Religion versus Medicine

[mick_hale]

This is a bit of a burning issue for me. I tend to take this very personally, especially within Judaism, since within Judaism, it should be crystal clear that the health, well-being, quality of life, and life of the patient takes precedence over any kind of halachic consideration whatsoever, with the exception of Murder, Adultery, and Idolatry (

Comments

[galads_forest]

Any GOOD Rav will defer to a doctor's opinion anyhow. If they don't, they're not a GOOD Rav. Don't feel like ranting about bad Rabbis though.

[crystalyne]

Well, no, sometimes the doctors don't have the woman's/patient's best interest in mind but their own in order to prove they did "everything in their power" to not get sued. In that case you have to use your own judgement. I've actually found that frustrating cause I've had rabbis try to tell me to listen to to docs in a case where something really wasn't necessary and could have been harmful.

[vcfilks]

But at the end of the day, it's me, the nurse, that saves your sorry, ungrateful ass so that you can continue worshipping your "rabbi".

Fixed it for you.

[mick_hale]

Okay, you win.

[yaffa]

I love you. You are absolutely correct, in my humble opinion, in what you say. I wish you didn't say it with so much anger, but I am grateful that at least you recognize that, above all, your duty is to the patient, even if they choose to proceeds in ways you disagree with.

Also, I wouldn't be true to myself if I didn't point this out: While your experience may defer I am familiar.. The 'defer' here should be 'differ,', no?

[mick_hale]

The editor in you succeeded where I completely failed to understand what that phrase was doing in that sentence. I just ignored the first part entirely.

[momanddadtaub]

A competent Rabbi will defer to the doctors, or at least should. Women have died from not having hysterctomies when needed, often from severe bloodloss.

[zevabe]

As a rabbinical student (and a contrarian) I will say 2 things in response:

1) Pikuach nefesh is absolutely very important. But not everything a medical professional advises is pikuach nefesh. I'll give an extreme example: The day before a fast I go to the doctor with a cold. He says "drink fluids and get plenty of rest." The next day, I ask the rabbi: "my doctor said I need fluids, so I shouldn't fast, right?" The rabbi's correct response to this should depend on the halakhic importance of the fast. The doctor's advice is unlikely to be different in Tishrei instead of Tevet. The rabbi's advice likely will.

2) On issues where families differ, and there is no RIGHT answer medically, it seems perfectly logical to consult a rabbi if their opinion is important to you. For example, should I or should I not enter hospice? Sign a DNR/DNI? Have an abortion? etc.