Disabled Daughter of U.S. Faith Healers Wants to See Her Parents Prosecuted

[Perspicuo]

Disabled Daughter of U.S. Faith Healers Wants to See Her Parents Prosecuted
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friend...-healers-wants-to-see-her-parents-prosecuted/

Mariah Walton was born with a small hole in her heart. It could have been fixed with a relatively low-risk procedure when she was still a child, but her parents, devout Mormons, did nothing. They believed that through acts of faith, including lots of prayer, God would heal Mariah.

Mariah left home two years ago, and ultimately decided she wants her mother and father to get their comeuppance

 

[Perspicuo]

Bill Maher commenting on the same case via his blog:

http://www.real-time-with-bill-maher-blog.com/index/2016/4/26/heal-or-no-heal

In all 50 states, if you’re an irresponsible or drug-addicted or just plain impoverished parent and you don’t actively seek medical care for your sick child, you can be prosecuted for medical neglect. And if that child dies, you can be charged with manslaughter. But in six states, if you behave the exact same way in the name of Jesus – you try and pray your child’s illness away, instead of seeking medical treatment – you’re shielded from prosecution.

 

[Peez]

In related news:

Alberta parents convicted in toddler's meningitis death

Peez

 

[Perspicuo]

Criminal negligence, if you ask me.

 

[Malintent]

Wouldn't it follow that these people should not seek (or be provided) any kind of assistance by the government, as it would be a trespass on their faith the god provides? So, no fire department (god burns and spares what he will)... no police department (a youth's baseball bat to a parent's head for not providing healthcare services is just as much god's will as anything else)... and no social security services of any kind (the poor are gods favorite children)...

 

[GenesisNemesis]

I was born with the same issue, including a triple hernia and hearing/feeding problems. Plus I was sick often. Fortunately my parents had sense. Completely agree with prosecuting them.

 

[Valjean]

What's the prosecution supposed to accomplish? Does she think her parents will be re-educated and see the error of heir ways?

 

[bilby]

What's the prosecution supposed to accomplish? Does she think her parents will be re-educated and see the error of heir ways?

Presumably she wants to discourage and deter other parents from following a similar course of (in)action.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Statute of limitations?

The parents are idiots and criminally liable for their actions, but has that liability run out (or even exist in that state)?

The State shouldn't have to take a child into custody in order to ensure they aren't going to suffer for the rest of their life. But you always seem to have these minority cases where they push into this uncomfortable situation of the State needing to make decisions for the family. Decisions that should be pretty easy to make on their own.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

What's the prosecution supposed to accomplish? Does she think her parents will be re-educated and see the error of heir ways?

Presumably she wants to discourage and deter other parents from following a similar course of (in)action.

Not presumably. She states that quite unambiguously in the article.

This is quite a different story than the link from Peez. Maybe Canadians really are smarter as it seems the Canadian couple loved their kid but were just inept parents.

The article in the OP nicely demonstrates how religion makes a god more important than a kid, how it makes the parents selfish, even to the point of killing their children for their right to have their god. Is it any different than outright child sacrifice when you think about what it accomplishes? Seems the same to me.

 

[Peez]

Presumably she wants to discourage and deter other parents from following a similar course of (in)action.

Not presumably. She states that quite unambiguously in the article.

This is quite a different story than the link from Peez. Maybe Canadians really are smarter as it seems the Canadian couple loved their kid but were just inept parents.

The article in the OP nicely demonstrates how religion makes a god more important than a kid, how it makes the parents selfish, even to the point of killing their children for their right to have their god. Is it any different than outright child sacrifice when you think about what it accomplishes? Seems the same to me.

I agree that the story I linked to is about a different situation, but what they have in common is parents who allowed their beliefs to drive them to neglect a child that they doubtless loved very much. In both cases their minds were disabled to the point of being unable to make rational decisions. It may well have been selfishness, but it could also have been belief that the child's 'soul' would be better served by avoiding medical treatment.

The thing is, if you accept the premise that there is an omnimax god and that people have this immortal soul, it is hard to argue against their logic.

Peez

 

[Malintent]

What's the prosecution supposed to accomplish? Does she think her parents will be re-educated and see the error of heir ways?

It could potentially accomplish a means for young children to actually get the medical attention they require.