ID Republican: No reason to require faith-healing parents to seek medical treatment for dying kids

[cleanhippie]

An Idaho Republican is refusing to back a proposal that would require religious parents to seek medical care for their dying children — but he won’t promise any changes to a state law protecting faith healers.

Parents are allowed under state law to substitute prayer as a form of medical treatment and carves out a religious exemption to manslaughter, capital murder and negligent homicide charges if those prayers go unanswered and their child dies.

Critics of the law said some Idaho children are needlessly dying from treatable ailments such as diabetes, pneumonia and food poisoning-related dehydration, reported KOIN-TV.

--snip--

“Children do die,” said state Rep. Christy Perry (R-Nampa) last year. “I’m not trying to sound callous, but (reformers) want to act as if death is an anomaly. But it’s not — it’s a way of life.”

--snip--

“I believe the law is pretty straightforward,” said state Sen. Lee Heider, of Twin Falls. “We would encourage them to seek medical care, but we don’t force people to seek medical care — and whether it’s because they can’t afford it or, in this case, because of their heartfelt religious belief, we simply don’t do that.”

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/01/idaho-republican-sees-no-reason-to-require-faith-healing-parents-to-seek-medical-treatment-for-dying-kids/

[trotsky]

1. Oh I'm sure religion has nothing to do with this either.

Probably colonialism.

[Cartoonist]

3. Religion has nothing to do with it

It's all about massive brain stupidity.

[rug]

5. Oh I'm sure the fact that she's a republican lawmaker has nothing to do with this either.

[skepticscott]

6. Yep...there's a land grab

in there somewhere. Or so some apologist posters here have claimed.

[Warren Stupidity]

7. And it's discount doublecheck!

[cleanhippie]

8. Right on cue, too.

[whatthehey]

2. Sadly this nonsense passed MN Supreme Ct a while back

While I understand 1A grants freedom of religion and some religions (well not really, some Christian sects though) insist on sky-daddy doctorin' only, the same amendment grants free speech and yet the law still restricts speech which causes an unacceptable risk of serious harm. You'd think dead kids with easily treatable conditions as COD would be serious enough harm, but then again as in so many things IOKIYAC.

[trotsky]

4. Ain't religious privilege grand?

You can let your kids die from a treatable illness, no problem!

The privilege is so strong, there are some who will insist that religion is never to blame for anything.

[Bradical79]

9. Not exactly shocking :-(

When miracles, the power of prayer, and God making all things possible is taught as fact to millions of people from a young age, someone might actually take that shit seriously.

"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up."

It's rediculous that anyone gets a religious exception for killing their own children. I don't think separation of church and state should extend to any kind of child abuse (particularly lethal child abuse). They should face charges and have remaining children removed from their home.

[Bradical79]

10. And that is a pretty warped quote:

“Children do die,” said state Rep. Christy Perry (R-Nampa) last year. “I’m not trying to sound callous, but (reformers) want to act as if death is an anomaly. But it’s not — it’s a way of life."

A way of life? He talking about dead children. That's pretty fucking sick.