*UPDATE: please see change of phone number
Dr. Paul Church is a 65-year-old husband and father who has been a Boston urologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) for thirty-five years. He has spent over half of his life treating patients and conducting research on prostate and bladder cancer. When he is not in the office or laboratory, Dr. Church volunteers his time giving essential healthcare to the poor in Mexico. Most recently he spent time in Liberia, the African country at the center of last year’s deadly Ebola virus outbreak.
Next Wednesday, July 29, BIDMC is considering revoking Dr. Church’s ability to practice medicine at the hospital in retaliation for merely speaking about the medical health risks of homosexuality and voicing his religious and moral beliefs. In contrast, BIDMC staff were allowed to aggressively proselytize for employee participation at the Boston “gay pride” parade.
Doctors shouldn’t be punished for speaking up about unsafe sexual practices, especially when their professional judgment and medical duty require it.
Christian doctors have the same right as everyone else to reference their beliefs in conversations about human sexuality – online or face-to-face – without fear of reprisal by their hospital.
The hospital had no problem allowing members of its staff the use of BIDMC internal email to encourage attendance at “gay pride” events on behalf of BIDMC. By doing this, these staffers imposed their own uninvited moral beliefs on others, including Dr. Church. They cannot now claim “harassment” when a physician merely tells them that his religious beliefs and professional judgment require he oppose their request. Nor can they label Bible verses posted in response to a pro-pride-parade intranet blog announcement as “hate speech.”
Dr. Church should not be fired. BIDMC needs to hear from supporters of Dr. Church. Please Contact the president of BIDMC right away. Politely tell him this is an unacceptable way for a hospital to act. Dr. Church must be reinstated to his position!
Kevin Tabb, MD
President and CEO, BIDMC
Phone: 617-667-4607 — *UPDATED PHONE: 617-667-2805
Fax: 617-667-3626
ktabb@bidmc.harvard.edu
Also, please sign this petition if you believe ideology should not trump medical accuracy, religious freedom and free speech. The petition will be presented to BIDMC.