Protecting patients from proselytizing employees and volunteers
My letter to Confluence Health:
After a Christian zealot x-ray tech hassled me about his religion during two x-rays sessions at Confluence Health, I have been thinking. I hope this generates discussion among managers. Three points:
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The number of atheists increased from 3% to 21% in America during the past 20 years. Millennials are the most non-religious generation ever. They are your future.
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Confluence Health needs to protect patients from proselytizing volunteers and employees.
During chemotherapy at Confluence Health, my friend Amy had to hide her face under a blanket, pretending she was asleep. Because she was alone, she was targeted by Christian volunteers. They tried to "pray away her cancer."
Amy moved to Spokane where she has four sisters. She continued chemotherapy in Spokane with one of her sisters sitting with her for protection from religious zealots.
- To non-religious people, religion is like a penis. It is okay to have one. Don't take it out, wave it around, talk about it or shove it down people's throats.
Thank you.
Kathleen Miller, MPA
19
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6 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I don't have the patience or the class for all this . I admire both of yours thou .
I am 48 and I have learned to do buisness very fast and w as less talking as possible . I will had tell that x ray tech to either shut the f up , either be ready to meet the devil it's self . Here , take a pic of my foot and we r good . That's all is required of u . Keep moving Claudious . 
Pralina1
Level 9
June 24, 2019
3
Yup you are correct
.
Good letter. In the past I have simply ignored doctors when they invited me to their church. Having read that letter, I shall be more vocal about it in the future. A medical clinic is not a place for preaching. It makes the patients uneasy, and it may have a negative effect on their health.
BestWithoutGods
Level 8
June 24, 2019
1
Oh, yes!
My mother has Parkinson's, and had a difficult time a few years ago with medication problems, withdrawals, anxiety, etc. A home nurse was sent out, and he asked about her anxiety. I told her she sometimes worried about death, etc (she was given an addictive anti-anxiety med and we and to wean off of it, which made the anxiety worse).
He suggested she read a book about Jesus from 100 years ago, which he said was one of the best books about Jesus ever. I was silent. And a bit shocked. You could see from looking at her that she was having withdrawals, and anxiety (from withdrawals). She's elderly. Her attention was not staying on one thing for more than half a second. Reading a Jesus book was not going to do anything for her. (I later found out he was a Mormon. I can't remember the book he was referencing, but it wasn't the Book of Mormon.)
In any case, there were several medical terms I knew as a nonexpert that he said he had never heard of. I also noticed he seemed to take my dad more seriously in everything he said than what my mother said. (My dad has PTSD from Vietnam and is manic depressive, with memory issues due to the PTSD. He rarely knows which way is up, and it is obvious to anyone with moderate judgment.) I assumed that was deference to the "man of the house" or whatever, but it was really annoying when mom's well being was at stake.
greyeyed123
Level 7
June 24, 2019
1
I would definitely complain to whoever is supposed to supervise these people. They are there to do a job, and interjecting their relgion is an abuse of their trust/position as service providers. If the company doesn’t address the abuse, I’d then report them to the insurers who use them and whatever entity licences their work. Christians like to think they have a monopoly on morality, but then act unethically, as in this case.
The-Krzyz
Level 8
June 24, 2019
4
@The-Krrzyz
I did speak to the managers.
@LiterateHiker Did they handle it to your satisfaction? (It occurred to me after I posted my comment that we live in a time when businesses also might adopt a religious posture, and pushing their beliefs can be a part of their corporate “identity.” Hope this isn’t the case here.)
No. Two managers acted like they could not look up who gave me x-rays on my medical chart. Confluence Health has multiple x-ray areas.
The x-ray manager said she will supervise my x-ray session today. She never showed up.
@LiterateHiker I am sorry to hear that! Once again, these are times in which it seems The Jerks are emboldened with their self-righteous, bigoted shenanigans. When confronted by proselytizers, I usually start politely, but will let them know in no uncertain terms that I am not at all interested. I know it’s often easier for guys to do, however. Sadly.
@LiterateHiker You may want to send an email to Freedom From Religion Foundation and/or the Satanic Temple and tell them your story. I would also write the ACLU.
FYI, the Satanic Temple doesn't worship Satan. They are advocates for the strictest separation between church and state.
I would also place a review on their facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/confluencehealth/), and/or write corporate. Just the thought of having adverse publicity a lot of times will get them to step down.
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