I was going to go to the 10:30 AM Showing of Public Enemies but Mom’s air conditioner broke just at the start of a heat wave where we are going to have temperatures in the nineties three days in the row. I’m sitting here waiting for the repair guys and that pushes back the movie to late this afternoon or tomorrow morning.
While waiting for the repair guys I was reading an article in The Oregonian that just begs some really tough questions to discuss here. What is more important the parents right to follow their religious beliefs or the State’s right to force the parents to seek treatment for their ill daughter?
Quoting directly from Ogegonlive.com
“Carl and Raylene Worthington, members of the Followers of Christ church in Oregon City, are accused of manslaughter and criminal mistreatment in the death of their 15-month-old daughter. Ava Worthington died in March 2008 from complications from pneumonia and a blood infection, both treatable conditions. The Worthington case will be the first test of a 1999 Oregon law that removed legal protections for parents who withhold medical treatment on religious grounds.”
You can read all of the articles about the case and the trial that just started this Tuesday by going to Oregonlive.com and search the reporter covering the story, Steve Mayes.
Here are some of the highlights of the case as paraphrased from an article written by Mayes.
Ava Worthington died surrounded by loved ones and 200 church members ones who believed their prayers would heal the young child. As the 15-month-old girl struggled to breathe, church members anointed her with oil and pleaded with God to provide a cure. But Ava died March 2, 2008, of bronchial pneumonia and a blood infection. Antibiotics could have saved her life, the state medical examiner's office said.
“The Worthington trial will touch on some profound questions. When does a child's welfare outweigh religious freedom? When does the state's responsibility to safeguard children trump parental rights? Perhaps the most haunting question is this: What kind of parent stands by while a child writhes in pain or suffers a lingering death? If the parents are doing what they think is best for their child, can there be criminal intent?
The Worthington’s maintain that the state and federal constitutions give them the right to care for their children according to their religious beliefs.
Prosecutors say religious and parental rights do not give the Worthingtons the right to endanger the life of a child.
“The Worthington case has opened a window on the Followers of Christ church.
The Followers never grant media interviews, but church President Fred Smith briefly discussed the church's approach to healing the sick in a recent court hearing. "We believe in Jesus Christ ... and he tells you to anoint them with oil and pray for them. So that's what we believe in."
The church's reliance on spiritual healing over medical treatment stems from a passage in the Book of James: "Is any sick among you? 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 shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."
Former church members that seek medical care for either themselves or family members say they are shunned. The church disputes this.
By all appearances, Carl and Raylene Worthington are law-abiding parents who deeply grieve the loss of their daughter. But under Oregon law, they could each receive more than six years in prison if convicted.
Where do you stand on this issue? I think it is tragic all around but I come down on the side of law. I believe that saving the child is more important than the parents’ right to raise their child according to their religious beliefs. My heart just goes out to the parents, I just think they were wrong. And although I think they were wrong I don't think they should be sent to jail.
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I also come down on the side of the law. I'm sorry they didn't step in and save the child's life. It would have been so easy.
I feel sorry for the parents as well, because they are deluded, not to say flatly that they are stupid. I wouldn't put them in jail, though if they have other children, I might put them under permanent observation and/or supervision by someone with functioning brain cells. I'm pretty sure that if the state had stepped in and the child was saved, they and the rest of their cult would have said it was divine intervention and their prayers that did it, not the antibiotics.
This kind of blind faith in someone's interpretation of a thousand-year-old book just bugs the heck out of me, sorry if I rant.
Hi Pat
I actually like the rant because I believe as you do but would like it even if I didn't.
What makes this story even more tragic is that five years ago the mother had a stillborn because she didn't seek medical care. The district attorney ruled no crime in that instance.
I also wonder if this church is anti-abortion because it is "killing babies".
Bill
Like you and Pat, I come down on the side of the law, in regards to the death of the child. I believe parents have the right and responsibility to raise their children according to their religious beliefs. I also believe prayer can be a tremendous part of healing. That said, there's also the fact that "God helps those who help themselves."
Jesus was a healer - he made the cripple walk, blind man see, raised Lazuras from the dead. But... we are not Jesus. Yes, He said annoint with oil and pray, but he never said don't get help (and they had healers back then, perhaps included in the elders, although I'd have to research that). I could have annointed and prayed myself blue in the face, but Mom would have died without the bypass surgery and might have done so without the later intervention in the erroneous diabetic treatments she'd been receiving in AK.
1st Corinthians tells us that the Sprit provides a diversities of gifts to manking, including wisdom, knowledge and the gifts of healing. Does this mean doctors? It also says, "God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps administrations and varieties of tongues." It goes on to ask if all have been given each of these gifts, although the question is never really answered, that I can find. In Jeremiah, God asks if there's no physician in Gilead.
If God felt we could do it on our own, why would he have given men and women the abilities to find cures, to develop treatments, to save lives? Stories and evidence of such healers go back to the earliest civilizations? I digress.
I don't believe the Worthingtons deserve to go to jail, as it doesn't sound as if there was any criminal intent. I do believe there was misguided reliance on healing the child without outside intervention, particularly given the causes of death. I do believe that if a child has a condition that can be treated, one that could be fatal if left untreated, the state has a right to step in and demand the parents allow such, if expert opinion supports the fact the child will live with -- or die without -- such treatment. I think there was a case just recently, altho I can't remember where, in which the mother took the child out of the country, rather than allow him to receive chemotheropy. She came back and the child got treatment.
I cannot imagine a religion that forbids a parent from doing whatever possible to save a child from pain and suffering and death. I think Christian Scientists follow this dictate, but I don't know to what degree. At any rate, it's way too easy to take portions of the Bible out of context and make it say what you want it to say. (I turned down a writing contract based on that very issue, so I have some research background in the area.)
My heart goes out to the parents and I can't help but wonder if they're having second thoughts. And to have to go through a trial and hear their beliefs, their religion, their actions and their love for their daughter questioned has got to be a horrible experience.
Hi DR
Sorry it took so long to respond but after two nights, three days at Mom's I had to do something for me and went to a movie.
Interesting stuff in your post and I learned quite a bit from it. I agree with you that God helps those that helps themselves.
I also pray for anyone in our family that is ill, prayed for dad, prayed for mom and like yoru Mom mine would be dead had she not had heart surgery.
I love the scriptures in the bible that you quoted. And what a question to ask about if God felt we good do it on our own why would he give us abilities to development treatments!
There has actually been 128 children worldwide in the last twelve months that died because their parents refused to give them treatment due to relgious reasons.
The Worthingtons have testified that they have no second thoughts and gave no consideration to calling 911. I do think it is diffuclt for them to be reliving the experience.
Bill
I'm so glad you got a break and went to a movie. Did it help? Was it good?
I know of too many cases where people would have died without medical intervention, yet I feel that a big part of their recovery was due to prayer. Our friend, Mike, is an excellent example. His family is B'hai and Mike had a prayer cap, his wife a prayer shawl, ironically I'd received a prayer shawl from a friend the day before his surgery. The entire community -- as well as many of the SC -- were praying for him, yet he was taking chemo and radoation and working with a nutritionist and it all came together and resulted in less invasive surgery than expected and a surgeon amazed at that fact and his rapid recovery.
The Possibility Thinkers Bible from Dr. Schuller has a wonderful index that leads you to answers -- gain, you have to read around them to be sure they're in context, and often raises as many questions as it answers, but it's a wonderful resource for me.
I can't imagine being in the Worthington's shoes. Perhaps because I can't understand their beliefs. I guess I forge my own "religion" and beliefs, in which I believe a combination of modern medicine, alternative medicine (Eastern, whatever) and prayer play a big part in overall human health and wellbeing. I do know, from experience, I couldn't stand by and watch someone suffer, without using every available means at my disposal.
I can't imagine wanting to follow a God that would want anyone to suffer like that, child or parents. If someone thinks they want to do that, then I think the state should probably step in.
Hi Dr
Being in a movie for a couple of hours always keeps my mind off of life outside of the theaters and that helps. However, the movie didn't live up to expectations.
I know prayer helps, we have even had some of that here. I sm going to have to "The Possibility Thinkers Bible" because I do like Dr. Schuller. I like him better than his son.
Bill
Hi Mary
I believe in loving God vs. fearing him and I believe in an understanding God vs a vengeful one.
My belief wouldn't not let anyone suffer if at all posible.
The latest is that in yesterday's events at the trial the dad said he the prayers were healing the child and the Mom said she would do the same thing again.
Bill
I'm with you -- I'm more in tune with Dr. Schuller than his son. And one thing about the Possibility Bible is that it doesn't mess with the verses and turn them modern (and often change the meaning!)
I was raised in a small, rural church that was probably 50/50 on loving/fearing God, leaning towards the fearing. Doesn't work for me, on a personal level. Neither does the idea of following one man's or one religions interpretation of the Bible. I can read. I'm relatively intelligent. I think I can figure it out.
Hard to believe the parents comments at the trial. Like the others here, I cannot imagine condoning or allowing unnecessary suffering, for anyone of any age.
Hi DR
When I lived in LA a couple of times my parents and I went to the Crystal Catherdral. I also think I read somewhere not all that long ago that Rev. Schuller and his son were on the outs.
The problem I have with the bible is that it was printed by man and translated by man and men aren't perfect so can the bible be? I love to read it and believe most of it, I just think people that interpret it and then say their interpretation is the only right one, like many born agains, are wrong.
Bill
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