheist. You need another doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/6 "2015-09-27T23:28:21Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > . . . You need another doctor. Or a real doctor. He’s seeing a chiropractor. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/7 "2015-09-27T23:32:56Z")
In would find another doctor asap. I could get over the preaching every time I visit, but name dropping is a big no-no for me. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Angry\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b38774/32.png) [@The\_Angry\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Angry_Badger)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/8 "2015-09-27T23:40:13Z")
> [@iljitsch](#): > > I’d say that if you’re trusting your health to a person who, at least on some level, believes that all that ails you can be fixed by prodding your bones, low-level evangelism is the least of your worries. While I can accept that chiropractic medicine has a strong element of woo, it can actually be quite effective for back pain, which is what the OP is being treated for. I’ve had it done myself before and normally I steer well clear of ‘alternative’ treatments. As for the OP, I’d say just ignore it. Let him have his little sermons, as long as he’s doing what you want him to it’s fairly harmless (if annoying). Chatting about his other clients, though, is fairly unacceptable. It might be worth mentioning that to him - as he’s not a proper doctor, he may not have realised the significance. Unlikely, but you never know. Maybe leave a yelp review or similar mentioning all this once your treatment is finished? ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/9 "2015-09-28T00:03:25Z")
I’m not understanding how you think Atheist info can get back to coworkers - were the names he dropped those of people you work with? And the people you work with give a shit about your beliefs? I guess I’m not around enough super religious people to think it matters one whit either way. At any rate, if the names he dropped are indeed people you know - if it were me I’d want to know. Forget the religious stuff, tell the people who got name-dropped he’s doing that. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/10 "2015-09-28T00:47:38Z")
New doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/11 "2015-09-28T00:56:43Z")
I think the real teachable moment here, the one that _he_ is likely to learn from, is a lesson in HIPAA. You just _can’t_ talk about other patients unless you have their explicit permission (i.e., you spouse signing a document, etc.). You could point out it’s a HIPAA violation and that you don’t wish to have your medical information shared with others. The witnessing is also extremely tacky. ---
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/12 "2015-09-28T01:01:14Z")
For the record, I’ve had great results from chiropractors when treating my back. They are excellent. The underlying philosophy may or may not be bogus, but the actual method works very well for the different back troubles I have had. I’m trying to come up with a solution for the OP, but can’t really think of any. What got my attention was that the OP seems to think that people knowing he is an atheist would somehow be negative. That’s a bit weird. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/13 "2015-09-28T01:58:57Z")
Being worried about your religious choices being ‘outed’ is a real and a scary thing, Depends very strongly on where you live. I would very much prefer that my townspeople not ever know my personal beliefs (or lack) because it would negatively impact my ability to do my job, and decrease my standing in the community, to the point where I could get demoted. On the OP’s topic tho, I have absolutely no stomach for woo, so my vote is to ditch the chiro and find a qualified massage therapist who does deep muscle therapy. Otherwise, if you wish to stick with a chiro, is there another more practical (ie, less religious) option in town or nearby? The last resort would be to stay with this one, but claim that talking during therapy is messing up your chi and you have found you really need silence for your chakras to energetically align. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/14 "2015-09-28T02:00:38Z")
Either the witnessing or the name-dropping would be a dealbreaker for me, but the name-drooping is a very serious problem. Get a new practitioner ---
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/15 "2015-09-28T02:14:18Z")
> [@Lasciel](#): > > Being worried about your religious choices being ‘outed’ is a real and a scary thing, Depends very strongly on where you live. I would very much prefer that my townspeople not ever know my personal beliefs (or lack) because it would negatively impact my ability to do my job, and decrease my standing in the community, to the point where I could get demoted. And this would be the US…? Nice to know you’ve got SOME things in common with the countries you invade. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/16 "2015-09-28T02:20:18Z")
> [@Stoneburg](#): > > What got my attention was that the OP seems to think that people knowing he is an atheist would somehow be negative. That’s a bit weird. Forgive me if I’m mixing you up with another user, but aren’t you Swedish? If so, in some regions of the US being an atheist is more than a little socially awkward. [Cite.](http://www.gallup.com/poll/155285/atheists-muslims-bias-presidential-candidates.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/17 "2015-09-28T03:09:38Z")
> [@Octarine](#): > > Forgive me if I’m mixing you up with another user, but aren’t you Swedish? If so, in some regions of the US being an atheist is more than a little socially awkward. [Cite.](http://www.gallup.com/poll/155285/atheists-muslims-bias-presidential-candidates.aspx) And here it’s really a bit socially awkward to be religious. Though most people kind of are… I think the national religion of Sweden right now is “I don’t believe in ‘God’ but… I think there’s _something_”. So when someone asks you if there is something Swedes actually believe in, you can say “Yes, that’s exactly it. They believe in _something_”. We just don’t know what it is, we can’t describe it, we don’t like to talk about it and we’re not really committed to it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/18 "2015-09-28T03:23:27Z")
> [@The\_Angry\_Badger](#): > > While I can accept that chiropractic medicine has a strong element of woo, it can actually be quite effective for back pain, which is what the OP is being treated for. I’ve had it done myself before and normally I steer well clear of ‘alternative’ treatments. > > As for the OP, I’d say just ignore it. Let him have his little sermons, as long as he’s doing what you want him to it’s fairly harmless (if annoying). Chatting about his other clients, though, is fairly unacceptable. It might be worth mentioning that to him - as he’s not a proper doctor, he may not have realised the significance. Unlikely, but you never know. > Maybe leave a yelp review or similar mentioning all this once your treatment is finished? I also could not resist making a post along the lines of: “If chiropractic medicine is working …then that in itself is proof of a God.” ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/19 "2015-09-28T04:13:11Z")
> [@Stoneburg](#): > > I’m trying to come up with a solution for the OP, but can’t really think of any. What got my attention was that the OP seems to think that people knowing he is an atheist would somehow be negative. That’s a bit weird. Jesus is a white, English-speaking American; the ultimate white American, in fact. So if you don’t believe in Jesus, you don’t believe in 'Murika (fuck, yeah!). And that’s the blackest sin there is. Seriously. That’s not as much a parody as you might think, in some parts of the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![diggerwam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@diggerwam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggerwam)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765/20 "2015-09-28T10:51:53Z")
> [@Stoneburg](#): > > I’m trying to come up with a solution for the OP, but can’t really think of any. What got my attention was that the OP seems to think that people knowing he is an atheist would somehow be negative. That’s a bit weird. My Chiro works on numerous people at my company, even name dropped the big owner boss lady. The company is a good company, but leans quite to the right. I’m not “out” at work due to an abundance of caution. I don’t think I’d be fired or anything, but I could imagine being black balled. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-dealing-with-doc-who-mentions-gods-intervention-every-single-gd-time-i-visit/732765.md?page=2)