Dr Richard Scott spoke about the matter of religion to the 24-year-old, who has been described as "suicidal" and "vulnerable", at the end of a consultation at his surgery, the General Medical Council (GMC) heard.
After allegedly being told ''Go for it'' by the patient, the GP is said to have told him faith in Christianity may help him overcome personal problems.
But the 51-year-old doctor ''crossed the line'' in discussing his own personal religious beliefs with a vulnerable patient and even went on to suggest he might benefit from a Christian faith - above his own religion.
The patient, who was seen by the GP at the Bethesda Medical Centre in Margate, Kent, was left ''very upset'' and felt Dr Scott had ''belittled'' his own faith, th GMC heard, and made a complaint.
Under GMC rules, doctors are not allowed to impose personal or religious beliefs on patients and, if such issues are raised, it must be done in a ''sensitive and appropriate'' manner, the hearing was told.
Patient A, whose identity has not been made public, has decided not to attend the hearing. His own religious affiliation has not been made public.
Paul Ozin, counsel for the GMC, said: ''Dr Scott said to patient A about the 'additional help which he might derive from Jesus'.''
Mr Ozin told the committee of an interview Dr Scott gave to BBC Radio 5 Live with Nicky Campbell on May 24 this year.
Campbell put it to him that, during the course of the conversation, Dr Scott was ''trying to convince him that your faith may be better...''
Dr Scott replied: ''Yeah, my actual words were 'You might find Christianity offers you something more than your current faith does in this situation'.''
Campbell then said: ''What is it that Jesus could have offered him more than his own faith?''
Dr Scott replied: ''He had an awful lot of problems, and the thing to know, that God loves us and Jesus loves us and you can deal with stuff in the past, in terms of hurt or guilt or fear of failure, stuff you can only really find through Christianity.
''I do offer it (faith) in situations like this.''
Patient A did not take up the offer, Mr Ozin said.
He continued: ''It is a matter of record that Patient A subsequently complained about Dr Scott and said he was very upset about the consultation and he was offended by what he saw as the belittling of his own religion.
''On these facts alone Dr Scott failed to comply with the relevant GMC guidance, designed to strike the right balance between doctor and patient in this difficult and sensitive area.
''A line was crossed because Dr Scott expressed his personal religious belief to a person who he knew was a vulnerable patient in a way that was plainly liable to cause the patient distress.
''He suggested Jesus or Christianity - his own religion - offered something exclusive and superior to that offered by the patient's own religion.''
taken from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/religionbookreviews/8781871/Christian-GP-suggested-suicidal-patient-embrace-Jesus.html
Paul Ozin, counsel for the GMC, said: ''Dr Scott said to patient A about the 'additional help which he might derive from Jesus'.''
Mr Ozin told the committee of an interview Dr Scott gave to BBC Radio 5 Live with Nicky Campbell on May 24 this year.
Campbell put it to him that, during the course of the conversation, Dr Scott was ''trying to convince him that your faith may be better...''
Dr Scott replied: ''Yeah, my actual words were 'You might find Christianity offers you something more than your current faith does in this situation'.''
Campbell then said: ''What is it that Jesus could have offered him more than his own faith?''
Dr Scott replied: ''He had an awful lot of problems, and the thing to know, that God loves us and Jesus loves us and you can deal with stuff in the past, in terms of hurt or guilt or fear of failure, stuff you can only really find through Christianity.
''I do offer it (faith) in situations like this.''
Patient A did not take up the offer, Mr Ozin said.
He continued: ''It is a matter of record that Patient A subsequently complained about Dr Scott and said he was very upset about the consultation and he was offended by what he saw as the belittling of his own religion.
''On these facts alone Dr Scott failed to comply with the relevant GMC guidance, designed to strike the right balance between doctor and patient in this difficult and sensitive area.
''A line was crossed because Dr Scott expressed his personal religious belief to a person who he knew was a vulnerable patient in a way that was plainly liable to cause the patient distress.
''He suggested Jesus or Christianity - his own religion - offered something exclusive and superior to that offered by the patient's own religion.''
taken from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/religionbookreviews/8781871/Christian-GP-suggested-suicidal-patient-embrace-Jesus.html
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