Next FOT: Boston doctor fired for discussing health risks of homosexual behavior

This March a well-respected urologist, Dr. Paul Church was fired from the medical staff of Beth Isreal Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston because he voiced concerns to his colleagues and hospital staff about the unhealthy nature of homosexual behavior and objected to the hospital’s aggressive promotion of “gay pride” activities. 

Supporters of Dr. Church protect his firing

Dr. Church has been a urologist on the BIDMC staff for nearly 30 years. He is a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty and has done research on diagnosing prostate and bladder cancer, and has been a frequent volunteer for medical mission projects in Mexico and Africa. He has also spoken before educational and civic groups on the subject of high-risk sexual behaviors.

Through emails to hospital officials and later posting on the hospital’s Intranet system, Dr. Church cited irrefutable medical evidence that high-risk sexual practices common to the LGBT community lead to (among other things) a higher incidence of HIV/AIDS, STD's, hepatitis, parasitic infections, anal cancers, and psychiatric disorders.

 

Promoting such behavior, he said, is contrary to the higher mission of the healthcare facility to protect the public welfare and encourage healthy lifestyles.  Dr. Church also reminded the administration that its staff and employees represent a diversity of moral and religious views, and many believe that homosexuality is unnatural and immoral. 

The hospital did not at any time dispute the truth of his medical statements, nor did they address his other concerns.  They did not claim that Dr. Church ever discussed this with patients, or treated patients any differently if they were involved with these behaviors. You might remember a few weeks ago, the author of Making Gay Okay, Robert Reilly, raised the same questions on that week’s broadcast.  

Dr. Church’s appeal of his dismissal is now under consideration but he and his attorneys are under a court-ordered gag order to keep them from talking publically about the case. However, Dr. Church is being supported by a citizens’ organization, MassResistance, a pro-family activist organization that educates people to help them confront the attacks o n the traditional family, children, religion, and society. Sean Ryan, director of communications for MassResistance will join Deacon Mike Manno and Gina Noll this Tuesday on Faith On Trial to discuss this matter and its repercussions. 

 

In addition, our media critic, Todd Erzen, will make his monthly appearance to discuss how the media is covering these issues. 

Join Deacon Mike and Gina Tuesday morning at 9 (CDT) on Iowa Catholic Radio, 1150 AM; 88.5 & 94.5 FM and streaming on IowaCatholicRadio.com. The program will be re-broadcast at 9 p.m. 

Faith On Trial is underwritten by Attorney Rick McConville, 2100 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, 515-453-1055; Confluence Brewing, 1235 Thomas Beck Road, Des Moines; and Wealth Management Advisor Rob denHartog, 128^th & Hickman, 515-210-4472.

Thomas More Society files lawsuit over denial of pro-life school club

Jocelyn Floyd

This week on FOT Jocelyn Floyd, associate counsel of the Thomas More Society will join us for a discussion of the filed a lawsuit against West Career and Technical Academy (WCTA) and Clark County School District, Las Vegas, NV on behalf of student Angelique Clark. The lawsuit claims that school administrators have violated Angelique’s free speech rights by denying her application to form a pro-life club at the school.

Angelique Clark submitted her application to start her Pro-Life Club at West Career and Technical Academy in December 2014. After months of no response from the school administration, she was finally told in February 2015 that Assistant Principal Allen Yee had denied the club. Angelique met with Mr. Yee and was given a variety of reasons why the club could not be approved, including that abortion was “controversial,” that a pro-life club would make pro-choice people feel left out, and that there were others “more qualified” to speak on the issue than a high school sophomore.

Join Deacon Mike Manno and Co-host Gina Noll for a discussion of this and other legal issues, including a story from Seattle where 1,300 teen girls as young as 13 got contraceptive counseling at school without parental consent.

Faith On Trial airs every Tuesday at 9 (a.m. Live) and 9 (p.m. rebroadcast) on Iowa Catholic Radio, 1150 AM; 88.5 & 94.5 FM and streaming on IowaCatholicRadio.com. All times are Central.

The Odegaards tell their story this week on FOT

Dick and Betty Odgaard

Most folks in the Central Iowa area – as well as many around the nation – know who Betty and Richard Odgaard are; the Menonite owners of Gӧrtz Haus Gallery in Grimes, Iowa, who declined to allow their facility to be used for a same-sex wedding ceremony.  As a result, a complaint was filed with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and in the face of increasing legal fees they settled the case and were then forced to close their business.

This, of course, was not unprecedented. Bakers, florists, photographers across the nation have been fined and forced to close their businesses, not because they refuse to serve homosexual clients, but because they refuse to take part in a ceremony that celebrates sodomy.

This week on FOT, the Odgaards will tell their story to Deacon Mike Manno and Gina Noll: what happened to them and what they are doing now to continue to oppose the unnatural pairing of men with men and women with women.

Join Deacon Mike and Gina this and every Tuesday at 9 a.m. (rebroadcast at 9 p.m.) on Iowa Catholic Radio 1150 AM; 88.5 & 94.5 FM and streaming on IowaCatholicRadio.com.

Faith On Trial is underwritten by Attorney Rick McConville of Coppola, Carroll, Hockenberg & Scalise PC, 2100 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, 515-453-1055; Confluence BrewingCompany, off the bike trail just south of Grey’s Lake, 1235 Thomas Beck Road, Des Moines, where there is live entertainment in the taproom every Thursday; and Financial Planner Rob denHartog, Wealth management Advisor at Northwestern Mutual Live, the northwest corner of 128^th and Hickman Road, 515-210-4472.