Just try to imagine yourself in this situation. You have a family member who is about to go into surgery. You and other family members are in a waiting room and in walks the surgeon who’s going to be performing the operation. You’re probably thinking that he’s come in to give you some information or say something reassuring, but that’s not why he’s there. He’s come in to get you and your family to pray with him and ask Jesus to guide his hands as he cuts into your loved one.
From: Active Duty Military Member’s Spouse’s E-Mail Address withheld
Subject: Forced To Pray Incident With Surgical Procedure
Date: February 25, 2018 at 9:38:37 AM MST
To: <————@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>
Military Religious Freedom Foundation and Mikey Weinstein,
My name is (withheld) and I want to thank you for helping my family through a very difficult matter connected with my husband’s surgery in a large military hospital.
Please do not release our names or any other facts that can identify us as we still fear we can be hurt from this hospital and my husband’s command.
My husband is a (military rank withheld) in the U.S. (military branch withheld). He has seen much combat.
Recently it was decided that he needed an operation to fix a serious medical problem due to his prior combat deployments. Surgery was schedule on (day and month withheld) of 2018. The procedure was to take about 3 to 4 hours and there was some potential risks given how serious it all was.
My children and my sister were at the (name of military medical facility) at (name of military installation and state/country withheld) waiting for the operation to begin. When all of a sudden the surgeon who is also a (officer’s rank withheld) came into the waiting room area located in the (name of hospital ward withheld) on the (number withheld) floor. He said these exact words to us which we remember very well: “Kneel with me now and all join hands. We pray to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to guide and bless my hands for the (name of medical procedure withheld) to bring health to (name and rank of active duty patient withheld).” He then left quickly and never even looked in our eyes.
I was just so shocked and did not know what to say or do? We all did kneel and joined hands as he had ordered. Because we felt we had no choice but to obey. He was about to cut on my husband. What choice did we have?
We are a Christian family and attend a (Protestant denomination withheld) church off base. My sister who was with us is married to a Jewish man. She and I both felt violated and horrified. Our kids are young and did not understand what had just happened. But we did. We felt sick.
As the operation went on I asked to speak to the surgeon’s supervisor. I was very upset and crying at this point. After an hour or so the supervisor came out and I told him what happened. My sister stayed with the kids in the waiting area. The supervisor seemed nice at first but then told me that what the surgeon had done was "well within his First Amendment rights for speech and religion" and could not therefore be stopped. I gave this person a piece of my mind. I told him that my husband had deployed into combat (number withheld) times and had been wounded and decorated to protect the Constitution. I told him that I felt ashamed and embarrassed. And insulted by the forced prayer we were made to participate in. He said there was nothing to be done and left.
I was aware of the MRFF due to (name and rank of another active duty service member) who had received help from them a few years ago. I found the website online with my phone and called Mikey Weinstein. To my surprise he answered his own phone. He was so nice. I was still crying and scared. He said he would take care of this. He promised.
I went back to the waiting area with my sister and my kids. My sister was scared and so was I about what had happened. I mean after all the person we are complaining about has his scalpels and his hands in my husband’s body right this moment.
Less than an hour later another higher ranking officer with the hospital came in to see us and apologized for what the surgeon had made us do. He said he had gotten a call from Mr. Weinstein and that after the operation was done this surgeon would no longer be involved with any medical services for my husband. I asked if this surgeon would be punished? I asked about the surgeon’s supervisor who refused to help us? I was worried they might be doing this forced prayer behavior to others. The higher ranking officer said that he could not discuss any disciplinary matters with me. But he assured me that this surgeon would not be allowed to ever do these things again to other patients and their families. I just wonder how widespread all of this is?
My husband made it through the procedure and is doing well. We have new doctors now. They are helpful and nice. My sister and I decided not to tell my husband about all this until he recuperated some from the operation. We just told him (number withheld) days ago. He is very mad at the surgeon and his immediate supervisor and is proud that we fought back even during the operation.
I want to thank the MRFF and Mr. Weinstein for standing up for us. And for helping us so fast!
If there is any more fallout from this we will call first for more help to MRFF right away. We will always be thankful for what you did when nobody else could help. Or would help. We will never forget this.
Please don’t use our names. Dealing with what happened is about all we can handle in our lives right now.
(name, phone number and address of Active Duty Military Member’s Spouse withheld)