Dr. Paul Church said his hospital privileges were revoked at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center because he disagreed with the center's promotion of gay pride events and overall LGBT lifestyles, which he believes is unhealthy and dangerous regarding the spreading of diseases. Church, 66, worked at the hospital for 28 years as a urologist. The hospital's 25-member medical executive committee voted to expel him last month, after a decade of email debates about whether his concerns were a form of discrimination.
"They (the hospital) chose a social agenda that they wanted to promote," Church told Fox News. He compared a hospital holding a gay pride event in the same institution organizing an event to promote cigarette smoking.
Church said most of the contention started with one email in 2004, which he said was about the center's 16th annual LGBT Achievement Award ceremony invitation. He said he and others "voiced concerns" about the center's communications regarding Gay Pride Week, too. He said he asked the hospital staff to quit sending him such emails, but the contacts continued.
Some hospital staff members were reportedly offended by Church's remarks, some of which cited Bible verses, and an investigation into Church was conducted.
He maintains he was wrongfully removed from the staff because his performance and relationship with patients were never an issue. He acknowledged sending provocative emails to hospital officials, which he said were aimed at fostering dialogue but were met with hostility.
Church is a Cornell University graduate and Harvard Medical School professor. Beth Israel Deaconess, a major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, is a fully integrated medical center providing adult services from cardiology to obstetrics, gastrointestinal disorders to cancer care.
Church told the Church Militant he shared with the center the "evidence is irrefutable that behaviors common within the homosexual community are unhealthy and high risk for a host of serious medical consequences, including STDs, HIV and AIDS, anal cancer, hepatitis, parasitic intestinal infections, and psychiatric disorders." He stated it "is altogether inappropriate for BIDMC to endorse, affirm or encourage the behaviors 'celebrated' by Gay Pride Week."
The doctor said he asked the hospital to "put [their] mission as a health care institution ahead of misguided zeal for political correctness and inclusiveness."
Church said it then was insinuated from the hospital that he was discriminatory.
"I think there is a motion to silence points of view that are not onboard with the homosexual agenda, making it almost illegal to have another point of view, which is anti-American," Church told The Daily Caller.
The hospital shared in a statement to Fox News that Church's behavior was "inconsistent with BIDMC's established standards of professional conduct."
Church said he believes medical institutions must treat all patients, but should not actively promote LGBT values.
Richard Mast, Church's lawyer at the Liberty Council, said Church is out of options for getting his job back with Beth Israel, but the ruling does not prevent him from practicing medicine. Church is still affiliated with two other hospitals. He said if there is additional "collateral damage" he intends to fight back.
Church emphasized his long career and "compassionate" and "respectful care" of dozens of patients who self-identify as members of the LGBT community. He said at least one of his gay patients wrote a letter on his behalf during the investigation.
"I approach every patient with the same kind of care and dignity," he said.
