Girl Dies After Parents Pray for Healing, Instead of Seeking Medical Help

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,341574,00.html

Wouldn't do this myself - it's heartbreaking to think she could have lived a really long life - but that is my perspective and beliefs and those poor parents now have no daughter and I feel badly for them even though my kid would be alive in the situation. We all do what we think is right and we live with the consequences.

I understand the whole religion thing for people however in my eyes that should be abuse. They let that girl suffer.

How sad.

I won't even comment on these parents, because I really do not know their religion. I've come to understand that some religions do not allow certain medical treatments, etc - my MIL is one who follows a rule similar to this, but not as harsh i don't believe.

My prayers go out to this family.

It’s a shame what some people do to their children because of their briefs and selfishness.

I'm not sure what to think of this story. I feel sad for what the girl went through and how it ended, but then again I really believe in a persons right to practice their religion as long as they aren't intentionally hurting someone else. I'm guessing these parents truly believed they were doing what was best for that child and I'm sure it was heartbreaking for them watching her die like that. And *gasp* I don't think they are completely incompetent for believing that God could heal their child. (I personally believe that God also created ways through medicine for us to be healed but that isn't the point here)

So yeah, I'm just not sure what I think.

I believe in the power of prayer but I also believe God gave us resources, doctors, medicine. In my eyes that was abuse

I know what you mean. I think they made a horrible mistake, but I'm sure they thought they were doing what was right. People can be so stubborn about their beliefs. I wish that they would have realized before it was too late that it's not a sin to get medical help, AND keep praying that God would heal her.

Ditto on the giving us resources part. What are doctors, nurses put here for if we do not use them?? This is abuse to me as well I believe.

This post has been edited by My2Beauties on Apr 1 2008, 08:03 AM

I know what you mean. I think they made a horrible mistake, but I'm sure they thought they were doing what was right. People can be so stubborn about their beliefs. I wish that they would have realized before it was too late that it's not a sin to get medical help, AND keep praying that God would heal her.

With my MIL's religion she can get certain types of medical help but not blood transfusions, etc. It may not be a sin to you or I, but it is to people with certain beliefs. I don't try to understand it, especially my MIL on such things.

I guess only they can ever know if the price they paid for their unquestioning faith was worth it.

I want to add...plus this little girl suffered, I think the parents need to be questioned and arrested, they put her through unnecessary suffering.

That's what I meant - maybe they think it is a sin, but I wish they would have realized otherwise in time to get their daughter the help she needed.

I think it is horribly sad. I can only imagine how they are feeling right now.
I believe that in this country we are free to exercise freedom of religion, and if their religion is against any/all medical intervention, then that is their right as her parents. It is sad, but I do not think they should be charged with abuse/neglect/etc. They did not intentionally make her sick nor cause her to die. They did what they believed to be best for her.

What I find so disturbing about the whole thing is that those parents thought that God was punishing them for not having enough faith... now they'll probably never have faith again....

I can't coment one way or the other on whether what they did is right or wrong or what they were truly thinking. I believe in modern medicine and my faith allows me to do so... I understand that there are faiths that don't (I don't know that this is even a case of that)... but I could not imagine watching my child die and not at least trying to do something about it.

i agree. i hope it makes them think twice the next time another child is sick.

Such a manageable condition its a shame they just didn't go in to her pediatrician - the MD would have known right away too. I wonder what the siblings think...

Yeah, I'm not sure I pity them much. I pity their children.

I watched a show about this last night and one of the officers at the house afterward said they had the medical card for all of their children and they also had syringes full of meds (prescribed by a doctor) for her illness. Why the prayer then?

I feel its abuse but in the eyes of others it is not
It will be up to the courts I feel

Some religious beliefs are just plain wrong. May God have mercy on them in their ignorance, because I'm just plain too angry that they would ignore the many gifts of medical science to have any empathy for them.

My faith does not override the fact that i would do anything to save my child. I would never put my faith in priority over getting my kids safe and healthy.

Ditto on the giving us resources part. What are doctors, nurses put here for if we do not use them?? This is abuse to me as well I believe.

I feel the same way.

EXACTLY!!!

I feel the way the rest of you do, there would be no way my faith would get in the way of me saving my child.

I only understand this because of my MIL's religion. Actually I don't understand it and I tell her that, but just as I've asked her to respect my style of living/religion she has asked me to respect hers.

I feel so sorry for that young girl. I wonder if she had such a strong understanding of her faith or if she was wishing someone would just help her live. KWIM?

The urge to protect our young is primal- it should be as automatic as breathing. I certainly agree with you, Karen, but these parents' idea about what constitutes protection is obviously vastly different from ours'. To them, God was protecting her, and if he called her home, so be it. It's not a mindset I can relate to, not being a person of strong faith, but there are alot of people who think that way, like your in-laws.