Doctors want right to discuss religion with patients

Erm, so Richard believes that universal suffrage, parliamentary democracy, the national health service and free and compulsory education for all, not to mention free trade and our wonderfully sustainable model of economic growth are all ours to enjoy thanks to christian missionaries. Before re-writing in history in sweeping one sentence generalisations maybe he should read up on the Anti-Corn Law League, the suffragettes or the trade union movement, to name but a few.

Look further afield and you will see that in many European countries the various established churches sided very strongly with the political forces opposing all of the benefits of progressive societies listed by Richard (Franco for example was a champion of the catholic church).

And what an unfortunate coincidence that the continent which bore the brunt of christian missionary proselytising in the 19th century, namely Africa, now has so few free, democratic, educated, healthy and relatively well-off societies to boast of.

I'm not saying that christian missionaries have played no part in bringing about some of the more desirable elements of the society we live in today, but the history of western civilisation, its achievements and its shortcomings, is somewhat more complex than Richard seems to think.

And even we did owe all of the above to christian missionaries, wouold that give a doctor the right to foist his or her religion on everyone else in the course of exercising his or her professional duties? I think not.

Completely agree.

I think there is a serious misunderstanding here. Offering to pray for someone is not the same as using your position to spread beliefs.
Having said that, if it were not for the Christian missionaries of the past we would not be living in the free, democratic, educated, healthy and relatively well-off society we now enjoy.