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A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in God?

Atheists, would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in God?


  • Total voters
    44
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

I ask because I see the argument that believers in God are just not that smart, capable or well educated and may even be delusional or mentally ill. Do you trust a doctors that are believers?

Answers are "yes", "no", and "only if there isn't an atheist alternative"

Working on the poll.

So the real question you're asking is whether or not atheists think people who believe in god are dumb or mentally ill. You're skipping that (presuming it) and therefore your point is invalid. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt and assuming that you do indeed have a point to make. Anyway, false premise.

As one atheist, I don't presume to know anything about an individual who believes in god. I disagree with them on the issue, but so what? I also think the movie Juno sucks, but I wouldn't refuse to see a doctor who thinks it's the greatest movie of the 21st century. Juno is just a terrible movie. Believing in god is illogical. But so what? On both matters -- if it makes you happy, I'm happy for you. See you on the operating table.
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

I ask because I see the argument that believers in God are just not that smart, capable or well educated and may even be delusional or mentally ill. Do you trust a doctors that are believers?

Answers are "yes", "no", and "only if there isn't an atheist alternative"

Working on the poll.

Sorry bud, you did not nailed it this time. The religious are everywhere! Who could afford to reject treatment when in desperate biological need to be healed and evade death because the doctors are religious?
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

X Factor, there are several reasons that some, myself included, see this as something of a bait thread.

  1. It is not a position of hardly any atheist that belief in God makes you stupid. Much more prevalent is that belief in God is not a rational belief, which is completely different.
  2. At best, belief in god would be the least important factor of a doctor's skill.
  3. How would any one know? Do you really think atheists go around asking every one their religious beliefs?

How is this thread any more of a bait thread then, say, this?

http://www.debatepolitics.com/philo...dence-christians-really-american-taliban.html

I did not make up the things in my OP. I have actually seen statements, from atheists, to the effect of believers just not being as smart or even mentally ill (and apparently the Taliban now too). I could have asked a number of different questions, but I like the "real world" hypothetical because is tests how far a belief or opinion goes.

Like I say, it's no different than the poll I started about pot smoking doctors. I feel strongly enough that pot could affect a doc's judgment that I would not go to one that used it.

Besides, how often have I been told that simpy asking Christians questions or challenging our beliefs is not the same an attack?
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

How is this thread any more of a bait thread then, say, this?

http://www.debatepolitics.com/philo...dence-christians-really-american-taliban.html

I did not make up the things in my OP. I have actually seen statements, from atheists, to the effect of believers just not being as smart or even mentally ill. I could have asked a number of different questions, but I like the "real world" hypothetical because is tests how far a belief or opinion goes.

Like I say, it's no different than the poll I started about pot smoking doctors. I feel strongly enough that pot could affect a doc's judgment that I would not go to one that used it.

Besides, how often have I been told that simpy asking Christians questions or challanging our beliefs is not the same an attack?

Where did I say it was more of a bait thread than the one you linked? Do you really want to use the "but others do it too" excuse?
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

I ask because I see the argument that believers in God are just not that smart, capable or well educated and may even be delusional or mentally ill. Do you trust a doctors that are believers?

Answers are "yes", "no", and "only if there isn't an atheist alternative"

Working on the poll.

Well, I don't think believers are mentally ill or stupid so I don't think I can vote in your poll. First off, I don't ask my doctors what gods they believe in, if any. That's none of my business and frankly completely irrelevant. So, as long as their beliefs don't interfere with the treatment I need, we're good.
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

In Islamic instructions , eating food that come from atheists or people who worship statues is taboo . Muslims can eat food if the source is from Christian and Jewish communities . What you wrote is the same idea that Islam created
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

I would have no way of knowing. Atheists do not generally advertise their good sense, especially in a professional setting.
If a doctor treating me made any reference to anything dogmatic, miracles, praying, blessing, appeals to invisible supernatural beings etc. etc. I would immediately seek alternative medical services elsewhere.
I prefer a doctor who puts his faith in his own abilities.
 
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Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

I would have no way of knowing.

Nor caring? There are greater priorities at stake such as one's health! Who could afford to pick doctors over religious issues at such times?
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

Nor caring? There are greater priorities at stake such as one's health! Who could afford to pick doctors over religious issues at such times?

Knowing and caring at two different things. Any overt religious expressions by any MD. would be a deal breaker for me. There are lots of qualified doctors. There is no need to put up with stupid superstition in something as important as medical care.
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

Knowing and caring at two different things. Any overt religious expressions by any MD. would be a deal breaker for me. There are lots of qualified doctors. There is no need to put up with stupid superstition in something as important as medical care.

I know they are different things. But I do not think our assumptions meet. You assume that it is an illness that can wait while you switch to other doctors of which there may be plenty. This I agree that the doctor should put faith in non religious but scientific methodologically supported meant to conduct the treatment.

However I was assuming that we were speaking of a serious urgent illness, trauma, etc. In such cases what is one's religious orientation should not be a concern prior to the treatment.
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

I'm a religious atheist. I don't care whether a doc believes in god provided they also believe in the scientific method.
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

I ask because I see the argument that believers in God are just not that smart, capable or well educated and may even be delusional or mentally ill. Do you trust a doctors that are believers?

Answers are "yes", "no", and "only if there isn't an atheist alternative"

Working on the poll.

Seems like quite the dumb question actually. Less the doctor is only going to pray, there's no reason to avoid an MD merely because they are theist.
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

Any religious convictions that would make a doctor worse at their job is likely to have prevented that person from becoming a doctor in the first place, so I can't imagine how it would be an issue. I've never asked a doctor about their religious notions and wouldn't. It's not really relevant. Now, if a doctor insisted that we stop and pray before treating me, I'd probably seek out a different doctor.



It's not that being an atheist makes you smarter. It's that being smarter tends to make you an atheist.

Being smarter makes you an athiest? Wow, that's pretty closed minded don't you think?
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

Wouldn't the fact that they're just not as smart and maybe even mentally ill make them worse at their job?

Why would you make the assumption that someone that believes in religion is more or less smart as a doctor? Let alone mentally ill.

I'm as athiest as they come, but the questions I would be asking a doctor prior to a life threatening surgery would have nothing to do with religion.
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

Given the entirety of the posts and the result of the poll, something tells me that X Factor's troll thread has misfired big time.
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

Given the entirety of the posts and the result of the poll, something tells me that X Factor's troll thread has misfired big time.

I'm not attacking you just because I ask questions. :2razz: I'm actually liking the poll results as well as most of the responses. I'll admit that based on some of the stuff I've seen posted about how believers just aren't that smart (or worse), it seemed like that was the majority opinion. I'm glad to see that it does not appear to be.
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in God?

Yes.

But there's no way I'd hire a religious plumber.

:roll:
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

I would have no way of knowing. Atheists do not generally advertise their good sense, especially in a professional setting.
If a doctor treating me made any reference to anything dogmatic, miracles, praying, blessing, appeals to invisible supernatural beings etc. etc. I would immediately seek alternative medical services elsewhere.
I prefer a doctor who puts his faith in his own abilities.

Knowing and caring at two different things. Any overt religious expressions by any MD. would be a deal breaker for me. There are lots of qualified doctors. There is no need to put up with stupid superstition in something as important as medical care.

I appreciate your honest responses.
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

I'm not attacking you just because I ask questions. :2razz: I'm actually liking the poll results as well as most of the responses. I'll admit that based on some of the stuff I've seen posted about how believers just aren't that smart (or worse), it seemed like that was the majority opinion. I'm glad to see that it does not appear to be.

Well, given that not one single person appears to hold that opinion suggests you may have been peddling a straw man argument. I'd put some Burn-eze on those fingertips before they blister.
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

Well, given that not one single person appears to hold that opinion suggests you may have been peddling a straw man argument. I'd put some Burn-eze on those fingertips before they blister.

Not one? Might want to look again. Do you not read what other atheists write?
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

I ask because I see the argument that believers in God are just not that smart, capable or well educated and may even be delusional or mentally ill. Do you trust a doctors that are believers?

Answers are "yes", "no", and "only if there isn't an atheist alternative"

Working on the poll.
Sure! It's the same answer as trusting a doctor who uses pot as a recreational drug. It's his medical knowledge and opinion that matters and as long as he keeps it at home I don't care.


A doctor who's a Creationist, though? :shock:
I'm not sure I could trust a doctor who denies so much biology.
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

Why would someone's religious beliefs have anything to do with seeing them in a professional setting?

They don't ask me my beliefs, I don't ask them theirs. I also don't care about their race, creed, color, age, gender or sexual preferences.

The only thing that matters is their ability to address my problem, and I do check their records.
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

A doctor who's a Creationist, though? :shock:
I'm not sure I could trust a doctor who denies so much biology.

As I said above, I'm pretty sure such a person wouldn't make it through med school.
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

My health > The Religion of the Doctor treating me
 
Re: A Question for Atheists. Would you get treatment from a doctor who believes in Go

Also, does anyone find it slightly eerie how Doctors refer to their work as their "practice"?
 
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