I’m not one of those who thinks religious upbringing is necessarily tantamount to child abuse, but occasionally items pop up in the news that really make me think hard about how to separate “mere” religious belief from downright delusional behavior.
First up is Colleen Hauser, now on the run with her 13-year-old son who’s dying of cancer (and who can say they didn’t see this one coming?). Hauser, along with her husband Anthony, are (theoretically) Roman Catholic, but also belong to Nemenhah Band, a group with Native American connections that believe in “natural” (read: ineffective) medical treatment. Sorry, but you can’t treat Hodgkins’ lymphoma with vitamin supplements. Anyway, a judge ordered them to let the boy be treated with chemotherapy, but now (apparently) it looks like the Hausers would rather let him die the old-fashioned way–by doing nothing and hoping for the best.
Meanwhile, the trial continues for Leilani Neumann, a mother who let her 11-year-old daughter die of diabetes, choosing to pray for her recovery rather than seek medical treatment. From the Associated Press:
WAUSAU, Wis. – A woman who saw an 11-year-old girl just hours before she died says she was shocked by the girl’s condition but never considered advising the family to get her to a doctor.
Jennifer Peaslee testified Wednesday in the trial of Leilani Neumann, the girl’s mother.
Neumann is charged with second-degree reckless homicide for praying instead of seeking medical care for her daughter Madeline. The child died March 23, 2008, from untreated diabetes.
Peaslee said she saw Madeline that morning, lying unconscious on a bathroom floor. She said she knew the parents wouldn’t take her to a doctor because they believe the Lord can heal.
Peaslee said she prayed with the family and read Scriptures around the girl and left convinced God was going to heal the child.
Shouldn’t Peasleee be charged with being an accessory to murder (or whatever the charge would be called)?
I wish these stories were even more highly publicized so everyone would see what kind of nut you have to be to think prayer works.
The answer is right there people, stop looking for a miracle.
What pisses me off most about the Neumann case is this:
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/45213972.html
So you don’t get medical attention for your daughter, but when you don’t feel well, let’s get that checked out. (She was probably ordered to get the attention, but it doesn’t say anything about her refusing)
I know the judge is obliged to give an ill person medical attention, and its the right thing to do, since she’s being changed for neglecting just that for her daughter. But I can’t help but feel something deep inside of me that wanted the judge to tell her to pray for a fucking miracle and make her stay there.
Sorry to be so harsh, but I hate it when innocent children are harmed because of this type of stupidity.
It sounds like Neumann had a panic attack in court. Boo hoo.
Why didn’t even one of the visitors to the home just call an ambulance? It makes me crazy to think of this little girl laying on the bathroom floor in agony, probably wondering why her parents weren’t helping her. Here we are being outraged about a kid we didn’t even know but not one of her family’s friends were outraged enough to call 911.
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