Hulk Smash

OMG, my therapist JUST brought that article up not even an hour ago!

I really can't get over the patronizing tone. Really.

Paul said of Peter, ‘I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong (Gal. 2:11).’

I've got the Frontline doc on early Christianity on tape, and one of the Biblical scholars that they have as talking heads in it (who happens to be the hottest guy in the show--a very good looking African American divinity school professor with a yummy voice) mentions this passage, and says how Paul is saying how "'I went to Jerusalem, confronted Peter, I got into his face and told him what was what!' Thing is, he doesn't say that he got Peter to change his opinion, so what's left unsaid is that he most likely did go to Jerusalem and have words with Peter, but didn't win the battle."

If you get a chance to see this doc ("From Jesus to Christ"), I highly recommend it--the four hours cover the historical Jesus, Paul and the pre-Gospel "Jesus movement," the writing of the Gospels and the Jewish revolts happening at about the same time, and then the next 200 years up to Constantine's conversion.

patronizing tone.

I, personally, didn't hear that tone, but I can see how it would read like that.

I hated the "What if your children died in a fire" question, it makes children sound so...replacable and unimportant as individuals.

Plus, if the woman's husband had come asking for a vascetomy would he have acted the same way and asked the same questions?

Is it as hard for men to get vascetomies as it is for women to get a tubal ligation?

I would rather a doctor really lay it on the line what I could be facing, the consequences of what it is I want done, and bring up possible changes in my life. Now, I'd be pissed if, after I was informed of all of that and still wanted it done, he refused, but I can't fault a doctor for A) giving me all the information I need, even if I don't want it or B) having an internal struggle with it.

All the important information like what if your kids die in a fire and you need to replace them? What if your current relationship falls apart and the new man needs his own sprog?

No, I can't go there. This isn't "this is a big decision, so you should be sure you've considered the alternatives," this comes off way more as "little girl, let me explain your foolishness."

Also, where he mentions that "regret rates" are twice as high among younger women - funny how he leaves out that it's in the neighborhood of 4 v. 2 percent.

Early twenties on her third child? Sounds like birthcontrol and she are unmixy things. He doesn't mention this as a very good reason to want a tubal ligation.

I don't want a doctor who is going to try to " talk me into" anything. From a doctor, I want the facts, options, variable and leave the damned decision to me. If I regret it? It's my own damned fault.

That's only one thing that bugs me, there are more. But I'm rather inarticulate.

edit: points at what they said.

The title of the article, "Beyond Medicine, a Doctor’s Urge to Save a Patient From Herself" doesn't help, either.

It would seem to me that the decision to avoid more children so that one can give the best care to the children one already has is pretty freakin' sound and responsible.