Parents chose faith over doc; kid dies

[jimtron]

From here:

OREGON CITY -- Carl and Raylene Worthington told detectives that they never considered calling a doctor, even as their 15-month-old daughter deteriorated and died.
"I don't believe in them," Carl Worthington said of doctors. "I believe in faith healing."

Raylene Worthington said that her religious beliefs do not encompass medical care and that she would not have done anything different for her - daughter, who died at home of pneumonia, a blood infection and other complications.

He said no one in his immediate family has ever been to a doctor or used prescription or over-the-counter medicine. "It's not something we believe in."

Brent Worthington said he had ultimate responsibility for Ava's care. "I'm the head of the house; it falls to me. The wife follows the husband."

 

[RandFan]

"I don't believe in them," Carl Worthington said of doctors. "I believe in faith healing."

Hopefully the courts where they live believe that neglect should be illegal regardless of the cause.

 

[Femke]

"I don't believe in them," Carl Worthington said of doctors. "I believe in faith healing."

Would the fact that faith did obviously not heal mean that he will start questioning faith healing as well?

 

[jimtron]

Would the fact that faith did obviously not heal mean that he will start questioning faith healing as well?

God works in mysterious ways, dontcha know.

 

[RandFan]

Would the fact that faith did obviously not heal mean that he will start questioning faith healing as well?

Faith healing works in one of two ways.

1. It works.
2. It doesn't work.

See, ultimately it is up to god to decide whether the infant lives or dies. We can't question god. We can't make these types of logical conclusions. To "not work" is in fact working. Not working IS working. Such is the logic of religion. Bri (another poster on this forum) will even argue for 30 plus pages that this is actually rational (from a religious perspective).

That faith healing works no better than chance alone would predict is also not an impediment. Again, we can't use logic and reason when it comes to faith.

 

[yy2bggggs]

Faith healing works in one of two ways.

1. It works.
2. It doesn't work.

But faith without works is dead, right?

 

[Safe-Keeper]

So when doctors don't have a 100% success rate it means people shouldn't believe in them.
When faith healing doesn't have a 100% success rate it means God is testing us, has a plan, didn't see enough faith in you, etc.

Brent Worthington said he had ultimate responsibility for Ava's care. "I'm the head of the house; it falls to me. The wife follows the husband."

But that's the Old Testament! It doesn't coun--

Oh, wait...

 

[Eskarina]

He said no one in his immediate family has ever been to a doctor or used prescription or over-the-counter medicine. "It's not something we believe in."

I just wish evolution would get them before they have kids.

 

[chillzero]

Would the fact that faith did obviously not heal mean that he will start questioning faith healing as well?

No, generally the feeling will be that someone didn't believe or pray hard enough, or in the right way.

 

[Elizabeth I]

Brent Worthington said he had ultimate responsibility for Ava's care. "I'm the head of the house; it falls to me. The wife follows the husband."

That's nice. Maybe they'll get to share a double cell in some hellhouse of a prison.

 

[Monketi Ghost]

Only in religion do you find a safe haven for child abusers.

 

[MG1962]

This Guardian article - although old - adds a few more details about this Church.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/31/usa2

 

[Phrost]

Score another win for Natural Selection.

 

[CelticRose]

As a Christian, faith healing is something that I don't understand. Yes, you should pray for people when they're ill, but you should also take them to a doctor.

If you believe that all things come from God, then it is disrespectful to Him to reject the intelligence, skills, and knowledge that He has given to doctors.

Not taking a sick baby to a doctor is child abuse, and if the baby dies it's murder.

 

[sinclairmcevoy]

Only in religion do you find a safe haven for child abusers.

C'mon now, denying your child a doctor based on your religious beliefs is just one form of abuse. There are lots of other forms not religion based. Sex tourism, for example.

 

[RandFan]

As a Christian, faith healing is something that I don't understand. Yes, you should pray for people when they're ill, but you should also take them to a doctor.

If you believe that all things come from God, then it is disrespectful to Him to reject the intelligence, skills, and knowledge that He has given to doctors.

Not taking a sick baby to a doctor is child abuse, and if the baby dies it's murder.

Thank you.

I am happy to accept this answer. If one believes in god then why not believe that good things come from god. The ability to save a life is a very good thing. Modern medicine is by the standards of just 100 years ago miraculous.

 

[SpuriusMaximus]

No, generally the feeling will be that someone didn't believe or pray hard enough, or in the right way.

... or God wanted to test their faith. Or works in mysterious ways. Or saw that the child was deserving eternal bliss in heaven. Or it's punishment for the atheists next door. Or one of a thousand and one excuses, really.

 

[MattusMaximus]

But faith without works is dead, right?

Well, that will be some consolation to the dead kid.

One has to wonder just how strongly these idiot parents cling to their faith. When it's their kid's life on the line, no doctors just prayer. Kid dies. Oh boo hoo, I suppose it was God's will.

But now their asses are on the line. They're looking at possibly going to jail for a long, long time. I suggest they put their faith to the test again - instead of having a lawyer represent them in court, they should just pray that God will acquit and set them free from the persecution they're now undergoing.

Somehow I think they've got a lawyer. Hypocrites.

 

[MG1962]

As a Christian, faith healing is something that I don't understand. Yes, you should pray for people when they're ill, but you should also take them to a doctor.

If you believe that all things come from God, then it is disrespectful to Him to reject the intelligence, skills, and knowledge that He has given to doctors.

Not taking a sick baby to a doctor is child abuse, and if the baby dies it's murder.

I completely agree - Examples like this only help to create far more athiests than people of faith

 

[RandFan]

I completely agree - Examples like this only help to create far more athiests than people of faith

Not that there's anything wrong with that.