What We Remember on Memorial Day

Some things too important to forget are still sometimes forgotten. Remembering can require intentional effort and focus, which is why we celebrate Memorial Day.

Thomas Baker, and Thomas Wigle never met one another. Baker was born in Troy, New York in 1916. Wigle was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1909. They shared a name but little else until they died. Their lives had different beginnings and back stories but similar endings. Both gave their lives for their country and were awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. Here are their stories.

Thomas Baker was a private when his company sailed from Pearl Harbor on June 5, 1944, the day before fellow soldiers landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. His company’s destination was the Mariana Islands, one of the island chains still under Japanese control. He was an active participant in the battle for Saipan, a battle that lasted for 24 days. From his Medal of Honor Citation-

On June 19, 1944, when his entire company was held up by fire from automatic weapons and small-arms fire from strongly fortified enemy positions that commanded the view of the company, Private Baker voluntarily took a bazooka and dashed alone to within 100 yards of the enemy. Through heavy rifle and machinegun fire that was directed at him by the enemy, he knocked out the strong point, enabling his company to assault the ridge. Some days later while his company advanced across the open field flanked with obstructions and places of concealment for the enemy, Sgt. Baker again voluntarily took up a position in the rear to protect the company against surprise attack and came upon 2 heavily fortified enemy pockets manned by 2 officers and 10 enlisted men which had been bypassed. Without regard for such superior numbers, he unhesitatingly attacked and killed all of them. Five hundred yards farther, he discovered 6 men of the enemy who had concealed themselves behind our lines and destroyed all of them.

On 7 July 1944, the perimeter of which Sgt. Baker was a part was attacked from 3 sides by from 3,000 to 5,000 Japanese. During the early stages of this attack, Sgt. Baker was seriously wounded but he insisted on remaining in the line and fired at the enemy at ranges sometimes as close as 5 yards until his ammunition ran out. Without ammunition and with his own weapon battered to uselessness from hand-to-hand combat, he was carried about 50 yards to the rear by a comrade, who was then himself wounded. At this point Sgt. Baker refused to be moved any farther stating that he preferred to be left to die rather than risk the lives of any more of his friends. A short time later, at his request, he was placed in a sitting position against a small tree. Another comrade, withdrawing, offered assistance. Sgt. Baker refused, insisting that he be left alone and be given a soldier's pistol with its remaining 8 rounds of ammunition. When last seen alive, Sgt. Baker was propped against a tree, pistol in hand, calmly facing the foe. Later Sgt. Baker's body was found in the same position, gun empty, with 8 Japanese lying dead before him. His deeds were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army

Thomas W. Wigle moved with his family to Detroit when he was a boy. He was a violinist and a music teacher who also worked as an airplane mechanic. When World War II broke out he joined the army, completing basic training at Fort Benning in Georgia. In September 1944 he found himself in Monte Frassino, Italy. It was there that he displayed the incredible bravery that earned the Medal of Honor. From his Medal of Honor Citation-

His 3d Platoon, in attempting to seize a strongly fortified hill position protected by 3 parallel high terraced stone walls, was twice thrown back by the withering crossfire. 2d Lt. Wigle, acting company executive, observing that the platoon was without an officer, volunteered to command it on the next attack. Leading his men up the bare, rocky slopes through intense and concentrated fire, he succeeded in reaching the first of the stone walls. Having himself boosted to the top and perching there in full view of the enemy, he drew and returned their fire while his men helped each other up and over. Following the same method, he successfully negotiated the second. Upon reaching the top of the third wall, he faced 3 houses which were the key point of the enemy defense. Ordering his men to cover him, he made a dash through a hail of machine-pistol fire to reach the nearest house. Firing his carbine as he entered, he drove the enemy before him out of the back door and into the second house. Following closely on the heels of the foe, he drove them from this house into the third where they took refuge in the cellar. When his men rejoined him, they found him mortally wounded on the cellar stairs which he had started to descend to force the surrender of the enemy. His heroic action resulted in the capture of 36 German soldiers and the seizure of the strongpoint.

I live free today because of the deaths of men like Thomas Baker and Thomas Wigle. Reading of their sacrifices brings me a greater appreciation of the gift of being born an American. As part of your Memorial Day celebration, why not take a moment to read the stories of other Americans who have died on your behalf? The stories of the over 3400 recipients of the Medal of Honor can be found online by clicking- http://www.history.army.mil/moh/ you will be glad you did. 

- Bart

A Pastor's Shocking Behavior

In my 21 years of medical practice and 40 years of church attendance I have seen a lot of unexpected behavior from men in ministry. From adultery and arrests to dishonesty and gossip, I have seen almost all there is to see, or so I thought. In the last week I encountered a pastor who treated me in a way that caught me totally off guard.

Two weeks ago I visited a local church for the very first time. The people seemed friendly and the sermon was excellent so I thought I might return for a prayer service later in the week. The next day I discovered that the prayer meeting conflicted with a medical staff meeting I was required to attend.  I sent the pastor an email asking how long the prayer meeting would last as I was wondering if I would  be able to make it for the latter half. Although we had never met he answered me within a few hours, saying he hoped I could make it to the meeting and that he would love to meet me, perhaps over lunch.

I was impressed by his timely and courteous response. Two days later my medical meeting was cancelled so I was able to make it to the prayer meeting on time. That is when things took an unexpected turn. Before the meeting of about 80 people began he walked up to me and shook my hand saying, “So glad you could make it!” My email to him had included my website in my signature line. I realized he had taken the time to look at the site and thus recognized me from my photo. He had gone out of his way to identify me and make me feel welcome!

Things got weirder after the meeting concluded. I went up to him and thanked him for replying to my message and he repeated his lunch invitation! His initial invite was not the shallow and empty courtesy invite that so many others make in our society. He actually meant it! He even suggested a day to meet. We exchanged emails again the next day and agreed to meet this last Tuesday.

He surprised me again the morning of the meeting with an email confirmation, then continued his ridiculous behavior by showing up on time for lunch. His unanticipated niceness continued for the next 75 minutes as he openly and graciously shared about the church and his heart for the community. I asked direct questions about doctrine, church government and his philosophy for ministry and he answered all of them without a trace of defensiveness. I am a man who is hard to impress but I walked away truly impressed with his kindness and professionalism.

As I reflect back on our interactions and conversations I am reminded how important simple things can be. Kindness, promptness, courtesy and respect are all too often lacking in our culture. These attributes are seemingly small and insignificant but their presence or absence reveal much about a person’s heart and character. When we are kind, prompt, courteous and respectful, we tell others that we value them in a powerful way, a way that may be shocking!

When I consider the manner in which Jesus dealt with others I am reminded that He was the perfect role model for interpersonal interaction. The gospel writers describe His encounters with shamed prostitutes, tax collectors, social outcasts, soldiers, religious zealots, rich nobles, blind beggars, grieving mourners, adulterous women and little children. In every circumstance He loved and served. If we are to truly bear His name we can do no less.

-          Bart

I purposely did not name the church or the pastor. Based on our brief interaction I do not believe he would want to be identified or praised. If you live in the Huntington Beach area and are looking for a church, send me a private message through the site and I will tell you more about the church he pastors. Remember I can be followed on twitter @bartbarrettmd and that you can subscribe to the blog to have posts delivered directly to your inbox.

A Christian Physician's Thoughts on Bruce Jenner

This last week seems to have been “Transgender Week” on television. NBC News devoted lengthy segments of its nightly broadcasts to stories about parents who had determined their young children to be transgender and were raising them as such. ABC aired a 2 hour interview with Bruce Jenner in which he declared he was a woman and would be living as one for the rest of his life. In each of the stories, embracing one’s transgender reality was portrayed as brave and courageous and as the right thing to do. As a Christian Physician I was left wondering how I would respond to a patient or a parent in a similar circumstance. What would be the right thing to say?

As I ponder the question I am struck by how society’s definition of the “right” thing to say has evolved over time. In the not too distant past individuals who identified as transgender were considered to have a psychiatric condition that warranted treatment. Homosexuality was similarly considered to be a disorder at one time. What changed? Many assume that it was advances in scientific understanding of sexuality and gender identity that led to the change, that with increased understanding came more widespread acceptance.

The truth is that there have not been any major scientific breakthroughs in the area, that no genes have been isolated nor hormonal alterations identified. While it is possible that such discoveries may be forthcoming the increased acceptance of the medical and scientific communities has not been a result of traditional research. The reasons for the change in perception are primarily cultural and arise from a change in how society defines normal behavior.

Our nation was founded by people who were, at least in the large majority, religious in a Christian sense. Our founding document, the Declaration of Independence, made it clear that the fundamental rights of men were a gift of God. We were “endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” As rights came from God so did the definition of what was right and what was wrong. Moral law was established by God, not defined by men.

Over time the emphasis drifted away from the Creator who gives rights and more to the rights that are given. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness continue to be sacrosanct, but their definitions have become individualized. Happiness is now defined not as a result of doing what is right in the eyes of God but in doing what is right in the eyes of the individual. Liberty is no longer defined as the freedom to do right but as the freedom to do as one pleases. Autonomy is everything.

With this evolution of thought comes the rejection of a universal moral law. Right and wrong behavior are determined, whenever feasible, as what is felt to be right or wrong by the individual actor at a particular moment in time. Behaviors that were unquestionably wrong become first tolerated, then accepted, then embraced and then ultimately defended against those who would disagree.

In the realm of sexuality this cultural evolution can be seen in our views toward premarital and extramarital sex, abortion, homosexuality and same sex marriage. Societal attitudes toward the transgendered are similarly evolving. Attitudes toward the polyamorous are in the early stages of gaining societal acceptance. In every one of these cases scientific “validation” has followed the cultural change, not preceded it.

This is how it must be in such things, for biology can never prove morality. While saying “I was born this way” requires others to give careful consideration to the feelings of another and to proceed with caution in responding, it is not proof of goodness or rightness. There are many conditions with which people are born that are considered unacceptable and in need of correction. Medical conditions such as cystic fibrosis and sickle-cell anemia, and mental conditions such as schizophrenia and alcoholism are not considered acceptable simply because the patient was “born that way.” If pedophilia is one day discovered to be genetic it will not be instantly considered acceptable and appropriate. Science can never prove morality and goodness.

The recognition that moral values, not scientific facts, determine societal responses to sexuality is crucial in determining how we respond to the Bruce Jenners of the world. As a Christian physician, if I am asked by a parent how they should respond to a child who they thought was transgendered my response would be different from other physicians, for my moral viewpoint is different. I would have to preface my response by addressing the basis for any response the parent could make.

I would say that how we respond is based on what we believe. The Christian worldview is that right and wrong are not determined by our feelings but by God. It is true that everyone has feelings and desires, many which they are born with and cannot change. It is also true that everyone has a choice as to which feelings they embrace and follow and which feelings they do not. The Christian view is that when we follow those feelings which are good in God’s eyes we will experience blessing, in the next life if not in this one. If the parent embraces this viewpoint they will need to get professional help in responding to their child in such a way that allows them to accept the reality of their feelings and what that means for their future, in helping their child determine God’s plan for their life and how they can live with the feelings and desires given them at birth.

The secular worldview is that right and wrong are not absolute and that our understanding of morality evolves over time. Many in our culture have concluded that multiple forms of sexual identity and desire are acceptable and good. From this perspective parents would be more apt to encourage the child to "follow their heart." I would also encourage parents who embrace this perspective to get professional help in responding to their child in such a way that allows them to accept the reality of their feelings and what that means for their future, in helping their child recognize which feelings are enduring and should be embraced and which are temporary and need not be followed.

As our societal evolution has progressed to the point of aggressively defending individual moral choices against those who disagree (in some cases to the point of punishing those who do not embrace majority thought), Christians need to be especially careful in how we respond to these situations. It seems to me that the best initial response is to say that while many may disagree, we are of the opinion that right and wrong are determined by God and not by men and that not all feelings need to be followed.

-          Bart

Follow me on twitter @bartbarrettmd. You can have every post delivered straight to your inbox by subscribing to the blog. Interested in having me speak to a church group or meeting? I can be reached through the contacts link on the website.

A Lesson I Learned in Prison

"You're a doctor?” The prisoner’s smile was large and his laughter was deep. “You ain’t no doctor!” He had met doctors before and in his judgment my personality and demeanor were totally inconsistent with the medical profession. He didn't know  me well as our interactions were limited to softball games twice a month. I was part of a church team that had been playing games against the prison team for several years so we didn't see each other often.

Our teams were polar opposites. The prison players were large and muscular men, most of whom were of Hispanic or Black descent, almost all of who were significantly tattooed. We were on the pale, scrawny and inkless end of the athletic spectrum. We had very little in common in our daily lives but found common ground on the softball field.

I was the youngest player on the team. When we first started going to the prison I was just 22 years-old. I was not comfortable back then with starting deep conversations with older men I hardly knew so I related to the prison players the only way I could. Like any self-respecting athlete, I starting talking trash. I soon realized I had unwittingly opened a door to better conversation. My joking insults showed that I viewed them as people, not as targets for conversion. Laughter became a bridge.

For the following 7 years of play I continued to joke and have fun with the inmates. I didn’t talk much about myself so they were not aware that I was attending medical school. The last game I played was the Saturday after I graduated, just before I moved away to start my residency training. Realizing I would never see these men again I intentionally said my good-byes to the prison players between innings. Many shared the one inmate's assessment, I was not like any doctor they had known. To them I was too young and too much of a jokester.

Looking back I see the inmates' amazement as a compliment. The response was not due to a perceived lack of  intelligence or ability, it was because they knew me to be genuine, fun-loving and approachable. As I consider it, I think their perception is something to strive for. It was and is a good thing to be viewed by others first  for who we are and how we treat others, not by our education and profession. A valuable lesson I learned in prison!

 - Bart

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Plenty of Sex but no Purpose

He wanted to be checked for STD’s. Alcohol inspired unprotected intercourse with a complete stranger in a foreign country had resulted in an unpleasant burning sensation with urination. He was educated enough to know that this was a sign of a possible infection and that he needed to be tested. He was educated, but that had not kept him from an extremely risky act. I was curious as to what his decision making process was, wondered what the values were that guided his life and how could have been so foolish.

As we talked I learned that he was like many young men I have seen over the years. He didn’t have a well-developed system of values, hadn’t spent much time thinking about why he did what he did. He lived his life in the moment, doing whatever felt right or good at the time.

This approach to life had brought him to a place where he was not only infected with a sexually transmitted disease, he was also unemployed and unsure of what he wanted to do in life. His life resume included a college degree from a respectable university, a fair number of jobs and a large number of sexual partners but it did not include a sense of purpose or direction. He talked about jobs he thought he might like, industries he might want to work in and the lifestyle to which he aspired, focusing on pleasure and finances. What he did not talk about were the things that truly matter in life such as personal character and lasting relationships.

I asked him if he had ever considered pursuing something different, if instead of focusing on the things he wanted to do perhaps considering the type of person he wanted to be. He hadn't. I asked him if he wanted to be married someday. He said he did, so I said, “Think of the type of woman you would want to marry someday, then think of the type of man that woman would want, then try to be that kind of man!” The thought that a quality woman might not be attracted to him was clearly novel to him!

It was also clear that he had not spent any time considering his character and personal development. He hadn't even considered it. As we talked I realized that he had never been mentored or parented, had never had a relationship with a mature and moral man who had the ability to model a truly successful life. Absent such influence there really was no way that he could be any different than he was. I realized he was the unavoidable end product of modern American culture. He was motivated to consume, to experience and to have. Delayed gratification, sacrificial love and personal growth were alien concepts.

My time with him made me realize the terrible mistake parents make when we emphasize achievement and experience over character and growth. We are so obsessed with our children having successful careers that we forget to train them in successful relationships. We have forgotten to teach them that doing well means doing right. That this is no longer a value is evident by parental response to report cards. Almost no one cares about the citizenship grades anymore. It is all about the “A”.

This is not the way we raised our children and built our home. I was blessed with spiritual heritage that taught me perspective and what matters in life. Lisa and I worked hard to teach our children that what mattered most was not the job you did but the character you had. We made sure our children understood that success is not about the things you own. It is about the people you love and serve.

My son illustrates the chasm between our Christian values and the valueless choices of the young patient. Nate is about the same age as the young man who came to my office and their lives are dramatically different, a difference derived from their upbringing. My son has been married for over 2 years to the only girl he ever dated. He loves her dearly, sacrificially and completely. He is a man of faith and family who is in church every Sunday, who calls his mom several times a week and who carves out time for family on a regular basis. Out of a desire to build a life with and for his wife he has applied himself in his work and studies. He values honesty, justice and relationships. He has a clear sense of the type of man he wants to be and he is working on becoming that man. Values matter to him.

My conversation with the young patient was relatively short but is my hope and prayer that our brief interaction will help him look at life in a different way. It is not too late for him, or for any of us, to change our approach. If he realizes that who we are is more important than what we do he may find the sense of purpose and direction he has been lacking, as well as the sense of fulfillment and happiness he desires.

- Bart