Vasectomy Reversal and Tubal Reversal: God’s Mission?
November 8, 2015
In my previous article, Haiti: Disney World For Christian Missionaries, I discussed my personal observations about Christian missionaries I met during our 2015 vasectomy mission to Haiti.
I wanted to take a quick diversion from my Haiti Vasectomy blog to share my feelings, or more appropriately my ‘pet peeves’, about doctors who claim they offer sterilization reversal because they see it as God’s mission.
Is the exclusive provision of sterilization reversal as your main practice really carrying out God’s mission?
History of vasectomy: Is vasectomy reversal God’s mission?
Vasectomy procedures were not performed in biblical times.
Castration was prevalent, but castration and vasectomy are way different procedures! Although the ancient Egyptians were fairly advanced for their time and even performed cataract removal procedures, they did not perform vasectomy or tubal ligation.
According to Wikipedia, the history of vasectomy is such that the first recorded vasectomy procedure was not performed until 1823 and this vasectomy procedure was performed on a dog. The first human vasectomy was performed soon after and the first vasectomy performed in the United States was in 1897.
More information: History of vasectomy
It stands to reason if vasectomy procedures were not performed in biblical times it is more difficult to make the argument vasectomy reversal is God’s mission. Poverty, hunger, and sickness continue to exist and transcend the passage of time.
God’s misson: Curing the sick, helping the poor, feeding the hungry
I am not a biblical scholar but God’s missions seem to revolve around spreading the word of God, love for one’s neighbor, and helping those who are less fortunate than ourselves. God did heal the sick and help barren women become pregnant but these actions were done to support God’s omnipotence and as a symbolic act to help provide others with faith in the love for his children.
I find it very interesting when a doctor says they provide vasectomy reversal or tubal ligation reversal because they see it as God’s mission. I find it especially interesting when they exclusively limit their practice to sterilization reversal and claim they are doing God’s work. I am not trying to knock anyone for their beliefs, but they certainly have chosen a rather easy area of medicine in which to practice God’s mission; a financially lucrative (all cash and no insurance) area of medicine that is easier on one’s lifestyle (scheduled visits and few night or weekend emergencies) compared to other areas of medicine.
For me this is no different than a guy saying I sell Mercedes Benz and Lexus because it is God’s mission to help the poor with transportation…or I am a corporate takeover attorney because I want to help poor workers…or I am a real estate investor to help the homeless.
Don’t most people who perform God’s work do it for free?
Why do I perform vasectomy reversal?
I perform vasectomy reversal for two reasons: (1) to promote vasectomy (2) to further use my skills as a surgeon.
Although it may seem strange to say I provide vasectomy reversal surgery to help promote vasectomy it really is not strange at all.
Although most men acknowledge vasectomy is permanent, the smart ones are not afraid to ask if it can be reversed. Who wants to jump out of a plane without a parachute? Who would ride a roller coaster knowing there is no safety mechanism in cases an unpredictable problem were to occur?
I have always believed a true physician/surgeon uses their skills to help others. In particular, I like using my skills to help others in ways others doctors are unable or unwilling to help them, i.e. tubal reversal, vasectomy reversal, and single visit no-needle no-scalpel vasectomy procedures.
More information: Vasectomy reversal cost with Dr. Monteith
“Dammit Jim…I’m a doctor not a bricklayer!”
Often times when I hear a physician say I do “X,Y, or Z” because it is God’s mission, I experience a little inward cringe.
I am not trying to knock anyone who believes they are doing God’s work…but I am trying to poke fun and use a little irony to reveal the humor I see in their interpretation of their work.
Often when I hear a doctor say I am doing God’s work I often think of Dr. McCoy on Star Trek. Captain Kirk would often piss him off by asking Dr. McCoy to do something outside of his job description and he would always respond with the formulated statement,
“Dammit Jim, I am a doctor not a (insert whatever fanciful imagery which describes what he was being asked to do outside of the job description of doctor)!”
It is my personal belief that doctors should doctor and preachers should preach….now I will continue with Haiti Vasectomy 2015 Mission travel blog. The next article in this series is Vasectomy Haiti: Afternoon Vasectomies Then Happy Hour!
More information about Dr. Monteith
Dr. Monteith is an Ob/Gyn who specializes in female sterilization reversal surgery but also provides vasectomy and vasectomy reversal in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Dr. Monteith recently participated in a vasectomy mission to Haiti and he details his experience in his blog series,
Haiti Vasectomy: No Reservations
For more information visit his website: His Choice: Vasectomy and Vasectomy Reversal
