Age of Innocence, The
Friday, February 5th, 2010|
IMDB rating: 7.10 Plot: Society scion Newland Archer is engaged to May Welland, but his well-ordered life is upset when he meets May’s unconventional cousin, the Countess Olenska. At first, Newland becomes a defender of the Countess, whose separation from her abusive husband makes her a social outcast in the restrictive high society of late-19th Century New York, but he finds in her a companion spirit and they fall in love. |
Actors: Day-Lewis Daniel,McCowen Alec,Grant Richard E.,Leonard Robert Sean,Pryce Jonathan,Gough Michael,Wilson Stuart,Drama,Romance,
Why do parents want to deny their children life-saving medical treatments on basis of religion?
For a school assignment, I have been reading case after case of parents who claim that their freedom of religion is violated by the state interferring with their decision to deny their child life-saving medical treatment (usually blood transfusion).
In one case, I read of a father stating how his 13 year old daughter was so terrified because she was continuously being told that if she took the blood transfusion, she would go to hell.
I keep reading these cases and keep becoming angry with these parents who think they have a right to literally let their child because of religious dogma that they believe. The child has not been able to form an opinion on religion as they have as adults.
What happens to these children once they have received the forbidden medical treatment? Are they shunned from their families/communities? Or do they spend the rest of their lives repenting?
And do these adults not believe in "age of innocence" where a child especially a baby is not religiously responsible i.e. let a premature baby have the transfusion. If they baby died even after the transfusion, the all-loving god would surely not send a premature baby to hell…would he?
Here are at least 50 cases, in Canada, regarding Jehovah’s Witnesses and blood transfusions for children.
http://www.canlii.org/eliisa/search.do?l anguage=en&searchTitle=Search+all+Ca nLII+Databases&sortOrder=relevance&a mp;searchPage=eliisa%2FmainPageSearch.vm &text=%22jehovah%27s+witness%22%2C+b lood+transfusion%2C+child&id=&st artDate=&endDate=&caselaw=courts
I tell you whut!:
That quote is from a court transcript.
I was actually not aware of that so I did google it.
While it may be true that they dont believe in the hellfire version etc. it still doesnt take away the possibility of using it as a fear tactic on a child.
Alissa: I know it appears as if I am picking on them but question did start off generally; its just that the mass majority of such cases before the courts were of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
I am aware of such instances in other belief systems.
As for "don’t you think it would be better to die then to disobey God?":
The issue with that is that you can believe that as an adult but a baby has not been able to make a deterimination to that effect.
That child has to be given the chance to grow up and make their own decision and if as an adult they want to refuse, it is their legal right.
But parents cannot and should not let their child die because of what they believe.
This is one of the reasons why someone needs to be an intermediary and step in. If a parent is teaching a child their religious traditions, and those teachings endanger the life of the child, then it’s the same as a parent teaching a child a suicide technique, and child protection services need to get involved.
Return of Wonder Weirdo | Jan 22, 2010
Because religious dogma results in bad things happening, especially for children of parents who are brainwashed by organized religion.
echo | Jan 22, 2010
Yea, it’s sad that JW’s do that. As for the age of innocence…well that’s another subject.
itsnotme4321 | Jan 22, 2010
Look up the earmarks of a cult. That’s what you’re dealing with here.
dog on sofa | Jan 22, 2010
You say ‘I read of a father stating how his 13 year old daughter was so terrified because she was continuously being told that if she took the blood transfusion, she would go to hell.’
Someone has got confused. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in Hell as a place of eternal torment, so it just goes to show you can’t believe everything you read doesn’t it?
I tell you whut! | Jan 22, 2010
That really is disturbing. People get so caught up in speculation around what happens when we die, they sacrifice their own lives and well-being and that of their loved ones in pursuit of a dream.
Father Tucker | Jan 22, 2010
First of all, I believe that God often heals people through doctors.
Jehovah’s witnesses are particularly against blood transfusions. As far as I know they’re fine with other medical treatments, so just be happy for that. IF God really would be unhappy with you if you got blood transfusions and IF it really is a sin… don’t you think it would be better to die then to disobey God? This life is just a small part of our existence, and what we do here largely effects the rest of our existence… so wouldn’t it just be better to obey God and die but live forever with God?
I think you shouldn’t just pick on Jehovah’s Witnesses, theres other churches that are against medical treatment. Some are against all medicall treatment. I’ve seen a couple cases on the news both about the same small church (Followers of Christ Church) in Oregon. They’ve had a baby and a teenager die from treatable illnesses because of "faith healing". http://oregoncity.katu.com/content/faith -healing-trial-testimony-about-ava-worth ington-will-stay
Alissa | Jan 22, 2010
Because peoples faiths are more important than the lives of their children.
Belief can be a dangerous thing depending on those beliefs.
dangerous beliefs like the fact that known child molesters and rapists are given second chances in society based on the belief that people can change in the christian judeo society we live in.
i firmly believe that if a parent or parents indoctrinate their children, brainwash their children into a certain belief system whether by force, fear or habit, it’s all wrong and akin to molestation.
A child should have the right to chose their own spiritual path or religion and should have the right to live through medical intervention despite their parents religious beliefs.
The child never asked to be born, nor did they ask their parents to choose whether they live or die based on those parents religious dogma.
it is infurating to me just as circumcision,( male or female), ear piercing when still a baby and baptism.
the religious path is a person decision that should be up to the individual when they are of an age wherein they can be aware of the concepts of religion.
Otherwise, parents are (in a perfect world), the ones to protect the lives of their children, not to determine whether they die based on idiotic dogma.
Lea R | Jan 22, 2010
To paraphrase PT Barnum - there is a psychotic born every minute.
Ricardo | Jan 22, 2010
As someone else already pointed out, but a point that bears repeating…Jehovah’s Witnesses DO NOT believe in hell. We DO NOT threaten people with hell. So, I don’t know who you’re talking about, but it WAS NOT a Jehovah’s Witness family. You should probably check you’re so called facts.
Now, ask yourself how many children are being poisoned hourly by parents who smoke. Do you know how many of those kids develop cancer, asthma, and many other life threatening illnesses? I can tell you it’s more than 50. Now, here’s a fact about Jehovah’s Witnesses. We do NOT smoke.
Now, do you know how many people get sick and die each year due to infections from blood transfusions? 60,000 worldwide. Do you know how many get lingering sicknesses such as HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis, and many other blood born pathogens.
We abstain from blood because God commands us to. Acts 15:28,
Edward Hudson