Your Body is a Temple

Oh boy, oh boy. Please check out this article from the Washington Post about faith-based clinics. (Click on above title for link.) Their premise is that they do not provide birth control pills or devices, abortions, or fertility treatments since these practices are contrary to their beliefs. So, women who frequent this clinic are taught natural fertility management--which I have absolutely nothing against (I even own a book on it)-- in order to control the size of their families. (Wonder what happens to infertile couples? Guess they just have to adopt. Or is that against god's will, too?)

Sure, these doctors have joined together with the sole purpose of creating a place where women with the same beliefs as theirs will be comfortable and they attempt to make their principles clear. But what about all the other women who seek birth control and are refused? They are not even referred to an outside doctor because that would be encouraging methods that the Christian docs don't support. Yikes! How can the patient's needs be refused by a doctor? By separating themselves from mainstream medicine, are such doctors contributing to the shortage of medical professionals? I suppose they only treat married women, too. Talk about closing one's eyes to reality.

These doctors and their church supporters claim that women going to non-member gynecologists find themselves ridiculed for not wanting to use prescription birth control. I find that hard to swallow. A choice is a choice. My doctor respects my choice to use the method that matches my desires and values, and only feels obligated to discuss statistical data and reported side effects. The final choice remains mine.

Whew, I'm all in a tizzy. I think what irks me most is that such practices are based on religion. One more way we divide ourselves and place only some of us on that higher moral pedestal.