You know you live in the south when. . .

[Pegasus]

highly trained medical specialists bring up evolution at your initial visit and make their personal beliefs be known. 

 

This actually happened to me twice in the last year. Unprompted by me, I promise you.

[teachermom2834]

I had that happen at a pediatrician's office shortly after I moved south. Also, when the majority of reading material in the waiting room is Christian.

 

Doesn't bother me but still strikes me funny not having grown up here.

[Clemsondana]

Wow - I've lived most of my life in the south and never had that happen. There is often Christian material in the waiting room, but I assume that's either a 'know the perspective that your dr is coming from' or 'the dr knows what the patients will enjoy', both of which are fine. I've never had a provider bring up religious practice at all unless it comes up in conversation (saying I or my kids ring in a bell choir). It's common for all sorts of people to bring up church in the context of activities - I went on a mission trip, We had a big family dinner after church on Mother's Day, etc - but I've never had one ask or share specific beliefs before.

[Xahm]

And that's why I didn't go with my childhood ped for my kids.

[Guest]

Years ago, DS had an eye injury and had to see a specialist. There were Bible quotes all over the office. Fine. Then, young DS makes a comment about how a dinosaur could see. The doctor went on and on about "God made eyes and they are all the same". We got in the car and DS says "but what about flies??"

[alisoncooks]

Interesting.  I grew up/still live in the south and have never seen anything like that.  Maybe I'm not South enough... (NC).

 

 

[MommyLiberty5013]

I lived in VA for 6 years and never had that happen.

[umsami]

Wow, are you sure you're not wearing your "I love Darwin" shirt? ;)

 

I've lived in the South for most of my adult life (near 30 years), i've never had the evolution thing brought up to me by a medical professional.  Having the doctor's office play the local Christian music station non-stop?  Yup, pretty regular (but it avoids questionable song lyrics, too).  Children's Bibles and Christian reading material? Absolutely normal....but you'll also find "Highlights", "People", etc.   Lots of "bless you", "I'm blessed", PTL, "Thank Jesus", etc. too.  

 

I will say that the TV is almost always on HGTV or Fox.  It has switched to more HGTV in my experience.  I always leave feeling I need to redecorate.

 

Tea is always sweet.  If you go to any sort of function, pretty much assume that sweet tea will be the beverage offering.  When I say "shrimp", you say "grits."  Meat and three is a well balanced meal (three veggies/sides).  

 

 

Edited August 17, 2017 by umsami

[Valley Girl]

Add me to the "have never run into that" crowd. How...odd.

[DawnM]

Huh.  I had a Christian doctor in Southern California who had her Christian magazines in the waiting room.  I don't think it is specific to a region.

[Ravin]

I for one, if the doctor's beliefs ranged to not believing in natural selection, would promptly get up and walk out because he (or she but I suspect more likely would hear this from a he) is unlikely to have the sense not to over-prescribe antibiotics.

[Katy]

Other than occasionally seeing Gideon bibles and random tracts from JW's in waiting rooms I can't say I ever noticed that in the South either.

[regentrude]

I for one, if the doctor's beliefs ranged to not believing in natural selection, would promptly get up and walk out because he (or she but I suspect more likely would hear this from a he) is unlikely to have the sense not to over-prescribe antibiotics.

 

From what I read on these boards, some of these people actually accept evolution when it comes to things like bacteria or breeding life stock/crops and call it "microevolution". They just draw an aribtrary line at dinosaurs and humans.

 

Still, it would make me seriously reconsider this doctor, too, because I would be wondering at what other instances he will put his religious beliefs over scientific findings.

Edited August 16, 2017 by regentrude

[regentrude]

Years ago, DS had an eye injury and had to see a specialist. There were Bible quotes all over the office. Fine. Then, young DS makes a comment about how a dinosaur could see. The doctor went on and on about "God made eyes and they are all the same". We got in the car and DS says "but what about flies??"

 

Oh my. And from an eye specialist? Yikes.

Edited August 16, 2017 by regentrude

[MSNative]

Wow, are you sure you're not wearing your "I love Darwin" shirt? ;)

 

I've lived in the South for most of my adult life (near 30 years), i've never had the evolution thing brought up to me by a medical professional.  Having the doctor's office play the local Christian music station non-stop?  Yup, pretty regular (but it avoids questionable sound lyrics, too).  Children's Bibles and Christian reading material? Absolutely normal....but you'll also find "Highlights", "People", etc.   Lots of "bless you", "I'm blessed", PTL, "Thank Jesus", etc. too.  

 

I will say that the TV is almost always on HGTV or Fox.  It has switched to more HGTV in my experience.  I always leave feeling I need to redecorate.

 

Tea is always sweet.  If you go to any sort of function, pretty much assume that sweet tea will be the beverage offering.  When I say "shrimp", you say "grits."  Meat and three is a well balanced meal (three veggies/sides).  

 

When I say "shrimp" you say "grits!"   :lol:  :lol:  :lol:   You made my whole morning Umsami!!!

 

Ive lived all over the Deep South and have never experienced this.  Ive seen biblical childrens books in pediatricians offices in the Midwest too so I dont think that's regional.

 

Now I have had the pediatrician let me know that if I didnt plan on vaccinating my kids I needed to find a new dr.

[creekland]

Can't say I've ever heard a doctor talk about evolution (small talk or otherwise) anywhere I've been.  I did have one offer to pray about my health issue though (after the appt was finished).  Being a Christian, I was ok with that, even pleased TBH, but I'll admit to wondering what a non-Christian would have thought.  The doctor didn't just "start" praying or even insist upon it.  He offered and I accepted.

 

Christian reading material is usually in doctor or dentist offices alongside sports, news, or whatever else. Same with where I get my hair cut.  Considering the majority of the US still identifies Christian (even if they aren't very involved), this has never surprised me.

[JIN MOUSA]

That's kind of crazy about the doctors.

 

Moving away from the south several years ago, here's my addition:

 

You know you're in the south when every restaurant has Dr. Pepper. 

 

eta: This one might actually be more Texan than Southern, but it's certainly not midwestern ...

Edited August 16, 2017 by JIN MOUSA

[HollyDay]

Wow!  Lived in the south my whole life....various parts of the south, but south none the less.  Never had that happen to me.

[prairiewindmomma]

*nodding my head*

 

My opthamologist offered to pray over my eyes with me.

 

Also, that Dr. Pepper thing everywhere is a total lie! I have a long list of restaurants that don't have it; it makes me mad! Why does Wendy's have Coke Zero and Diet Coke on tap but no Diet Dr. Pepper?!!!! Every other Wendy's in the US that I have gone to has had it.....but not my local ones.

[Teacher Mom]

Lived in the Deep South most of my life and now live in rural VA. Never heard anything like that from a doctor. Now, I have heard "Where are you from?" and "How is so and so's {insert medical problem here)?" Nothing on evolution, except that video about the evolution of dance.

Edited August 16, 2017 by Teacher Mom

[lllll]

nm

Edited September 6, 2017 by lllllll

[Pawz4me]

Interesting.  I grew up/still live in the south and have never seen anything like that.  Maybe I'm not South enough... (NC).

 

Same.

 

The closest we've come I guess is the boys' orthodontist, whose office pipes in K-Love.

[Lady Florida.]

I had something similar happen at the pediatrician's office when ds was little. We switched doctors. And I'm not even in the deep south.

Edited August 16, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[Scarlett]

highly trained medical specialists bring up evolution at your initial visit and make their personal beliefs be known. 

 

This actually happened to me twice in the last year. Unprompted by me, I promise you.

 

 

Raised up in the south and still live here...well, I don't know is OK south?  Anyway, that is beyond weird to me.

[Scarlett]

My mom did go for a massage and the masseuse prayed over my mom.  My mom was totally flipped out and will never go back to her. 

 

And then one time my friend took me to a nice little restaurant and the waitress clearly knew my friend as a long time customer. The waitress told my friend she had retired and was only back to cover someoen's vacation.  My friend told her about some serious medical issues she had been having and then before we could stop her she began praying over us at our table!  It was the craziest thing I've ever seen!  My friend said never in all the years of her going there had the waitress ever even mentioned anything remotely religious. Sooooo weird!

[heartlikealion]

I live in Mississippi. Don't think that's ever happened to me. Christian stuff in waiting rooms, yes. An actual Bible was on the table at my ob/gyn office in the past. Large Christian paintings in one dental office.

 

I am so over everything having a Christian affiliation, though. Sorry, but no, I don't think it's necessary to lump religion into a sports group. Have you heard of this? I'm like what is this, the Christian Boy Scouts? http://www.traillifeusa.com/

[meena]

I for one, if the doctor's beliefs ranged to not believing in natural selection, would promptly get up and walk out because he (or she but I suspect more likely would hear this from a he) is unlikely to have the sense not to over-prescribe antibiotics.

 

I'm saying this with the caveats that (1) I totally respect your desire to walk out on a doctor whose beliefs don't align with your own and (2) I'm not a medical professional myself (started out pre-med at university, took many science credits --enough to be one class short of a chemistry minor).

 

That said, I'm a Christian who does not believe in evolutionary origins. I definitely have the "sense" to use antibiotics as necessary, yet be wary of the consequences of their overuse, and I'm sure there are doctors (male and female--not sure why that would even be a factor?) who feel the same. It's possible to be a Christian who believes in a divine creator while accepting modern medical practices. Even though essential oils fanatics might lead you to think otherwise, lol.

 

Personally it doesn't bother me when a medical professional talks about their beliefs, even when they differ greatly from mine. My son's orthodontist had a few minutes between patients and sat and talked with me about politics and travel. I would rather hear different voices and risk being offended than to sit contentedly in an echo chamber.

[QueenCat]

I lived in VA for 6 years and never had that happen.

 

Good chunks of VA are not really southern in nature, although technically in the South. Think along the lines of all of Northern VA and the entire Hampton Roads region.

[DawnM]

I for one, if the doctor's beliefs ranged to not believing in natural selection, would promptly get up and walk out because he (or she but I suspect more likely would hear this from a he) is unlikely to have the sense not to over-prescribe antibiotics.

 

Not accurate at all.  I have had Christian and non-Christian doctors and I have only taken antibiotics a small handful of times.  However, you are free to see whomever you choose.

[QueenCat]

 

I am so over everything having a Christian affiliation, though. Sorry, but no, I don't think it's necessary to lump religion into a sports group. Have you heard of this? I'm like what is this, the Christian Boy Scouts? http://www.traillifeusa.com/

 

Oh yes, this group really got ugly to those who chose to stay with Boy Scouts within one of our homeschool groups. It caused several families to leave as they were made to feel unwelcome for not switching to Trail Life. Some of the most sanctimonious leaders I've ever met.

[Stacia]

I am from the south and have lived in the south for most of my life. I have never had this happen with any doctor.

 

However, I did have a pharmacist once go off into a long religious soliloquy (that seemed entirely inappropriate for his profession and where he indicated he would not dispense certain medicines because they went against his religious beliefs) because I had turned in a prescription for my ds (who has the same name as one of the apostles). I assume he thought I shared his belief system solely based on my ds' name. I have never used that pharmacy again and that was about a dozen years ago. It was one located at a major grocery store chain.

 

I do encounter offers for prayers every now and then in my daily life; that does not bother me as it is usually offered in a caring spirit. A few weeks ago, my arm was bandaged and I had two separate, regular customers at work offer to pray for me and my arm. Ironically (per this discussion), neither person is from the south -- both are originally from other countries.

[G5052]

I've never encountered that.

 

When we were planning an overseas trip to a remote area that required immunizations, the pharmacist mentioned that she had done certain immunizations for a mission trip to Haiti, but it was just part of the discussion on which ones we needed. Nothing more.

 

DH used to go to a clinic within a Catholic hospital and was hospitalized there, and they had Bibles and literature out. At 8am a nun or priest would pray over the loudspeaker. There were crosses all over. No one on the staff ever said anything about their beliefs though.

 

Low-key stuff that respects the individual.

[Lady Florida.]

The doctor in question in our situation saw ds when he got a cut very close to his eye. His treatment of the injury was appropriate. He used glue stitches and ds has no scar or other sign that he ever injured the area. However, as he was examining him and preparing the "glue" he started talking about the creationist belief about human eyes, and also started proselytizing. That's what I found unacceptable. I sent a letter to the practice letting them know why we left. I don't know if it made any difference since I never had any more contact with that doctor.

Edited August 16, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[heartlikealion]

The doctor in question in our situation saw ds when he got a cut very close to his eye. His treatment of the injury was appropriate. He used glue stitches and ds has no scar or other sign that he ever injured the area. However, as he was examining him and preparing the "glue" he started talking about the creationist belief about human eyes, and also started proselytizing. That's what I found unacceptable. I sent a letter to the practice letting them know why we left. I don't know if it made any difference since I never had any more contact with that doctor.

 

Can't help but ask... did it clear up right away? I don't understand. My daughter had the same thing. The dr said you can expect some amount of scarring, but less exposure to sun is better so it won't be as dark. We put some vitamin E on it but I forgot to do it consistently.

 

[kroe1]

Working in an ER, I have met many physicians who do not believe in a strict Darwin evolution. I am guessing it is more of a macro/micro division or some such. But, I do not know why young children would be informed.

 

Perhaps it was more like God made all eyes? In other words, more of a quick way to explain what eyes are to the young child rather than the purpose of influencing the child's future scientific upbringing?

 

One physician I knew described herniated disks to patients in a funny way. She stated that when God made us, He stacked some cans of tuna fish on top of each other to make the back bones. She then talks about how this made everyone creak when they twisted so he stuck some squishy pads between each can called disks. The story continued about anatomy in a funny way until the lesson was finished. I think most patients laughed and really got a good visual about just what a herniated disk is. I have reiterated her explanation many times with friends and family when the subject comes up. I would hope no one would presume that tuna fish cans were made before humans, or even that evolution was merely God experimenting on different ways to make backs so that humans would not creak when they twisted.

 

I only mentioned that story here because it was the first thing I thought about when I read the OP post. I know it is not relevant to the OP experience.

[sassenach]

*nodding my head*

 

My opthamologist offered to pray over my eyes with me.

 

Also, that Dr. Pepper thing everywhere is a total lie! I have a long list of restaurants that don't have it; it makes me mad! Why does Wendy's have Coke Zero and Diet Coke on tap but no Diet Dr. Pepper?!!!! Every other Wendy's in the US that I have gone to has had it.....but not my local ones.

God bless Chik Fil A. I love me some Dr.Pepper

[Lady Florida.]

Can't help but ask... did it clear up right away? I don't understand. My daughter had the same thing. The dr said you can expect some amount of scarring, but less exposure to sun is better so it won't be as dark. We put some vitamin E on it but I forgot to do it consistently.

 

 

I think it took a few months. He's almost 20 and was 7 at the time, so it's been a while. This is the kid with ADHD. We have a little round wooden stool, about a foot and a half high. He decided to walk around the edge of it tightrope style (he was in his room and was supposed to be getting ready for a family gathering. Ah, ADHD.). His foot slipped and as he fell he hit the edge of the stool's seat, right at the outer corner of his eye. It was a big enough injury to require medical attention but not so big that it would have been dangerous if I didn't take him in. He probably would have a scar today though, if I didn't take him to the doctor.

 

I've always heard that less sun exposure is better when when a scar is healing. We live where it's difficult to NOT have sun exposure, but he doesn't have a scar.

Edited August 16, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[Wheres Toto]

That seems very strange to me.  I don't even usually see religious magazines or pictures or anything in waiting rooms.  People, US Weekly, sports magazines mostly.  Our pediatrician and OB/GYN will also have Parents, the other similar magazine that I can't think of the name of right now, and a local one that lists all the kids activities in the area.  Highlights and a selection of books for the kids.

 

ETA: Although now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure all the doctors at my pediatricians office are Jewish and so are at least some of the ones at the Ob/Gyn.  Maybe that has more to do with it than being up North.  Both offices are in a town with a very high Jewish population.

 

Edited August 16, 2017 by Where's Toto?

[Frosch]

Nope, I have never had that experience and I have lived in the deep South for 40+ years. ( And we have spent an inordinate amount of time in medical arenas.) 

The only people who have ever brought up creation/antievolution to me are preachers and homeschoolers. 

 

I did recently have a nurse let me know that she would pray for my son, but that was a welcomed thing and she wanted to make sure that I wasn't offended and genuinely concerned for us and my boy.

 

Oh, I did have a nurse break down crying in front of me when she told me how fortunate I was to have my husband.  But he was being *really* spectacular so that was warranted too. ;)

 

[Ravin]

Raised up in the south and still live here...well, I don't know is OK south?  Anyway, that is beyond weird to me.

 

OK is not part of the South.

[Scarlett]

OK is not part of the South.

 

 

I have only been in OK for 5 years....LOL...I still forget.

[HomeAgain]

Ah, yes, the South.  Where the first two questions are always

 

"Where are you from?"

and
"Have you found a church yet?"

 

:lol:

[backroadsmom]

Raised up in the south and still live here...well, I don't know is OK south? Anyway, that is beyond weird to me.

.

 

Southern Living counts Oklahoma as part of the South. Of course, I no longer get SL, so no telling what they are counting as in their realm of authority these days.

 

 

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[Scarlett]

.

 

Southern Living counts Oklahoma as part of the South. Of course, I no longer get SL, so no telling what they are counting as in their realm of authority these days.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

 

I think there is a lot of confusion about what is south, midwest etc. I always thought of AR as a southern state, but some people say it isn't.  

[heartlikealion]

I don't think of OK and AR as Southern states, but maybe because I think of the ones closest to me.

 

I think it took a few months. He's almost 20 and was 7 at the time, so it's been a while. This is the kid with ADHD. We have a little round wooden stool, about a foot and a half high. He decided to walk around the edge of it tightrope style (he was in his room and was supposed to be getting ready for a family gathering. Ah, ADHD.). His foot slipped and as he fell he hit the edge of the stool's seat, right at the outer corner of his eye. It was a big enough injury to require medical attention but not so big that it would have been dangerous if I didn't take him in. He probably would have a scar today though, if I didn't take him to the doctor.

 

I've always heard that less sun exposure is better when when a scar is healing. We live where it's difficult to NOT have sun exposure, but he doesn't have a scar.

 

We had trouble limiting sun exposure. It happened months ago. She's 2. You can see where it happened. She tripped and fell face first into a coffee table side (no corners on the coffee table, but still).
 

[Katy]

When I liked in OK a friend posted a meme on facebook about growing up in OK...  It included some comment about never knowing if you're from the Midwest, the South, or "North Texas"

[Alicia64]

I've been in VA and GA for seven years and never heard that. There's so many transplants here now.

 

But if you're in a small town, I could totally see it.

 

Alley

[Seasider]

Wow - I've lived most of my life in the south and never had that happen. .

Ditto

[Cinder]

I don't think of OK and AR as Southern states, but maybe because I think of the ones closest to me.

 

We only lived in AR a few years but folks there did consider themselves southerners.

[backroadsmom]

Having lived in the South most of my life but for about 5 years in Oklahoma, I will say that I always thought of Arkansas as the South. Oklahoma, I never thought it was, but then I saw Southern Living proclaiming it as such. When I lived there, I was the one everyone called the Southerner. As for Arkansas, with West Memphis, Arkansas right across the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tennessee... how could Arkansas (at least that part) not be. And my goodness at some of the Arkansas accents I used to hear.

 

 

 

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