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

Oh believe me my views are very different from what these parents did to their child. I don't agree with it at all and am completely refraining how I really feel inside ONLY because I know how powerful some religions are about medical help, etc.

I would be willing to bet that these parents are not guilt ridden over her death. They probably feel it was God's will. Which I guess is trhe part that alarms me really b/c they do have other children and who is to say they wouldn't repeat the same behavior when their other children are in need of medical treatment?
It would be more tolerable if they now were remorseful for their decision. But the fact that the mom still thinks her daughter will be resurrected is startling to me!

Well, remember the Jonestown massacre or the Waco tragedy? Many, many children died because of their parents' religious convictions. I'm sure those people thought their kids were going to a better place, too. Maybe they did, who knows?

How sad.

I'll bet you are right, they are not guilt-ridden but even if they feel it is God's will they still must feel a horrible loss.

I can't say the parents are "wrong" in their beliefs. I can only say I would not have done what they did. Until we meet the maker we will not know for sure what is right and wrong. JMHO

Aside frmo religion. They watched this poor child suffer for at least 30 days. I'm sorry but I have a huge problem with this. I believe in the power of prayer but this was such an easy disease to control. I had a dog for God's sake with diabetes. I got his insulin, needles and diet foods monthly. I find it horrible I took better care of my "dog" then these people did with their child.

I, too, believe that prayer is something that faithful should do to ask for help from God in almost all things. But I also believe that God has answered so many of our prayers by giving us talented, successful researchers who have discovered how to alter the chemical balances within our frail bodies to make us well, or at least make our quality of life better. Wouldn't ignoring those gifts be a slap in the face of a God who by His own word does much of His work through the human race He created?

but what if your religion didnt believe that medication came from God?

Then society has decisions to make, doesn't it? For as long as there has been social interaction, there has been selection as well. Only in recent times has political correctness overrode the wishes of society. Along with this understanding also must come understanding that many fundamentalist faiths believe that anything of science is born of evil, and therefore medicines are evil. When it comes down to these arguments, I believe, as will most I think, that if society snubs these arcane beliefs in favor of progress and takes action, the persons upon whom action has been taken can bear no guilt. Contrarily, if society as a whole is right in thinking that we have a responsibility to all of our human neighbors, and that we must do what we are able to ensure that no harm comes to them, then failing to act makes us as or more guilty than the parent who lets their child die for lack of insulin.

This post has been edited by redchief on Apr 2 2008, 02:16 PM

This is a quote from Dr. Schuller (sp?) I thought of this joke and of St. Augustine's quote, which I use all the time in my Sunday School classes. I just could not remember the specifics, when I googled it, I got this quote. I think very appropriate.

I personally wouldn't have done that but I believe those parents have every right to raise their children the way they believe is right. Those parents may not have cared for her physical body the way that society believes is right but perhaps in their eyes they protected her soul which is more important.

I don't think it is abuse because they did not try to hurt the child. They did only what they felt was right.

IMHO it seems like everything that does not make the child happy can be put into the category of abuse and I don't agree with that. Spanking your child when they are out of line is now abuse.

The child was sick but there was nothing they could do about it, not without sacrificing their child's soul so they left it in God's hands.

That's exactly how I feel. While I would do my best to keep my child alive by whatever means needed, I can understand someone's religious convictions that would cause them to value their child's eternal life more-so than their earthly life. While I am sure they love her and miss her, to them it was more important that they keep her after-life in tact.

Stories like this sadden and sicken me! I have faith that God can and does work miracles but I promise you that I would give anything I could to save my child-be that my life or my soul. Maybe I am wrong here but there is no rule too solid that I would not break it to save Taylor a day of suffering let alone a month of it? I don't applaud their faith-I pity their ignorance!

This post has been edited by punkeemunkee'smom on Apr 3 2008, 06:29 AM

Personally, I don't know what to think. Too many people, even religious people, underestimate the power of prayer. I soundly believe that no matter what happens in this world, it is God's plan for it to happen. Perhaps that was what the parents were thinking...no matter the amount of treatment the girl would have died anyways because it was God's will? I do think though that many people confuse Satan's temptations with God's callings. Hum... However, then I think about the illness. She was diabetic correct? Something EASILY treatable, it's not like she was on her deathbed from cancer. Many times people become diabetic due to the things we consume...and the things we consume today are not the same things that were consumed in Biblical days...so treatments reflect the times, if that makes sense. I firmly believe that God gave us these gifts of modern medicine (not all, but most) and much of that reflects the time we live in.

I don't think it was abuse. Being we are a heavily regilious family I feel the need to respect their personal convictions. God convicts everyone in different ways. What I am convicted of may not be what others are convicted of. But I also think when it comes to modern science people like to twist the words of the Bible A LOT to make a lot of things seem "bad" that are not. Some may think taking birth control is a sin. I however do not...I interpret it way differently, but that's a whole other thread. LOL I wouldn't condem someone's convictions though, if they truly feel it is God's will, as long as they don't point a finger and think I am sinning for not being convicted of the same thing. Sinning, conviction...two totally different things. However, I'd really like to know what they "practiced". The article said they had no religious affiliation, home church, or particular denomination of sorts...only had a Bible study with a few people. I'd like to know what type of person was leading that Bible study and where they are getting their interpretations from. I bet if they had affiliated themselves with people who could accurately tell the Scripture they may not been in this ugly mess.

This post has been edited by Boo&BugsMom on Apr 3 2008, 07:27 AM

I agree that when it is your time it is your time...something will happen that will make you meet you maker-KWIM? BUT BUT aside from my faith-the health and comfort and safety of my child comes first and always will. Bill and I have often said if when we stand befor the throne of God to be judged and He says 'you really could have been less protective parents' that is a judgement we are more than happy to take. I truly believe in the presence of Angels I believe that they protect us on this earth-I pray for Angels to guard and protect Taylor and Bill each day but even with as much faith as I have in the fact that they are there I still teach Tay about the dangers of playing in the road or crossing the fence or standing behind a horse,etc because I know that God has also given us the free will to use common sense! These parents let their child suffer...that is not the will of the God that I worship.
I understand the power of prayer I have seen it work but I would get my child treatment and pray for her healing while that was taking place. Would it be any less of a miracle if she was able to quit using insulin? I don't think so! I am sorry but IMO some people are too heavenly minded to be any earthly good!

Yes! Thank you Abbie!!

I'm sorry but I have to comment. There is a difference between not making your child happy (which could be not buying them a toy, not giving in to them when they want something, telling them to go to bed without TV, making them eat their brussel sprouts) but this isn't a case of "not making a child happy" hon this is a case of purely letting this poor little girl suffer and suffer until she finally passed away. How can that not be abuse, they knowingly let her suffer

Abbie, I hope you didn't think I was disagreeing with you or anyone else really, because I wasn't. I couldn't agree more. God gives us that common sense and a brain to use and it's our job to use it. I was more or less trying to depict my thoughts out loud, on both ends. Understanding their faithfulness, but also thinking at the same time that if they had the "proper" guidance with their faith (because they weren't with any church or group of people) that perhaps they could have seen the good in using doctor's and their treatments. That was more or less my point. I think they are a bit brainwashed, it seems...which was my point about knowing a conviction from God versus a temptation from Satan. Do I think they were wrong? Well, yes, I do. I don't think they were wrong in thinking God could help her...but I think they were really misguided in their thinking...or lack there of. Especially when it comes to something like diabetes...it's so treatable and to think they let their child go for somethin God has allowed us to treat so easily breaks my heart. The only thing I have a hard time with is calling it abuse, or at least for now until I know more information about their critical thinking skills. For now I will say that they were just very irresponsible.

ETA: Personally, if this were my child, I would have gotten every bit of help imaginable, then if I tried everything and nothing worked and my child still was called "home"...then I could feel assured that my child passed due to God wanting my child home with Him...not because I was irresponsible.

This post has been edited by Boo&BugsMom on Apr 3 2008, 10:12 AM

OMG...and I just noticed...it was in WISCONSIN! Why do we get all these crazy people representing our state!?!?

My feelings are so mixed on this one. I can't really see both sides. How sad for everyone involved.

No I did not think you were saying it was OK jennie or that you agreed with it at all This is just a hot button issue with me. I grew up in a church where you said you were catching a healing instead of confessing a cold over yourself-Your words and the 'footholds' you gave to the devil in your life were something that was preached about often....The pastor always advocated using a doctor if need be though but many people chose to pray first and wait til the need was greater than just a common problem...I loved and respected alot of those people I KNOW their hearts were pure in their love for their family and their faith-I am sure these people loved their daughter too! It just frustrates the #e&& (sorry no pun intended) out of me when common sense is ignored or forgotten all together and then touted as faith. How many times have each of us sat up with a fever ridden child in the middle of the night or just sat to watch them breathe after they have gotten sick-waiting for that magic number on the clock when we could call the pedi? WHAT makes someone capable of ignoring your child's cry? How does ignorance and apathy under the guise of faith distort what we would all clearly call child abuse in any other household? Honestly I take offense to people like this who use the name of the Lord as a sheild for their mistakes!

Me too.