Not again?
Yep. Another religious nut is refusing to provide required public services because of religious beliefs.
This time it’s a California medical physician who refuses to treat patients with tattoos or body piercings—or who chew gum.
Gary Merrill M.D. of Bakersfield says his Christian faith inspired him to enforce certain standards in his pediatric practice.
Dr. Merrill, of course, is licensed by the state and must provide treatment without religious discrimination.
The patient’s mother, by the way, had the tattoos. The unmarked child, suffering from an ear infection, had to wait a day before getting prescriptive medication through another health provider.
And guess what. The California Medical Assn. says its members have the right to refuse treatment to anyone not suffering from life-threatening illnesses or injuries.
So much for the Hippocratic oath requiring ethical practices in medicine. (11 MARCH 2007)