God M.D.
For many of us it’s difficult to understand why a parent would forego calling their pediatrician in favor of prayer, but a recent case prompted the judge to hand down a verdict that read in part, “Americans aren’t necessarily hostile to the concept of faith healing. In fact, there is openness to its possibilities. The [Oregon] trial may have been less about faith healing and more about the way we view the responsibilities of parents. There was a sense among jurors that the parents were doing what they thought was right. As a society, we have to give parents the latitude to do that.”
At Today’s POV when visitors were polled for their position, 100% of the voting visitors indicated that they believe parents should be prosecuted for following religious beliefs instead of seeking medical treatment when their children face a life-threatening illness.
In a February article, Time Magazine online ran the story of 11-year-old Kara Neumann of Weston, Wisconsin. Kara died of diabetes when her parents sought prayer instead of medical help. Shortly thereafter, the state’s attorney charged the parents with reckless endangerment. The parents each face up to 25 years for their adherence to their religion. Mr. and Mrs. Neumann were convicted for failing to seek medical help. Marathon County Circuit Judge Vincent Howard set Oct. 6 for sentencing for both parents.
According to the Adherents‘ web site, Christianity is practiced by the vast majority of Americans with only a handful of religions that counsel against modern medicine. Unfortunately, children are the most visible casualties of their parents’ convictions.
In the Oregon ruling, Digital Journal online reported that on July 23 the jury acquitted two parents, Carl and Raylene Worthington, in the pneumonia-induced death of their 15-month-old daughter. Though Oregon had previously tightened its laws to make parents more responsible with regard to using proper medicine for their children, the jury seemed to have sympathized with the parents’ use of prayer rather than medicine to save the baby’s life.