Religion

rug

(82,333 posts) Thu Apr 21, 2016, 07:37 AM Apr 2016

For Tenn. Gov. Weighing Therapist Religious Objection Bill, It's All About Values

April 21, 20166:02 AM ET
Heard on Morning Edition
STEVE INSKEEP

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam says he is deciding whether to sign legislation that would allow therapists to refuse service based on religious objections.

In an interview with NPR's Morning Edition, he said he is "talking to a lot of folks to get some input" on the bill and that he had boiled his thinking down to this central question: whether therapists could truly leave their values out of their work.

On one hand, he points out that the American Counseling Association "says you should always counsel from a valueless position. In other words, you don't put your own values into the conversation; you're there to help."

But, he added, "I personally wonder ... regardless of whether you're a religious person or not, everybody comes into every conversation with a particular worldview and things that you believe are right or wrong. The question is can you counsel from a totally non-value-based position?"

http://www.npr.org/2016/04/21/475026247/for-tenn-gov-weighing-therapist-religious-objection-bill-its-all-about-values

4 replies

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For Tenn. Gov. Weighing Therapist Religious Objection Bill, It's All About Values (Original Post) rug Apr 2016 OP

I wonder how big a problem this is in Tenn edhopper Apr 2016 #1

My hunch is it's a stalking horse. rug Apr 2016 #3

could be edhopper Apr 2016 #4

Double-edged sword: atheists can refuse. .. Brettongarcia Apr 2016 #2

edhopper

(33,580 posts)

1. I wonder how big a problem this is in Tenn

Reply to rug (Original post)

Thu Apr 21, 2016, 08:22 AM

Apr 2016

my guess it's a few therapist attached to religious institutions behind it.

rug

(82,333 posts)

3. My hunch is it's a stalking horse.

Reply to edhopper (Reply #1)

Thu Apr 21, 2016, 08:56 PM

Apr 2016

edhopper

(33,580 posts)

4. could be

Reply to rug (Reply #3)

Thu Apr 21, 2016, 09:28 PM

Apr 2016

my meaning was that if any therapist were pushing this, it would be only a few reactionary religious types. The majority of therapist, religious or not, shouldn't support this.

Brettongarcia

(2,262 posts)

2. Double-edged sword: atheists can refuse. ..

Reply to rug (Original post)

Thu Apr 21, 2016, 11:03 AM

Apr 2016

... to help believers, perhaps.

Most of these bills are Christian, and don't notice this side. Probably this bill doesn't. But consider these interesting consequences.

If you are a fireman, and a church is burning, perhaps you could refuse to put it out. On religious grounds.

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