Picket Fences (1992–1996): Season 2, Episode 10 - Paging Doctor God - full transcript

Are you wondering how healthy the food you are eating is? Check it - foodval.com
---
- I can't believe we finally got this.
- That's it?

There's no such thing as
a fat-free French fry.

- They use corn oil.
- They're chips and vegetables.

They're still fried, Daddy.
They're little potato cholesterols sticks.

No, French fries aren't good for
you no matter how good they taste.

I kind of like
they use vinegar on there.

Makes it kinda taste
like a salad.

- A salad?
- Yeah.

What do you think, Zack?

I wanna be a Jew.

What'd you say?



I wanna become Jewish. Can I?

Well, um...
Why do you wanna do that?

I've been learning about it
in school.

And I think I like it.

Better than condominiums.

Congregationalist, honey.
We're Congregationalist.

Well, I wanna be a Jew.

Well, um... Who you been
learning about that from?

My teacher. Mr. Steinberg.

Uh-huh.

Sandy?

Sandy. Sandy? Honey?

Okay. Okay, hold on.

- Honey?
- Okay. Okay, lookout, lookout.



- 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!

Again. Come on, harder.
She's suffocating!

Oh, okay, okay, on the floor.
She needs to lie down flat on the floor.

- Easy, easy, easy.
- You're gonna be okay now.

You're gonna be
just fine now. Easy breath.

Slow easy breaths.
Slow easy breaths.

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

All right, breathe.

Deep breaths. Deep breaths.
Slowly deep breaths.

- You okay?
- We're right here, honey.

- Her color's coming back.
- Thank you.

The food probably
launched in your trachea.

I saved her
with a Jewish prayer.

- Now, honey, you step back.
- Now, come on. Out of the way.

Easy... what?

W-W-What's happening?

I'm cramping.

Okay, Jimmy,
where's that ambulance?

No. No ambulance.

Your wife could be going
into premature labor.

- Her breathing is irregular.
- She can't go to the hospital.

She has to.
She's having contractions.

- No.
- We-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
to do this.

This patient is in my care,
I don't care about your religion.

Jimmy, get him out
of here. Jimmy.

- Okay.
- 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, Sandy.
Hang in there. I know it hurts.

Okay.

- What have we got?
- Contractions every two minutes.

- How far has she dilated?
- Five centimeters.

- All right.
- Prolapsed cord.

Perpetrate. We're going in.

- What?
- Sandy, there are some complications

and we're gonna
have to do a C-section.

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

No, no, no, Dr. Brock,

I... I'm 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 is
a Catholic-controlled hospital...

This better
be good, damn it.

I'm sorry, Your Honor.

What the hell is going on here?

I sent for you.
There's a dispute here--

They're operating on this man's
wife against her will

against the faith
and we want it stopped.

Quiet!

You talk.

Eight months pregnant,
emergency C-section.

- The mother is a Christian scientist...
- Who does not consent!

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

Freedom of religion.

Motion denied.

The baby is third trimester.

It's well fair supersedes the
mother's religious preference.

Have you read
Roe v. Wade?

I saw the movie. Holly Hunter--

Shut up.

Your Honor, please...

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

whatever your religion
and that's that.

The baby's coming now
and here we go, here we go!

Oh, my, 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?
- My head.

- And my neck.
- Sandy, are you in pain?

- No!
- 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, stat.

- Stroking out.
- Sandy.

- Sandy.
- What the hell is this?

A berry aneurysm.

- It burst.
- From the surgery?

What's that mean?

She had a stroke.

She has a blood build up
on the right hemisphere.

The brain tissue was being
compressed, it's put her into a coma,

- so we have to drill through...
- Into her head? Her brain?

Yes.

You can't! You...

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 to let us.
- It's against our faith.

Jeffery.

Since 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 go this way because of you.

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

You're my lawyer.

- Jeffery, 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 her.

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 has to get no
medical treatment.

I've made my ruling.

We 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 count on a multi-million
dollar wrongful death suit.

It's a guarantee.

Now, if you ignore
the court order,

go and save her life, you're still looking
at contempt plus civil rights litigation.

But all I know, it's a hell of a
lot cheaper than letting her die.

- Should've left her in the restaurant.
- Father.

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

Counsel.

Let me try something.

All right, here's the deal.
We're prepared to ignore

Judge Bone's order
and 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

absorbing 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 for release...

- I want her released at once!
- ...not hold up the hospital for damages.

I'll throw in a million dollar
suit for pain and suffering!

Hey!

You all make me sick!

Jill, what are you doing?

I have a hypocrite oath
to uphold, excuse me.

- You're under a court order!
- What is she doing?

I don't care,
I'm gonna save my patient.

- Get me a neurosurgeon...
- Jill...

- You'll go to jail, Jill, I swear.
- Call surgery, have the OR free.

This is an ultra virus act,

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 Zawodski.
Let him sue!

How-How can you just stand there?
She's committing a crime.

I'm calling Judge Bone,
your wife is in big trouble.

Yeah,
let's get her positioning mark.

Jill, hold her head.

Test the drill.

Dad.

Oh... Kimberly,
would you take the boys home?

This could take a while.

Is she gonna be okay?

I don't know.

I prayed to Hashem.

Excuse me?

Jewish God.

Sheriff Brock!

Oh, take the boys. Go home.

Why didn't you stop her?

A woman's life was on the line,
I wasn't gonna--

When she comes out,
she goes into custody.

No argument!

They might
arrest both of us.

If they do, they do.

- Last hole.
- Ready for suction.

Okay, removing the bone flap.

Easy. Easy.

- That looks dry.
- Hmm.

Bring in the scope.

How's she doing?

Stable.

Air suction.

Here we go.

So far, so good.

First let me feel.

It went well but
she's still comatose.

Is she gonna be okay?

Well, she's in critical
condition, Mr. Murray,

so we just have to wait and see.

- Take her to jail.
- You son is on 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 going 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.

You have anything else
to argue,

do it 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 him?

Some of the boys were
calling Mark Chandler a kike.

Rather than just sending them
to the principal's office,

I decided to ask them
why they called 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.

No, I was educating.
I was not preaching.

And now look what's happened.

Next thing they'll be wearing
yarmulkes and eating latkes.

Oh, I didn't mean
anything by that.

Now, 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 gonna 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 lynch 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's 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--
- This doesn't involve your client!

You're asking us
to sign the death warrant.

- All right.
- Why is a 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 enforce your
religion on me.

Quiet! I'll take it
under advisement.

In the meantime,

I want a prognosis
on this woman's condition.

That is irrelevant.

It is to me.

Your Honor, you know
this isn't right.

You know this isn't right.

Mr. Murray,

your asking me for an order

which could end
a person's life.

I am asking you
to save her life.

According to our faith,

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 wanna 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 another night?

You're getting off light, Jill,
you defied a court order.

Be happy that it's
just two days.

So how's Zack? He said 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, uh,
Jesus son of God debate, I...

I really don't know the difference
between Christianity and Judaism.

There are big differences. Big!

First, you'll 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 stir our kid and
religion, we promised ourselves

- we would never do that.
- I know and it's...

it's probably just
harmless curiosity, but...

what if he wants to
become a Scientologist?

Or what about a Centenarian 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 stir them.

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

Jessie Kaplan doesn't
get picked on.

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

Trust me, Zack...

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 fad.

Well, then let's... let's just tell
him to wait un... 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 what you are 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 to 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, uh...

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 the 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 her 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!

Sh'ma Yisrael
Adonai Eloheinu

Adonai Ead

Sh'ma Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu

Adonai Ead

Sh'ma Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu

Adonai Ead--

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 "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...
In every religion,

we try for the strongest
possible connection to God.

For Christian scientists...

we-we think the connection is best if we
use prayer sometimes instead of medicine.

It-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, uh... he came all the way
in to say a prayer for you.

Can she hear you?

I-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.

Were 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.

- Uh-huh.
- Let's go.

Come on through,
everybody step 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.

Uh, 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 the 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 on as to
whether Sandy Murray should be released

from Thayer 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 can learn.

It's called education.

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

Oh, I-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 Jury?

Yes, so?

You talk about inter-marriage
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 wanna 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'd probably
wanna become pilgrims.

Wanting to be a pilgrim
is no 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 Zack in, Sheriff.

Let's question him about
what I am doing.

Maybe we will 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
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
on 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?

As almost zero.

Almost zero.
I believe you said that,

"The only thing that doctors
could do to help her was to pray."

- Did you say that?
- Uh, yes. Yes, I did.

Then what happened
with the patient?

She made a full recovery.

Mm. A miracle.

Well, medically speaking, yes.

But I wouldn't count on such
a miracle with Sandy Murray.

Oh, you wouldn't count on a Christian
scientist's miracle, would you?

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

Do you know anything
about his religion?

I know about the Christian scientist
prohibition against medical treatment

and it 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

had 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.

Gefilte fish.

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 works.

- Matthew.
- I'm trying to cure him.

So he won't wanna be Jewish.

It isn't a disease.

You should be ashamed
of yourself.

Fine. I tried to help.

Zack, uh...

I'm gonna bring you with me
to school committee tomorrow.

- Why?
- They wanna ask some questions

about your class
with Mr. Steinberg

and why you wanted
to be Jewish.

You do you still
wanna be Jewish?

Just conservative.

Not an orthodontist kind.

Oh, 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?

Mm...

- They have three basic rules.
- Okay.

Love learning.

- Love God.
- Mm-hmm.

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 a pure good.

'Cause 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, Zack.

They believe in good deeds,
they believe in learning

and be nice to animals.

Now, Christians believe
those things, too.

Yeah. But they still
got that hell.

This is blatant bigotry
and everybody here knows it!

They have
a constitutional right

to refuse treatment
on religious grounds

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

A month ago,

that man stood right here
in this court room

and chastised our 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 admitted that you
probably can't.

How dare you exalt the arrogance
of Western medicine

and of Catholicism, too?

To think that your way
is the only way?

It is hypocrisy,

it is bigotry
and everybody here knows it!

Does this country stands
for equal rights or not?

Today it has attacked
the Christian scientist,

tomorrow...

maybe even the Jews.

Maybe then it will be you.

For all our sakes,

stop this bigotry now.

Well, that was such
a pile of buckshot,

you'd think it would
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
medical 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
when pregnant.

Although, Mrs. Murray
evidently did not.

Food and water is
nothing more than aid.

It can't be considered healthcare,
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'll let her die.

That's all I have to say.

That's all it comes down to.

Sorry, Oscar,

there is 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.
- Yes, he is.

Yeah.

Could, uh...

you excuse us, I got, uh...

head him back
to the nursery soon, so I...

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

There are thousands of
medically documented cases, Mom.

People with an inoperable cancer
have been healed with prayer.

It's right in
the medical journals.

Kimberly, I would think on principle
alone you wouldn't work on this case.

I don't care that Douglas
Wambaugh is your boss.

Who's principle?

Hey, Zack, come on,
we're late.

You're gonna fry Steinberg?

- Matthew.
- Never mind.

I guess his principle
is wrong too.

Kimberly, I believe that
everybody is entitled

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

Cindy Elkin said
religion is like a fart.

Your own smells good
but everybody else's stinks.

I'm gonna wash your mouth out with
soap, young man. Matt! Here.

Don't you say that
to the school committee.

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

Honey, you gotta 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,
the 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 decisions.

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 herby, 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 exparte.

All you had to was to declare food
and water aid and not treatment.

- You had an easy out.
- But it would've been a lie.

It's a treatment to
the Christian scientist--

Three months ago, you came down
on 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? Hmm?

No medical treatment,
that isn't negligent,

if ever a court
was gonna step in.

Well, what if did, Gary,
what then?

You want judges deciding
what beliefs are reasonable?

Because once the court starts
doing that, where does it stop?

You think Catholicism
would be safe?

Catholicism wouldn't 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?

Yep.

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 that it
was good for you to be Jewish?

No.

Then why did
you wanna convert?

I don't know.

I just want to try it.

- Why?
- 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 Clause
comes on Christmas

'cause 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 gonna have to arrest you.

Mr. Murray,

she could still wake up,

she could come out of the coma.

Can you give us three days?

Uh, the longer she's comatose,
the more unlikely that...

I wanna take her now.

- Jill.
- No.

No! I can't in good conscious--

Jill, you can't stop this.

It's over.

It's over, honey.