man lets daughter die
By jb78000
@jb78000 (15139)
August 2, 2009 4:52am CST
a us man has let his daughter die because he decided to pray for her rather than take her to the doctor. she had diabetes, which is easily treated, but this man decided faith was the way forward http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8180116.stm
i think this is appalling and taking religion in completely the wrong way, what do you think - have you ever heard of anything similar?
7 people like this
26 responses
@kprofgames (3091)
• United States
2 Aug 09
This kind of thing scares me. Yes faith is a wonderful thing, but we are also in a man made world where illnesses need to be checked by doctors.
I have a cousin that was doing this. She would go out of state for alternative medicine and then get their faith circles going all to found out that it was too late to fight the cancer that was in her. If she'd just gone to a normal doctor a year ago she might be alive today.
As an adult it comes down to her choice, but there is also a cousin on my husband's side that did the same. By the time his wife finally called 911, it was too late.
I DO think people take religion over common sense treatment. Faith is great, but when you are endangering your own family for it then what go is that faith anyway? It doesn't make any sense to me. It was all preventable.
I got a call the other day from another cousin that wanted me to go to her church with her. I don't mind visiting other churches, but when she started talking about faith healing I declined. I've heard about them and if you tell them you are getting treated for anything they'll tell you how wrong you are and that you aren't a true Christian because you don't give it to God. I'm sorry, I don't want any part of that world.
2 people like this
@Sweetchariot (1718)
• United States
3 Aug 09
What these people don't understand is that God works his miracles thru other people. God most often uses doctors, hospitals, etc, to cure those who are sick. So while faith in God is a wonderful thing, they should continue to go to the doctors, and do what is necessary, and if God wants to make that person better, he will, thru the hands of the medical team.
Most religions who think like this man, are religions that do not fall under the category of a Christian...Jehova Witness is not a christian religion. These religions misinterpret everything in the Bible and arrange God's works to suit them.
1 person likes this
@Sweetchariot (1718)
• United States
3 Aug 09
Poor Ladybug...You and like so many others love to lump all of the religious people together, especially the christians, and assuming that they all think alike. A person with normal intellegence would understand that the actions of all Christians is not the way they all are. Most would agree that there are Christians out there who are only Christians by birth, they were born into that religion, and don't follow it as they should. A mature person with normal intellegence, would try to understand a Christian's regligion before attacking it.
I, for one, do not judge other religions. I would not insult another religion by telling them they were crazy, just because they practice a religion that I don't agree with. I leave the judging in the hands of God.
What I said in my response, which you didn't even read appropriately, is that I agree that noboy should ever sacrifice someone's health by not going to a doctor because of their religion. That is wrong, and I believe God thinks that's wrong. Unfortunately those religions are very mislead into thinking the wrong things about God. God would want people to seek out medical help for their child.
As far as Christians or other religions that expect the country to go along with them on important issues, I suspect you mean Abortion. Whether or not someone is religious, has nothing to do with their opinion on Abortion. Abortion is killing an innocent child...do some homework...you will find that a fetus is alive and well, and the heart is beating 3 weeks after conception. That to me means the fetus is a human being. Non-religious people don't approve of the murdering of any human being...why would you think the murdering of an infant inside a womb is any different. It has nothing to do with religion. Again, you have just lumped all people together, and assumed that those who are against abortion must be religions fanatics.
I would suggest that you need to do some research on the subjects you respond to before attacking everyone...not everyone falls into the categories that you think they do.
1 person likes this
@ladybugmagic (3978)
• United States
3 Aug 09
christians are just as crazy and evil as jehova's witnesses. They allowed their religious beliefs to guide them in voting away a fundamental right of a whole class of citizens in California, basing it on what their god would do.
I think the second your faith steps on someone else's abilitity to live a full and equal life to you, is the second you need to reevaluate your faith. There is nothing godly about taking a life, or the pursuit to lead a happy life from someone.
1 person likes this
@jb78000 (15139)
•
3 Aug 09
well i don't. lump people together that is (well not often). couple of comments - ladybug there are some ok christians out there. sweetchariot, abortion is a complex issue - maybe it should be dealt with in a different discussion. thanks for commenting here anyway. jb
@quinnkl (1667)
• United States
4 Aug 09
I agree with you. That is what bothers me about some organized religions. I cannot imagine sitting there and doing nothing while my child is dying. It just makes no sense to me at all. It makes me just sick to think about this. I didn't check the article but did the mom agree? This is just WRONG in my opinion.
1 person likes this
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
3 Aug 09
I have mixed feelings about the situation. I think that Faith is very important in life and following your beliefs is equally important. I also believe that when it is a person's time to go, it is their time. That said, I also believe that God made some people smart enough to become doctors to heal those that are able to be healed and when we are sick or have a problem that is curable, we should seek the help of doctors. In the case of this girl, I think that the father should have taken her to the doctors to be treated. She was not terminally ill and could probably have lived a long and happy life with the proper treatment. If she had been terminally ill and there was absolutely no hope for her to live, my feeling would probably be different. I cannot judge his decision though, that is not my place. In the end, that father is the one who has to live with his own decision.
1 person likes this
@PeacefulWmn9 (10420)
• United States
2 Aug 09
Hello Jb. Unfortunately, this happens far too often, at least here in the US. When such a situation becomes known in time, the courts will intervene so that the child/ren involved DO get needed medical treatment. This man will most likely be prosecuted, as he should be. And yes, allowing such a thing to happen has nothing in common with God's wishes! Or religion of a true sort.
Karen1 person likes this
Well, thank God for that!
@OceanLady (136)
• Canada
2 Aug 09
Originally, health matters were also taken care of by faith... but as we learned more, science and religion started to separated. But even back when the church was the only place to turn for illnesses, it wasn't just prayer that saved people. There were practitioners associated with the church who had studied everything they could about health care at the time. So the families would take their loved ones there and pray - and the staff at the church would do what they could to help, just as hospitals do today.
Circumstances have changed, we know a lot more now and there are a lot of things in health care that go against certain religions... but you are never obligated to go along with them. He should have taken his daughter to the hospital at least to know what was wrong with her and make an educated decision, since it must have been obvious after a while that it wasn't just a regular every day sickness.
1 person likes this
@us2owls (1681)
• United States
2 Aug 09
These people do not seem to accept that God created all things - that includes doctors - and he did it for a reason - they are there for the good of mankind. Some people make their own rules for religion which this man obviously did and it cost his daughter her life. I wonder if this could be classed as manslaughter so that he can give thought to his acctions behind bars. I hope so.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
3 Aug 09
Somehow I think that if God (if there is a God) had allowed us to create modern medicine and the ability to cure diseases, he would want us to use it. There's that old saying about God helping those who help themselves and somehow sitting around and praying when you could have called for help doesn't strike me as doing that. And when there's a child's welfare involved on top of it, I just don't understand the mentality. Not at all.
@dookuman (97)
• United States
2 Aug 09
Indeed, it is a horrible thing to pretend and deny the truth that just plain out prayer for a sick person will not help. But apparently, some people think that the Bible tells them that prayer alone will save them. That outdated belief has been mainly abandoned by now, thankfully, but some people still cling to the outdated religion of theirs.
1 person likes this
@dolphin2406 (1224)
• Poland
2 Aug 09
Hi, and the article says that it was undiagnosable. I understand that they did not take her to the doctor in the first place. Some people are really crazy and have mind sickness. How could they see their daughter suffering and not take her to a doctor. I prayers could help then no one would be sick and die of diseases. It's true that sometimes miracles happen but these should be still treated then if there is no cure we leave it in the hands of God.
I don't know much about other religions like this Pentecostal, here we are catholic christians and have also muslims and jehovah of which I know of. I heard on tv lately about the jehovah where the woman was saying that they cannot take blood if in need from other people if the need be, also no friends that are not of the same religion.
At least they were convicted and serves as an example to other people that have the same state of mind.
I get so angry when I read about such things! Thanks for sharing
1 person likes this
@ryouga (63)
• United States
3 Aug 09
This level of fanaticism is dangerous. While not particularly religious, I do believe that God helps those who helps themselves. This means rather than annoying God and wasting his time, you should be praying for his support while receiving medical treatment. He has given us the tools for a reason.
@ladybugmagic (3978)
• United States
2 Aug 09
This is one person who mistook the use of religion, and in fact abused it. We could start to resolve this situation by instituting a separation of church and state, start taxing churches, particularly those who use their influence in political campaigning.
We have to start from the top, and work our way down to the individual crazies that splinter off from all major organized religion. When we, as a country, show that it is okay for the rights of a minority to be voted away because of religious beliefs, we then convey that those religious beliefs supersede things like appropriate medical attention.
We are all responsible for not stopping this in its tracks.
1 person likes this
@Flikker (34)
• South Africa
2 Aug 09
Unfortunately, many people believe in a supreme being that is there as a servant to their wants and desires.
Instead of being grateful for having the capacity to think problems through & the physical ability to take action, they will instead murmer to their unseen servant to give them this, that or the other. Usually it ends with them wondering why their unseen servant has not helped them. Sadly in this case it cost a life!
1 person likes this
@merlinsorca (1118)
• United States
2 Aug 09
This is crazy; why would anyone let religion blind them like this? It's fine to have faith, but this is just over the top. Believing too much could actually be dangerous, as we see here in this strange story...
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
3 Aug 09
I feel that God gave doctors the knowledge to help people..so I doubt turning to a doctor would be putting the doctor before God. It also states that God helps those whom help themselves. Which in my opinion means seeking professional help when something is wrong. I feel so sorry that the girl had to suffer because of her parents. My mom,dad, and both sets of grandparents and several aunts and uncles has/had diabetes and I know it is nothing to mess around with and keep untreated.
1 person likes this
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
3 Aug 09
I see this kind of stuff all the time in the news. It's pathetic. I'd love to be there when they reach the other side & get to ask the powers that be " Why didn't you save my child?" & get to hear the response "Didn't I send the scientist to invent the medicine the doctor would have given her?". Their expression would be priceless...
1 person likes this
@grecychunny26 (9483)
• Philippines
3 Aug 09
As I learned from the church, God help those who help themselves. What kind of father is he. The first thing to do when someone is sick or ill is to bring them to hospital and be treated by doctors who are specialist on this. They should be check. Not all are depending on God's miracle we have to work for it and if there is no way we can do about it like we have done our best, then God will help. I believe he had treated it the wrong way.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
3 Aug 09
It happens all the time. You hear it with cancer patients and other diseases. I don't get it at all. I am a mom and if my child were sick....I would try just about anything to save her. REligion would not prevent me from trying a treatment that had even the slightest chance of saving her. Diabetes....that one is a no brainer. That can be terminal but in a young person ....that is so rare. Treatment is very effective for that. 
@jshekhar (1562)
• India
3 Aug 09
This is really sad to hear on a monday morning, friend.
I am not undermining the value of prayers but then it is an old saying that "God helps those who help themselves". Thus, the father should have tried helping his own cause by taking the girl to a doctor.
@flyingsnow (85)
• China
3 Aug 09
I feel very sorry for what the father did. Faith shouldn't be used in a wrong way. When someone we love is ill, we should take him to the doctor. Hope this will never happen again.
1 person likes this
