Original subtitles

What do you think, Jack?

I want to be Jew.

Thank you.

What'd you say?

I want to become Jewish.

Can I?

Well, um, why do you want to do that?

I've been learning about it at school, and I think I like it.

Better than condominiums.

Congregationalists, honey. We're congregationalists.

Well, I want to be a Jew.

Well, um, who have you been learning about that from?

My teacher, Mr.

Steinberg. Uh -huh.

Sandy? Sandy?

Sandy? Honey?

Okay. Okay, hold on.

Honey? Okay, okay, look out, look out. I'm a doctor. I'm a doctor. She's

pregnant, eight months. Okay, get back. All right.

Get an ambulance now. All right.

Jimmy,

Jimmy, I can't. Come here.

Okay.

Now. She can't. She can't breathe.

I can't. Come on, harder. She's suffocating.

Okay. Okay, on the floor. She needs to lie down flat on the floor.

It's going to be okay.

You're going to be just fine now. Easy breath.

Slow, easy breath. Slow, easy breath. Kim, get my bag. It's in the car.

Deep breath. Slow, deep breath.

Okay. I'm right here, honey.

Her color's coming back.

Thank you. The food probably lodged in your trachea. I saved her with a Jewish

prayer. Now, how do you step back? What?

What's happened?

I'm cramping.

Okay, Jimmy, where's that ambulance?

No, no ambulance. Your wife could be going into premature labor. Her

is irregular.

She can't go to the hospital. She has to. She's having contractions. No. We're

Christian scientists. I'll just take her home. She's going to the hospital. No,

you can't do that. Come on, take her. Move. No. The baby is at risk, sir.

It's against our religion. This patient is in my care. I don't care about your

religion. Jimmy, get him out of here. Jimmy. No, no.

You can't do this. Move it. Quick.

Let's go. Let's go.

Don't do this. Please don't do this. Please don't take her away.

Okay, okay. Hang in there. No hurts.

What do we got?

Contractions every two minutes. How far is she golly? Five centimeters.

Collapse cord.

Prep and drape. We're going in.

What? Sandy, there are some complications and we're going to have to

-section. No, you can't. The baby's in breech position.

No, Dr.

Brock.

I am a Christian scientist.

I can't do this. Now you listen to me. No, you listen to me.

I do not give you consent to... Okay, give her the epidural. Go ahead now.

We'll sue you. You go ahead.

We've already called our lawyer. You two can slug it out. You can't do this.

It's a medical emergency, Mr. Murray. You have to trust us. Just because this

a Catholic -controlled hospital does not mean you have to... You are not... This

better be good, damn it.

I'm sorry, Your Honor. What the hell's going on here? I sent for you. There's a

dispute here. They're operating on this man's wife against the will, against the

faith, and we want it stopped. It was an assault.

Why?

You talk.

Eight months pregnant.

Emergency C -section. The mother is a Christian scientist. Who does not

If we don't go in, we lose the baby.

Freedom of religion.

Motion denied.

The baby is third trimester.

Its welfare supersedes the mother's religious preference.

Have you read Roe vs. Wade? I saw the movie. Holly Hunter. Quiet. Shut up.

Honor, please.

I'm sorry. The doctors are allowed to save the baby's life, whatever your

religion. And that's that.

Baby's coming out. And here we go. Here we go. Oh, and it's a little boy. Look

at that. It's a beautiful, beautiful little boy, Sandy.

Oh, he's perfect. He's a perfect boy, Sandy. Look at that.

Sandy, what's the matter?

Sandy? Sandy,

are you in pain?

BP's rising.

My head, it hurts.

You close, okay?

EKG normal.

Sandy?

Notify intensive care. Get her on a ventilator.

Sandy?

180 over 100.

Unresponsive. Get me a CAT scan.

Stop. Stroking out.

Sandy. Sandy. What the hell is it?

A very aneurysm.

It burst.

From the surgery? What's that mean?

She had a stroke. She had the blood build up on the right hemisphere.

The brain tissue was being compressed. It put her into a coma. So we have to

drill through... Into her head? Her brain?

Yes.

You can't. Look what you've done already. You can't treat her.

Mr. Murray, if we don't evacuate the clot, then your wife could die. You have

let us. It's against our faith.

Jeffrey.

Sis, they already started medical treatment.

Why don't we just let them finish before... No, no.

Do you want your son to grow up without a mother?

She got this way because of you.

You're the reason she's sick, the reason she's unconscious.

You're my lawyer.

Jeffrey, I know... You're our lawyer!

Your Honor.

We ask you to enjoin the doctors from treating Sandy Murray.

Did she indicate her wishes to you?

Well, she said that treatment was against her religion. You don't treat

She's going to die.

It's her right.

The baby's life is one thing.

But for herself, she can refuse.

You withhold all medical treatment from Sandy Murray.

You're ordering that woman's death.

She is to get no medical treatment.

I've made my ruling.

Well, we've got to be able to do something.

As an attorney, I can't advise a client to defy a court order.

But? You're looking at catastrophic liability.

If you do nothing and she dies after taking her against her will, you can

on a multi -million dollar wrongful death suit. It's a guarantee.

Now, if you ignore the court order, go in and save her life, you're still

looking at contempt plus civil rights litigation. But all in all, it's a hell

a lot cheaper than letting her die.

I should have left you in the restaurant.

Father. Oh, I say that as a member of the hospital board, not as a priest.

Council.

Let me try something.

All right, here's the deal. We are prepared to ignore Judge Bone's order

operate anyway.

You'll go to jail. I represent them. They don't need your legal opinion.

Now, we are also prepared to honor the injunction and not treat your client.

We'll do that under the condition that you sign a waiver absolving the hospital

of all responsibility should Mrs. Murray die.

Do I look like an idiot to you? You can't have it both ways.

Oh, yes, I can. And no matter what happens, you're being sued.

We're not waiving anything.

Your client hired you to get a release, not hold up the hospital on civil

damages. Hey!

You all make me sick.

Jill, what are you doing?

I have a Hippocratic oath to uphold. Excuse me. You're under a court order.

What's he doing?

I don't care. I'm going to save my patient.

Get me a neurosurgeon. Jill, don't go to jail. Jill, I swear.

Call surgery.

She's not acting under the authority of the hospital.

Arrest her. I will not arrest her. I'll sue the whole town.

Jill! I'll sign an emergency consent and so will Zawadzki. Let him sue!

How can you just stand there? She's committing a crime. I'm calling Judge

Your wife is in big trouble.

Okay, let's get her positioned and marked.

Jill, hold her head.

That's a drill.

Dad?

Oh, Kimberly, would you take the boys home?

This could take a while.

Is she going to be okay?

I don't know.

I pray to Hashem.

Excuse me?

Jewish God.

Sheriff Brock!

Oh, take the boys, go.

Why didn't you stop her?

A woman's life was on the line. I wasn't going to... When she comes out, she

goes into custody.

No argument.

They might arrest both of us. If they do, they do.

Last hole.

Ready to suck some.

Okay, I'm removing the bones back.

Easy.

Oh, that looks dry.

Bring in the scope.

How's she doing?

Stable.

Okay, suction.

Here we go.

So far, so good.

It went well, but she's still comatose. Is she going to be okay?

Well, she's in critical condition, Mr. Murray, so we'll just have to wait and

see. Take her to jail. Your son is in maternity. Take her now.

This is the second time you've done this. Do you think you're above the law?

Maxine. Come on.

Be glad I don't lock you up, too.

We're sending an ambulance for Mrs. Murray to be transferred to. She's not

anywhere. Oh, you can't keep her here. That's false imprisonment. She's on life

support. We are not releasing her to a Christian science facility or any other

facility that will just let her die.

Your Honor. Forget it.

Do you have anything else to argue?

Do it in court tomorrow.

I'm done with all of you for tonight.

It's not just Zachary.

Seven other boys want to become Jewish as well. It's an epidemic. An epidemic?

What are you telling them?

Some of the boys were calling Mark Chandler a kike.

Rather than just send them to the principal's office, I decided to ask

they call him that and what they thought it was to be Jewish.

Over the next several days, we discussed the history of the faith.

You're not supposed to go into religion. You know what happened with the school

prayer thing?

I was educating.

I was not preaching.

And now look what's happened.

Next thing, they'll be wearing yarmulkes and eating lox.

I didn't mean anything by that. Now, please don't misunderstand.

I understood you perfectly.

Look, I don't think you've done anything inappropriate.

But this is a sensitive matter.

The parents are up at arms. We're going to have to take this before the school

committee. What?

Jason, if this were a Protestant teacher converting Jewish children to

Christianity, you'd be leading the lunch mob.

I am not converting anybody.

Just the same.

This is serious.

How serious?

Very serious, Your Honor. She's still in a coma. She's my third comatose client.

I'm starting my own vegetable garden. Shut up.

Freedom of religion has never been absolute. The state has an interest in

preserving life.

Her First Amendment rights outweigh the state interest, Mr. Dell.

Individually, she has the right to refuse treatment.

She's not getting treatment.

She's hooked up to a machine. She's hooked up to a gastrostomy tube which

provides nutrition and hydration only.

It's medical treatment. It's food and water. You can't call that medical

treatment. It's basic sustenance.

Your Honor, if you order them to transfer that patient, you mandate an

affirmative act to starve her to death.

Now that's against the law.

It's against public policy, and in my opinion, it's against God.

Anybody's.

Is that all you're doing, food and water?

Yes, Your Honor.

It's still against their religion.

My client has a right to religious beliefs as well.

Pulling this tube doesn't involve your client. You're asking us to sign the

death warrant.

All right.

Why is the Catholic Church here? I'm on the hospital board. I'm here as a

humanitarian, not as a Catholic. Are they mutually exclusive? You're here to

impose your religion on me.

Quiet. I'll take it under advisement.

In the meantime, I want a prognosis of this woman's condition. That isn't

relevant. It is to me.

Your Honor, you know this isn't right. You know this isn't right.

Mr. Murray, you're asking me for an order which could end a person's life.

I am asking you to save her life.

According to our fate, releasing her is the best way to heal her.

Even still, I want as much information as possible.

Dr. Brock can be released from custody tomorrow, and then I want to hear from

her on the medical condition.

In the meantime, we're adjourned.

Mrs. Murray stays in the hospital for now. That's all.

I have to stay here another night?

You're getting off light, Jill. You defy the core order. Be happy that it's just

two days.

So how's that? Kim said that until I get out, he's sitting Shiva?

I don't know what to tell him.

I know nothing about Jewish history.

Other than the Jesus, son of God debate. I really don't know the difference

between Christianity and Judaism.

There are big differences.

Big.

First, You lose Christmas right out of the block.

Gone. Jews don't celebrate it.

They've got Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover.

School's closed for Easter and Christmas anyways.

You get more vacation as a Jew.

What about presents?

Forget the pile under the tree.

Hanukkah. Eight days, one gift per day.

I checked.

We can't steer our kids in religion. We promised ourselves.

We would never do that. I know, and it's probably just harmless curiosity, but

what if he wants to become a Scientologist?

Or what about a Santerian who sacrifices goats and chickens? Or what about a

Christian scientist who won't let me treat him when he gets sick?

Maybe as responsible parents, it's our duty to steer them.

It's my duty as a big brother to protect you.

Jesse Kaplan doesn't get picked on.

Because he's big and he doesn't wear the beanie.

Trust me, Zach.

Jews get picked on.

He's going to face certain prejudices as a Jew that he just wouldn't as a

Christian.

Well, he's not going to become a Jew.

It's probably just a fact.

Well, then let's just tell him to wait until he's sure.

He's eight years old. He can't possibly be sure.

I am sure.

Mr. Murray, listen to me very carefully.

I know as a Christian scientist, in keeping with your faith, you must do

you're doing.

But the law is with us.

And if I go in full bore, chances are I'll win, in which case she dies.

Her best chance of recovery is prayer, not medicine.

Medical treatment compromises her faith, and that compromises her chances.

Yeah, but just the same.

What I'm trying to say is that I can make all the arguments to preserve your

religious integrity as a good practitioner.

But if we want, I could come up a little short.

She could stay in a hospital, and in that way, you get to be a Christian

scientist in good standing, and your wife gets to keep her doctor.

I didn't hire you to cover my religious ass.

I hired you to get Sandy out of that hospital because doing that will save

life.

Do you really believe that?

Mr. Wambaugh, you obviously have certain prejudices when it comes to my faith.

Can you be effective when you don't believe in a case?

Please, I'm very good at garbage.

Well, not that your case is garbage.

It's a legitimate position.

But when I go in, I go in to win.

Then you do that, Mr.

Wambaugh. You get my wife out of that hospital.

Excuse me?

Who are you?

Zachary Brock.

My mother operated on her head.

I see.

And what are you doing?

I'm trying out a Jewish prayer.

I already did in Our Father.

But she wouldn't wake up.

Oh.

This is... This is my wife.

Are you mad at my mother?

No, no. We disagree, but I'm not angry with her.

How come Christian scientists don't like doctors?

Well, it's kind of complicated, Zachary.

You know, in every religion, we try for the strongest possible connection to

God.

For Christian scientists, we think the connection is best if we use prayer

sometimes instead of medicine.

It's not right for everybody, but for Sandy and me and others, it's how we

feel comfortable.

I'm thinking of becoming Jewish.

Well, that's good, too.

Sandy, honey, this is Zachary Brock.

He came all the way in to say a prayer for you.

Can't he hear you?

I think so.

I think she knows we're here.

What's going on? They're all ACLU.

It's a silent blockade. We can't get through.

Why are they just standing there?

They won't budge.

You people, do not interfere.

We're going into the courtroom. Please step aside and let us through.

Let's form a circle around them. Kenny, you lead and don't shoot anybody.

Let's go. All right, come on through. Everybody move aside. Step aside.

Please, move aside.

Please, let's go.

Come on now, please.

Let us through.

Let's go. Come on. We're coming through. Stand back.

You think this woman can recover?

Well, there's certainly a chance of full recovery.

She has brain activity and the swelling has gone down.

And if she is to come out of this coma, how long would it take?

There's no knowing that. It could take days. It could take weeks.

And, Dr. Brock, if Sandy Murray were to be removed from the G -tube, which is

providing her with food and water, what would happen then?

She would die.

Absolutely? Absolutely.

She would dehydrate in a matter of days.

And by dehydrate, you mean exactly what?

Her brain and stomach lining would dry up. Her skin would crack.

One by one, her organs would shut down.

And she'd expire.

Could this death be painful?

We don't know that for sure, but yes.

Yes, it could be very painful.

Do you have an opinion as to whether Sandy Murray should be released from

Hospital? It would be unconscionable to release her.

I don't care what the religion.

I am not selling religion.

You passed out literature concerning Judaism.

Yes, so they could learn.

It's called education.

Don't be snide with me, Jason. This isn't personal.

I don't mean to be snide. I mean to be outraged.

How dare you subject me to this inquisition?

This is a church and state problem.

Oh.

Jason, I have a magazine here called Judaism Today. May of this year, did you

write an article called The Demise of American Jewry?

Yes. So? You talk about intermarriage and assimilation.

And? You say, and I quote, we must begin to embrace... Jewish celebration, we

must aggressively encourage conversion.

We must expand our base congregation to include those who choose to be Jewish.

You wrote this?

Yes.

Well, you don't think it's a little suspicious?

You endorse conversion.

You teach Judaism in the class, and now seven students want to convert.

The fact that I have religious beliefs does not mean that I'm imposing them on

my students.

Well, you have.

Kids want to convert, and one of them is mine.

Hey, when we studied George Washington, they wanted wooden teeth.

When we covered Ben Franklin, they wanted to go fly kites in the rain.

These are young students getting excited about what they learn.

Next week, they'll probably want to become pilgrims.

Wanting to be a pilgrim isn't a problem.

Wanting to change religion, that's a problem.

You're worried about my influence, hmm?

Let's talk to one of my victims.

Bring Zach in, Sheriff.

Let's question him about what I'm doing.

Maybe we'll do that.

You're a good Christian woman, aren't you, Dr. Brock?

I'm up here as a doctor, not as a Christian.

You keep those two separate?

I try to, yes.

You try to?

Okay.

But first, let's talk as a doctor.

Does medical treatment guarantee the recovery of Sandy Murray?

Of course we can't guarantee it. Does medical treatment even give her a 50 -50

chance?

Probably not.

But if you're looking for a certainty, here's one for you. She will die if you

disconnect that tube.

That's a medical certainty?

It's a very, very strong likelihood.

A likelihood?

But not a certainty.

No. In fact, Dr. Brock, a month ago you had a patient, a vegetative woman, a

life support who was much worse than Sandy Murray, right?

Yes. There was almost no brain activity.

And you listed her chances of recovery as what?

Almost zero.

Almost zero? I believe you said that the only thing the doctors could do to help

her was to pray.

Did you say that? Yes.

Yes, I did.

And what happened with the patient?

She made a full recovery.

A miracle.

Well, medically speaking, yes. But I wouldn't count on such a miracle with

Murray. Oh, you wouldn't count on a Christian science miracle, would you?

You don't believe in Christian science, do you?

Do you know anything about his religion?

I know about the Christian science prohibition against medical treatment,

is that position that I reject.

Well, I know as a doctor you would.

But tell me, Dr. Brock, a month ago, this brain -dead patient, this pregnant

woman in a coma, did her recovery in your mind have more to do with God or

medical treatment?

Dr. Brock.

I think that medical treatment kept her alive.

Until God took over.

Well, my clients are looking for the same opportunity, I guess.

To let God take over.

No. Another bite. Come on. I don't like it. Come on.

Hey.

What is going on here? I saw this on Clockwork Orange. It worked.

Matthew. I'm trying to cure him.

So he won't want to be Jewish.

It isn't a disease.

You should be ashamed of yourself.

Fine. I tried to help.

Jack, uh... I'm going to bring

you with me to the school committee tomorrow.

Why? They want to ask some questions about your class with Mr.

Steinberg and why you wanted to be Jewish. You do still want to be Jewish?

Just conservative.

Not an orthodontist kind.

Ah, okay.

Well, look... Could you tell me just what it is about the Jewish faith that

interests you?

Well, they don't have a hell.

They don't? No. No Jewish hell.

That's a load off my mind.

What else interests you?

They have three basic rules.

Love learning.

Love God.

And do good deeds.

But the best thing of all is to be kind to animals.

I like that.

That's a Jewish tradition?

Yep. They say that's pure good.

Because being kind to animals is being kind.

But not for a reward.

That makes it a pure good.

Yeah, yeah, but...

Christians believe those things too, Zach. They believe in good deeds, they

believe in learning, and be nice to animals. Now, Christians believe those

things too.

Yeah, but you still got that hell.

This is blatant bigotry, and everybody here knows it.

They have a constitutional right to refuse treatment on religious grounds,

they're being held up because these people here don't like their beliefs.

A month ago, That man stood right here in this courtroom and chastised society

for not believing in religion and for being ashamed of religion.

And now he ridicules my client for clinging to his.

Could you save her? You admit it that you probably can't. How dare you exalt

arrogance of Western medicine and of Catholicism, too, to think that your way

the only way?

It is hypocrisy.

It is bigotry and everybody here knows it.

Does this country stand for equal rights or not?

Today, it's attacked the Christian scientists.

Tomorrow, maybe even the Jews.

Maybe then it'll be you.

For all our sakes, stop this bigotry now.

Well.

If that was such a pile of buckshot, you'd think it'd be hard not to hit the

target, but he didn't. He totally missed the mark.

We're not denying them their religion.

They have a right to refuse medical treatment, of course, but this isn't

treatment. Food and water is not medicine.

Christian science accepts aid, Your Honor.

They go to the dentist, they wear glasses, most even go to obstetricians

pregnant, although Mrs. Murray evidently did not.

Food and water is nothing more than aid.

It can't be considered health care, not even under Clinton's plan.

I repeat, what they're asking for is to starve Sandy Murray to her death.

To let her organs dry up until her nose cracks and bleeds. Judge, you simply

cannot force this hospital to participate in anything so barbaric.

You cannot force them to take an affirmative act.

that will result in a person's death.

It's inhuman.

All religious worship has limits.

And yours have been reached, Mr. Murray, if you're trying to exalt it at the

expense of a person's life.

Talk to me, Mr. Dell.

Certainly, Your Honor.

If you let her leave the hospital, you let her die.

That's all I have to say.

That's all it comes down to.

Rock -a -bye, baby, on a treetop.

When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.

I'm sorry, I was going to learn some more, but you came early.

Yes, you did.

Yes, you did.

Hey.

Hey.

I... I'm sorry that I have to fight you like this.

Did she get to see her son?

Before she went unconscious, did she know she had a boy?

Yes, she did.

He's gorgeous, don't you think?

He's beautiful.

Could you

excuse us? I've got to have him back to the nursery soon, so I... Absolutely.

There are thousands of medically documented cases, Mom. People with

cancer have been healed with prayer.

It's right in the medical journal. Kimberly, I would think on principle

that you wouldn't work on this case. I don't care that Doug was one boss or

boss. Whose principle?

Hey, Zach.

Come on, we're late.

You gonna fry Steinberg? Matthew. Never mind.

I guess his principle's wrong, too. Kimberly, I believe that everybody's

entitled to their religious beliefs. I just think there's a limit, okay? Danny

Olsen said religion is like a fart.

You don't smell good, but everybody else stinks.

I'm going to wash your mouth out with soap.

Don't you say that to the school committee.

Get on out there. I'll be out there in a minute.

Honey, you've got to let go of this a little.

Oh, Jimmy.

I had my hands on her stomach, and then I had my hands on her brain.

I kept her alive. She's breathing now because of medicine. How can I just sit

back and let her die because of some constitutional technicality?

Hello. Really?

It's not even nine o 'clock yet.

Okay. Okay, thank you.

Judge Bone is convening the court.

He's made his decision.

All rise.

Be seated.

There can be no question.

The Constitution of this country guarantees freedom of religion.

But that right has never been absolute.

In fact, the truth is, the right is illusory.

Government, through the years, has done everything known to man to make

God irrelevant.

We don't mix church and state.

Public prayer is banned.

Even nativity scenes at Christmas have been declared illegal.

Our courts rule on matters such as abortion, euthanasia, the right to life,

right to die, issues that go to the very core of religious faith.

And yet, religion and God are not permitted to be factors in those

Religion is viable only where the law permits it to be so.

In this case, the law does exactly that.

Legally, religion is still recognized as legitimate grounds

to refuse medical treatment.

And the legal definition of medical treatment does embrace...

nutrition, and hydration.

Mr. Murray, will you please rise?

Are

you

sure this is what you want to do?

Yes, Your Honor.

I hereby order the hospital to release Sandy Murray to her husband.

Sheriff's Department to execute this order forthwith. That's all.

We're adjourned.

You had an out.

Get out of here. This is ex parte. All you had to do was to declare food and

water aid and not treatment. You had an easy out. But it would have been a lie.

It's treatment to the Christian scientists. Three months ago, you came

me over birth control. You told me if a church is negligent, the court could

intervene. You even threatened me with that. What do you call this?

No medical treatment that isn't negligent?

If ever a court was going to step in. But what if I did, Gary? What then?

You want judges deciding what beliefs are reasonable?

Because once the courts start doing that, where does it stop?

You think Catholicism will be safe?

Catholicism would never let a person just die.

You have no priority on God.

He's there for all religions. God put Sandy Murray into your hands.

Into your hands, Henry.

And you just pronounced her dead.

I have half a mind to knock you right on your ass. Half a mind is a bit of an

overstatement for what I've just witnessed.

You know she will die now, Henry.

Yeah.

How could you not find a reason to prevent that?

Because the reason doesn't exist in the law.

That's the only place I'm permitted to look.

May God have mercy on you.

Did he ever say it was good for you to be Jewish?

No. Then why did you want to convert?

I don't know.

I just want to try it.

Why?

Well, I'm not so sure about Jesus being the Son of God.

Did Mr.

Steinberg say anything to cause this doubt?

Zachary?

Not Mr. Steinberg.

Then who?

My father.

Me?

What'd I say?

Well, Santa Claus comes on Christmas, because that's the day Jesus was born.

And you sort of told me that Santa isn't real.

And if he is not real, then maybe Jesus isn't real either.

At least not as God's son.

That's why you want to be a Jew.

And they have good rules.

And they're nice to animals.

I like the hats without the propellers.

And their bread is better than a saltine.

May I ask one question, Zack?

Other than different religious beliefs, what's the difference between a

Christian and a Jew?

Nothing.

Nothing?

Where'd you get that?

That's what you taught us.

Jill, if you don't step aside, we're going to have to arrest you. Mr. Murray,

she could still wake up. She could come out of the coma.

Can you give us three days?

The longer she's comatose, the more unlikely that... I'm going to take her

Jill. No, no, I can't in good conscience. Jill, you can't stop this.