We look at two tragic cases in the news in which religion and child welfare conflict (to say the least). First, a Minnesota court has ordered 13-year-old Daniel Hauser to undergo chemo to treat his cancer, but he and his parents object, preferring to use “natural” remedies based on supposed Native American teachings. Second, a Wisconsin jury has found Leilani Neumann guilty in the death of her 11-year-old daughter Madeline Kara; Neumann and her coreligionists decided, rather than seek medical attention, to pray that God cure Kara of diabetes. It didn’t work.
Plus:
California’s Supreme Court has upheld Proposition 8, the recent amendment to the state constitution that outlaws gay marriage. On the up-side, the Court says any same-sex marriages conducted before the ban remain valid.
The return of Holey Scripture!
Finally, a ton of listener feedback. (By the way, the mythical show in which John indulges in “libertarian rants” and “extols the virtues of libertarianism” is probably Show #21, our discussion of Science Debate 2008. But if you’re looking for regular doses of libertarian preachiness, the American Freethought Podcast will disappoint overall.)
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David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation. AtheistAlliance.org/podcast.
Interested in science fiction? Then check out John’s other online project, SciFiDimensions.com.
Theme music by Body Found.
Recorded May 28, 2009. Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll.
I think you meant Mathew 27: 53 instead of Acts 27: 53.
You are totally correct, I don’t know what I was thinking. I knew it was in Matthew but must have gotten confused while writing down verses. Or perhaps the devil wanted to make me look stupid so made me write down the wrong book! Thanks for the correction.
Here is the link to the Bible Warning Labels I mentioned during the show.
http://ffrf.org/shop/products/details.php?cat=edstickers&ID=ST1
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