Religion has caused horrific problems since the dawn of man, and continues to do so. In ancient times, the Mayans, in the name of their gods, would torture and kill sacrificial victims, often times babies because they believed children’s tears brought rain.
Today, people would never do such a terrible thing. Or would they?
Some religious groups, such as Christian Scientists, pray to try and heal sick children. Some people of faith will pray while their children suffer and slowly die from some curable ailment, such as diabetes, rather than take them to a hospital and save their precious life with a shot of insulin.
All in the name of GOD.
There are many examples of this negligence even today: in fact, one of many incidents recently occurred in Oregon City, Ore. It was reported that 15-month-old Ava Worthington died on March 2, 2008 from bronchial pneumonia, a blood infection, and a benign cyst on her neck that hindered her breathing, all of which were never treated though all three were curable. Ava’s parents, Carl and Raylene Worthington, were charged with second degree manslaughter and criminal mistreatment and face up to six years in prison.
A similar incident occurred in Wausau, Wis. On Easter 2009 parents Dale and Leilani Neumann denied treatment and instead prayed for their 11-year-old youngest daughter, Madeline Kara Neumann, who suffered from diabetes to the point where she could no longer walk, speak, eat, or drink. They are to be arraigned for second-degree reckless homicide on Aug. 19 to which they will plead not-guilty to the charges, according to the Associated Press.
Several laws that protected families who wished to use faith healing have either been revoked or changed in the 1990’s, though some states still allow it in certain cases. Wisconsin, for example, has three exemptions including child abuse, crimes against children, and forcing medical treatment on someone who chooses spiritual prayer as a healing method.
Moreover, some spiritual “healers” believe that they should be paid up to $50 by insurance companies for their daily prayers for the sick.
The Pediatric Journal conducted a study in 1998 which showed that in two decades, 172 children died because of religious beliefs. Of the 172, 140 cases had a better than 90 percent of surviving if they had received medical treatment, according to Rita Swan, president of Children’s Healthcare Is a Legal Duty.
This is appalling to me.
The parents should be held completely responsible for their children’s deaths and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and then some.
Critics argue that having faith is a good thing, that it brings people together and gives people hope, but it is dangerous and stupid to believe in something that is mythical, unproven, and endangers sick children. Still, religious extremists like to overlook the aspects of the dogma that they do not like and rely only on the parts that they do.
But let us be honest: these beliefs, whether they are Christian, Muslim, or what-have-you, are really just delusions with no historical or scientific proof or benefits. Furthermore, they often create tension between the religions which can be violent and dangerous, such as Iran’s attack of Kosovo or Adolf Hitler’s genocidal attempt on Jews.
This religious epidemic is especially strong right here in the U.S.A. Out of 32 countries surveyed, American citizens doubted evolution more than any other country, except for Turkey, according to Bill Maher’s documentary, “Religulous.”
Even the people who are in charge of running this country, like Mark Pryor, a Democratic Senator for Arkansas, admit that religion has a way of “softening people.” When asked if he believed in evolution, Pryor said he did not know. He then added with a chuckle, “You don’t have to pass an IQ test to be in the Senate.”
Unfortunately, he is right.
God and country do not mix. Many of our founding forefathers were against religion. Benjamin Franklin said, “Lighthouses are more useful than churches.” Thomas Jefferson believed “Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man.”
Yet John McCain was quoted saying, “I would say that the constitution established [the] United Sates of America as a Christian nation.” He must not have done his homework.
According to Maher, non-religious people are the great untapped minority in America at 16 percent: higher than Jews (1.4 percent); NRA members (1.3 percent); Gays (3 percent); and Blacks (12.2 percent).
So why would intelligent people, in their right minds, ever think religion could be a good thing? What intelligent person could actually believe that a child’s life is less important than superstitions.
Clearly John Adams had it right when he said, “This world would be best of all possible worlds if there were no religion in it.”
Contact Leslie McDonnell at
communitarian@mail.dccc.edu
