# I'm an atheist: would you have me as your doctor?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 8, 2006, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823 "2006-06-08T00:39:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/61 "2006-06-08T16:34:58Z")
> [@Martha](#):
>
> Probably closer to the reality of the US than of the two countries the docs in my examples came from. The religious belief is present, the litigious culture isn’t. But still, I take your point.
>
> Agreed. Although I have heard people say in all seriousness that they would not want a gay dentist. :rolleyes:
This calls for an amendment to my prior response.
As much as I would love for it to not matter in the slightest, I do feel more comfortable with a male, preferably gay doctor. Dentist I don’t care, but my doctor I’m more likely to have to discuss sensitive things or disrobe in front of them and a gay male doctor would just make me feel better.
---
### Author:  [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/62 "2006-06-08T18:01:13Z")
As a nurse, I am puzzled by this thread. What does the religion or lack of it of your doctor have to do with anything at all?
I have worked with all religions (I truly think I have–I’m sure I’ve missed one or two of the more obscure, but seriously, after 20 years of nursing, I’ve seen most types of religion and spirituality from docs/other staff members and pts).
what makes a good practitioner, either doctor or nurse, is the ability to meet the pt where he or she is. IOW, you treat others’ beliefs with respect. I see no need for in your face witnessing, on anyone’s part. Times of illness are traumatic enough; there is no need for a lesson in the silliness of believing or the evil of not believing.
I cannot figure out just what the OP has in mind? Why would the topic ever come up? It never did with my Jewish OB, my Hindu one(she may have been Muslim, not sure) or my WASP one (3 OBs, three different pregnancies–gotta love our health insurance system).
As an adult, acute care nurse, I have been asked exactly once what my belief structure was–by a (no surprise here) a fundamentalist christian. I nicely told them that it was really none of their concern. If they had pressed me, I would have given them the option of having another care provider for the length of my shift. They didn’t press and didn’t bring it up again.
Why can’t you do that?
I also don’t get the whole, if you don’t have a religion, you must be amoral idea floating around here. How is that figured?
😕
---
### Author:  [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/63 "2006-06-08T18:23:12Z")
I have let religion sway my choice of doctor, so I can’t say that religion shouldn’t be an issue without being hypocritical.
I changed from a Doctor who had Scientology diplomas on his practice’s walls. I couldn’t imagine someone who is a Scientologist being of accute enough mind to be a skilled doctor. Any ‘normal’ religion or lack there of wouldn’t be a problem to me. I’m pretty sure my psychiatrist is off in woo-woo land with her religious/spiritual beleifs, but even that doesn’t worry me as she is not involved in prescribing drugs or doing medical procedures, though I might not trust her to be objective and scientific if she were an MD.
---
### Author:  [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/64 "2006-06-08T18:52:43Z")
> [@Cunctator](#):
>
> I’m a Catholic and I have always made sure that my doctor is a Catholic too. That’s not generally hard because I’ll know the doctor through contact from the local parish or through recommendations from other Catholics. If I don’t know about a new doctor’s religious beliefs then I have no problem with asking that question of the new doctor. I prefer to have a doctor who practises medicine in conformity with Catholic teaching.
>
> So, in reply to the OP - no, I’d take my business elsewhere.
I’m just puzzled by this - what is “medicine in conformity with Catholic teaching”? I don’t think there’s any risk your doctor would give you a surprise abortion, and it’s not like Catholics have some rule against donating blood like JWs do.
> [@Antinor01](#):
>
> but my doctor I’m more likely to have to discuss sensitive things or disrobe in front of them and a gay male doctor would just make me feel better.
Okay, I don’t get this one either . . .
Anyway, atheist here, and I don’t care one way or the other about my doctor’s religious beliefs, though some of the bizarre thought processes offered up by certain Christians in the thread are giving me pause . . .
> [@handsomeharry](#):
>
> 1. Any doctor is deciding life/death/eternal matters while he is treating me. If my doctor sees me as being eternally expendable because he doesn’t believe in an eternity, \*I \* will be the one that reaps the results of \*his \* convictions.
That’s not only illogical, it’s deeply insulting. It makes more sense to think that a Christian doctor would be liable to say, “As long as you’re headed for eternity, what does it matter if you’re given substandard care?”
> [@](#):
>
> If he has a friend/fellow disbeliever/relative that would benefit from my kidneys or heart, and doesn’t believe in a divine retribution for cutting my gizzard out in favor of one of his loved ones at my expense, I believe that I would be ill served.
Where’s that gaping in astonishment smiley?
You belong to some church that forbids organ transplants? Do you think you’re going to need your spleen in heaven or something?
Are you actually not aware that someone has to consent for you to donate your organs? It’s up to your next of kin, so if your religion has some rule about needing all your parts to ascend to the great beyond, it’s a matter of letting your family know - your doctor can’t do it without your family’s approval.
> [@](#):
>
> 1. A fellow Christian could agree in prayer for me, cf. Matthew 18:20 (I’m away from my Bible, but I think the reference is correct …“If any two on earth agree…it shall be done of my Father in Heaven…”)
> hh
What does that even mean? And why do you need your doctor to play clergy for you? Don’t you have, like, family and a church or something?
> [@roger thornhill](#):
>
> Well, as a Bible thumping believer myself, I’d be a bit concerned inasmuch that the constraint on malpractice, slipping me a dodgy pill or two, etc. that a fear of making one’s maker would be likely to have on a fellow Bible-thumper, would have absolutely zero effect on a heathen like you.
😕 You think the only thing preventing your doctor from killing you is religion? Um, is the only thing stopping _you_ from killing people your religion? What, you’d be out there mowing people down left and right if it weren’t for the coming Judgment Day?
> [@](#):
>
> However, on reflection, and having sought forgiveness for my judgemental attitude,
I should hope you’ve done that . . .
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#):
>
> I changed from a Doctor who had Scientology diplomas on his practice’s walls. I couldn’t imagine someone who is a Scientologist being of accute enough mind to be a skilled doctor. Any ‘normal’ religion or lack there of wouldn’t be a problem to me. I’m pretty sure my psychiatrist is off in woo-woo land with her religious/spiritual beleifs, but even that doesn’t worry me as she is not involved in prescribing drugs or doing medical procedures, though I might not trust her to be objective and scientific if she were an MD.
This I can understand. I’m on drugs for my ADD, which basically means a scientologist’s beliefs would directly countermand their giving me proper medical treatment. Likewise, I wouldn’t want a Christian Scientist doctor, on account of their not believing in medicine. There’s not many religions that actually forbid normal medical practices, but if I found out my doctor adhered to one, I’d probably change my choice. Again, it comes down to competence at medicine. I simply cannot believe that someone who doesn’t believe in medicine can be competent - but any other sort of belief is completely immaterial to me. I can’t imagine knowing a doctor’s religion.
---
### Author:  [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/65 "2006-06-08T19:42:39Z")
I wouldn’t want to go to a doctor who was a Scientologist, because of their beliefs about psychiatry and medications for psychiatric problems, or anyone who had similar beliefs.
I wouldn’t want to go to a doctor who was a devout Christian of the sort that thinks contraception is wrong and wouldn’t be willing to prescribe it for me. I’d be fine with someone who was a member of one of those churches but was still willing to prescribe birth control, though.
I wouldn’t want to go to a doctor who had any religious beliefs that made him or her feel some sort of obligation to try and convert me, just because I try to avoid those people on general principle.
Other than that, I don’t much care about my doctor’s religious beliefs. If my doctor wanted to pray for me in whatever way s/he does, that’s fine. If not, that’s fine, too.
---
### Author:  [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/66 "2006-06-08T19:43:23Z")
> [@Excalibre](#):
>
> I’m just puzzled by this - what is “medicine in conformity with Catholic teaching”? I don’t think there’s any risk your doctor would give you a surprise abortion, and it’s not like Catholics have some rule against donating blood like JWs do.
Many Catholics do not like to go to doctors who perform abortions at all. Also, there are other issues, especially with how infertility is treated and end-of-life issues…it is easier to have a doctor in these circumstances who knows where you are coming from in your personal philosophy, so they can approach your care accordingly.
---
### Author:  [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/67 "2006-06-08T19:47:59Z")
> [@Sarahfeena](#):
>
> Many Catholics do not like to go to doctors who perform abortions at all. Also, there are other issues, especially with how infertility is treated and end-of-life issues…it is easier to have a doctor in these circumstances who knows where you are coming from in your personal philosophy, so they can approach your care accordingly.
But doesn’t that kind of thing still vary a lot from Catholic to Catholic? I’m just imagining that there’s still probably issues you’d have to hammer out (and, really, everyone who’s at risk of dying needs to discuss end-of-life needs with their doctor.) I’m not questioning it, I’m just puzzled by it. And given that most Catholics in the U.S. (if studies I’ve heard are accurate) don’t share the Church’s beliefs on birth control, it just sorta strikes me that any Catholic might find their personal beliefs at variance with those of their doctor.
---
### Author:  [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/68 "2006-06-08T19:57:55Z")
> [@Sarahfeena](#):
>
> Many Catholics do not like to go to doctors who perform abortions at all. Also, there are other issues, especially with how infertility is treated and end-of-life issues… **it is easier to have a doctor in these circumstances who knows where you are coming from in your personal philosophy, so they can approach your care accordingly**.
I guess I’m a bit confused. All the doctors I’ve ever worked with have always taken their patients’ personal preferences into consideration WRT their treatment, especially when dealing with terminal patients. Their religious beliefs (or lack thereof) don’t come into play. Where have you come across physicians that won’t treat patients to the best of their ability because they disagree with their religion?
---
### Author:  [@lupine73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lupine73)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/69 "2006-06-08T20:05:38Z")
> [@choosybeggar](#):
>
> A question I’d like feedback on, before ever “coming out” as an atheist.
Are you professional? Do you know what you’re doing? Are you fully schooled and have the apporpriate documents to show for it? Do you have a list of malpractice suits a mile long? Assuming the answers to those are Yes, Yes, Yes, No… I don’t care what religion you subscribe to, or not… or what god(s) you believe in, or not.
That’s none of my concern.
---
### Author:  [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/70 "2006-06-08T20:06:59Z")
> [@antinor01](#):
>
> This calls for an amendment to my prior response.
> As much as I would love for it to not matter in the slightest, I do feel more comfortable with a male, preferably gay doctor. Dentist I don’t care, but my doctor I’m more likely to have to discuss sensitive things or disrobe in front of them and a gay male doctor would just make me feel better.
> [@Excalibre](#):
>
> Okay, I don’t get this one either . . .
It’s not like it would be a deal breaker or anything, but I would feel more comfortable if the need to discuss my sex life comes up, or the need to be examined in a state of undress etc to have first off, a male doctor, secondly it helps if they’re gay. A lot of doctors still take a very negative view of gays (I don’t have the figures in front of me right now, but it’s higher than I thought it would be)
It would be a more comfortable situation for me, a gay male, to also have a gay male doctor. Again it’s a preference for me but not a dealbreaker and not the first thing I would consider.
---
### Author:  [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/71 "2006-06-08T20:26:36Z")
> [@Antinor01](#):
>
> It’s not like it would be a deal breaker or anything, but I would feel more comfortable if the need to discuss my sex life comes up, or the need to be examined in a state of undress etc to have first off, a male doctor, secondly it helps if they’re gay. A lot of doctors still take a very negative view of gays (I don’t have the figures in front of me right now, but it’s higher than I thought it would be)
Wow, if I ever had a doctor have a problem with me for being gay, I’d make an incredible scene. I simply can’t imagine that happening; I expect that whole non-judgmental deal, so it would seriously come as a shock if a doctor actually judged that (besides, I tend to think that doctors have probably seen it all anyway). It’s never even occurred to me to be concerned about that; I’m way more nervous about admitting that I smoke - they’re not required to be nonjudgmental about _that_!
As for being more comfortable being undressed around another gay man, that just seems really strange to me. I’m perfectly comfortable with my female doctor - prefer the situation, actually, as it just takes any sexual overtones out of it away completely - in fact, I think the ideal would be a lesbian. I would be much less comfortable with a male doctor, and particularly a gay one, because I’d rather the situation seem completely desexualized. It’s bad enough I have to be naked around him; I’d rather that the naked remain completely clinical. (I suppose it might be different if I had a medical fetish . . . :))
How do you find a gay doctor anyway? Do you ask? “Hey, doc, so, um, which team d’you play for?”
---
### Author:  [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/72 "2006-06-08T20:31:46Z")
> [@Excalibre](#):
>
> How do you find a gay doctor anyway? Do you ask? “Hey, doc, so, um, which team d’you play for?”
I work for a health care company. Our companies pride organization maintains a list of gay and gay-friendly doctors in our system. 🙂
I understand your outlook on it and it does make sense, but just not for me.
---
### Author:  [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/73 "2006-06-08T20:33:04Z")
> [@Maureen](#):
>
> I guess I’m a bit confused. All the doctors I’ve ever worked with have always taken their patients’ personal preferences into consideration WRT their treatment, especially when dealing with terminal patients. Their religious beliefs (or lack thereof) don’t come into play. Where have you come across physicians that won’t treat patients to the best of their ability because they disagree with their religion?
There are doctors who will refuse to prescribe contraceptives or the morning-after pill because those conflict with their religious beliefs. I wouldn’t assume my doctor was one of those if I knew s/he was Catholic, though.
> [@Excalibre](#):
>
> I’m perfectly comfortable with my female doctor - prefer the situation, actually, as it just takes any sexual overtones out of it away completely - in fact, I think the ideal would be a lesbian.
Straight female here, and I’d much rather my doctor were either asexual, a straight woman, or a gay man, so there would be no sexual overtones. Because of my social anxiety, going to the doctor is already a harrowing experience for me- I really don’t need the possibility that the doctor finds me attractive on top of that… :eek:
---
### Author:  [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/74 "2006-06-08T21:07:24Z")
> [@Anne Neville](#):
>
> There are doctors who will refuse to prescribe contraceptives or the morning-after pill because those conflict with their religious beliefs. I wouldn’t assume my doctor was one of those if I knew s/he was Catholic, though.
The mind boggles. Forum rules forbid me from expressing myself further.
---
### Author:  [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/75 "2006-06-08T21:33:56Z")
> [@Excalibre](#):
>
> But doesn’t that kind of thing still vary a lot from Catholic to Catholic? I’m just imagining that there’s still probably issues you’d have to hammer out (and, really, everyone who’s at risk of dying needs to discuss end-of-life needs with their doctor.) I’m not questioning it, I’m just puzzled by it. And given that most Catholics in the U.S. (if studies I’ve heard are accurate) don’t share the Church’s beliefs on birth control, it just sorta strikes me that any Catholic might find their personal beliefs at variance with those of their doctor.
Oh, yes, it completely varies from Catholic to Catholic. I would absolutely not assume that a doctor follows Catholic teaching in his or her practice, unless they told me explicitly that they do, even if I saw them at mass every single week.
I think for most people, the main one is abortion…I certainly would have no problem with a doctor who provides birth control to people (whether or not I choose to use it myself), but a doctor who performs abortions would give me pause for sure.
---
### Author:  [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/76 "2006-06-08T21:35:50Z")
Do you believe that a doctor who performs abortion would have less regard for _your_ life?
---
### Author:  [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/77 "2006-06-08T21:43:48Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#):
>
> I have let religion sway my choice of doctor, so I can’t say that religion shouldn’t be an issue without being hypocritical.
> I changed from a Doctor who had Scientology diplomas on his practice’s walls. I couldn’t imagine someone who is a Scientologist being of accute enough mind to be a skilled doctor. Any ‘normal’ religion or lack there of wouldn’t be a problem to me. I’m pretty sure my psychiatrist is off in woo-woo land with her religious/spiritual beleifs, but even that doesn’t worry me as she is not involved in prescribing drugs or doing medical procedures, though I might not trust her to be objective and scientific if she were an MD.
**Bippy** , I have to amend my earlier statement. I’d be out of the office of a Doctor with an affiliation to Scientology, let alone one who bragged about it on his “I Love Me” wall, so fast I’d leave a vacuum.
Part of it is that I’m on anti-depressants, and don’t want to consider what a doctor with those beliefs would want to sentence me to. And part of it is that my view of Scientology is that it’s not what I’d call a religion but a scam. And a badly written one, too.
I’d also like to speak up to the points raised by **handsomeharry** and others about the percieved morality of athiests vice religious persons. I don’t get why an athiest would be less trustworthy than, say, some brands of Calvinists - who believe that being of the Elect means that no matter what one does in life, one will be saved. That’s the sort of person I’d worry about trying to steal my organs. Not an athiest.
---
### Author:  [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/78 "2006-06-08T21:46:58Z")
> [@Maureen](#):
>
> I guess I’m a bit confused. All the doctors I’ve ever worked with have always taken their patients’ personal preferences into consideration WRT their treatment, especially when dealing with terminal patients. Their religious beliefs (or lack thereof) don’t come into play. Where have you come across physicians that won’t treat patients to the best of their ability because they disagree with their religion?
Please don’t misunderstand me…I personally have a wonderful doctor who is from a completely different religious tradition, and he has always treated my beliefs with complete respect. I am just saying that I think some people just feel more comfortable with someone who is coming from the same place as them philosophically. As I said in my previous post, I wouldn’t necessarily ASSUME that a Catholic doctor will follow all Catholic teachings. On the other hand, if I said to a doctor, “I am Catholic, and I want all the care and medical advice you give me to follow Catholic teaching.” I would know that if they were Catholic, they would most likely know exactly what I meant, without me having to explain it in depth.
Also, I should add that the teachings of the Church on medical issues are part of a general philosophy about the value of life. Catholics who feel strongly about these issues (such as birth control or IVF) treat them the same as abortion…morally unacceptable. So, there are many people who would only go to a doctor who is not only Catholic, but a serious Catholic who practices medicine only according to these principles.
---
### Author:  [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/79 "2006-06-08T21:47:14Z")
> [@Maureen](#):
>
> Do you believe that a doctor who performs abortion would have less regard for _your_ life?
**Maureen** , I wouldn’t worry about that, myself. (I know I’m not the one you were posing the question to, but I’d like to offer one potential view.) But by choosing one’s doctor on the basis of whether or not s/he performs abortions does seem a legitimate means of trying to affect the market, with one’s own health care monies. I don’t do it, myself, but I can see why some people might.
---
### Author:  [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2006, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823/80 "2006-06-08T21:48:29Z")
> [@Maureen](#):
>
> Do you believe that a doctor who performs abortion would have less regard for _your_ life?
Not at all…it has nothing to do with how the doctor would treat me, personally. It’s more a matter of not wanting to financially support someone who does for a living something I find morally unacceptable.
[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823.md?page=3)
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-atheist-would-you-have-me-as-your-doctor/359823.md?page=5)