Central Park Hospital Denies Volunteer Medical Workers - They Fail to Sign the 'Declaration of Faith'

Behind this hospital is Samaritan's Purse, an evangelical Christian organization. It is she who hires employees, but not all. In order to join the ranks of doctors saving the lives of people infected with coronavirus, a rather specific document needs to be signed. The publication shared the details amNewYork.

Recently, the first field hospital for coronavirus patients appeared in Central Park in New York. 14 white tents were placed across the street from Mount Sinai Hospital in Harlem.

The tent hospital is run by Samaritan's Purse, an evangelical Christian organization. Patients in this hospital are treated by nurses and doctors who are hired by a religious organization. However, not all are hired. The organization denies work to people who do not want to sign a specific “Declaration of Faith”.

Supporters of the LGBTQ community expressed their protest over this. On Tuesday, April 14, they accused Mount Sinai Hospital of collaborating with Samaritan's Purse volunteers and allowing a religious group that treats COVID-19 patients to require volunteers and staff to agree to a homophobic "Declaration of Faith." The declaration states that those who sign it believe that marriage is “solely the union” of a man and a woman, and it also states that abortion is prohibited.

Samaritan's Purse reportedly turned away at least one volunteer, Timothy Lunceford-Stevens. He personally told how it all happened.

“On April 5th, I tried to volunteer for Samaritan's Purse online to work at their tents in Central Park,” Timothy said. “When they heard about my qualifications and experience, they said they would really like me to join them. But at the end of the interview they said that I had to agree with their “Declaration of Faith.” I replied that I really wanted to work with them, although initially I knew that we had different views on some things, but I added that I could not sign a homophobic “Declaration of Faith.” They then rejected my application without further communication.”

Timothy also said that he filed a complaint against Samaritan's Purse with the New York Human Rights Commission. The New York Human Rights Act and the New York State Human Rights Act prohibit employers from discriminating in the workplace on the basis of gender and sexual orientation. Both laws also prohibit discrimination in the provision of services to the public.

James Finn from Michigan shared a similar experience. When he tried to volunteer at Samaritan's Purse in Central Park, he was refused because he refused to sign the Declaration of Faith.

The organization of Christian evangelists is headed by Franklin Graham, the son of the famous preacher Billy Graham. In the past, he has spoken out quite intolerantly against the “homosexual agenda” and “transgender lies.”

“New York City and Mount Sinai Hospital must demand that Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse abandon its discriminatory and bigoted Statement of Faith,” said Natalie James, convener of the COVID-19 Response Task Force. “We were promised that there would be no discrimination by the notoriously anti-Islamic, homophobic Samaritan's Purse in providing services to sick New Yorkers. But now we see that Samaritan's Purse was discriminatory."

“New Yorkers trying to help in this crisis should not be turned away because they refuse to share the vision of Samaritan's Purse. Health care should not come at the expense of basic human rights,” James said.

Earlier, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine refused to accommodate 400 Samaritan's Purse beds in its building. They say that the decision to cancel this project was partly due to the fact that the cathedral’s employees feel uncomfortable due to the beliefs of Samaritan's Purse and because the cathedral, according to its administration, is very important for different groups, including the LGBT community.

Read more on Forum Daily New York.

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