Are They INSANE!?

[actsnoblemartin]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080428/ap_on_re_us/prayer_death

By ROBERT IMRIE, Associated Press Writer Mon Apr 28, 7:25 PM ET

WESTON, Wis. - Two parents who prayed as their 11-year-old daughter died of untreated diabetes were charged Monday with second-degree reckless homicide.

Family and friends had urged Dale and Leilani Neumann to get help for their daughter, but the father considered the illness "a test of faith" and the mother never considered taking the girl to the doctor because she thought her daughter was under a "spiritual attack," the criminal complaint said.

"It is very surprising, shocking that she wasn't allowed medical intervention," Marathon County District Attorney Jill Falstad said. "Her death could have been prevented."

Madeline Neumann died March 23 — Easter Sunday — at her family's rural Weston home. Her parents were told the body would be taken to Madison for an autopsy the next day.

"They responded, 'You won't need to do that. She will be alive by then,'" the medical examiner wrote in a report.

[Little-Acorn]

They can have all the faith they want, and all the belief in the healing power of prayer they can handle. I don't have a problem with that.

But when their daughter is plainly dying from disease, to not have a doctor's opinion on how well the prayer and faith is working, is flatly criminal. The only way they had left, to judge how well their prayers were working, was whether she wound up dead. That's an awfully big gamble to take.

Where did they get the authority to gamble with their daughter's life? Some might call it, "playing God" with the life of another. Is that practice encouraged in whatever religion they adhere to?

Now that one of His most beloved creatures is dead of neglect, what does their God think of these parents now?

[hjmick]

Yes.

[DragonStryk72]

See, faith is a great thing, but this idea that God is these people's personal servant is just beyond me. Where in the Bible had God EVER stepped into a situation like that, where the people simply refused to get readily available help? He isn't the damn pizza guy, he doesn't deliver what you want just cause you called him for it.

[avatar4321]

i dont understand how someone of faith can justify this. i mean where exactly do they think the doctors got their knowledge of medicine if not from God? it seems a lack of faith to do nothing for your children when he/she is dying. Faith is more than just believing something will happen. its belief that creates action on your part that something will happen. You can say you believe someone will be healed till your blue in the face, but if you dont do anything to turn that belief into faith, what is the point?

[Pale Rider]

God helps those who help themselves. To do nothing is against God. The people were wrong to stand by and watch their daughter die when help was available.

[avatar4321]

God helps those who help themselves. To do nothing is against God. The people were wrong to stand by and watch their daughter die when help was available.

i agree. However, im not sure if criminal prosecution is really necessary in such situations because I would think the loss of the child would be punishment enough. but then maybe they dont.

[diuretic]

i agree. However, im not sure if criminal prosecution is really necessary in such situations because I would think the loss of the child would be punishment enough. but then maybe they dont.

In terms of public policy it makes sense. The publicity generated has been very broad, so the word's out that if your child is sick then get him or her treatment or else.

For what it's worth I concur with previous posters, they're free to pray just as long as they they get medical help.

[My Winter Storm]

These people put their religion ahead of the welfare of their daughter. They deserve everything they get. I hope they are sent to jail for a long, long time.

[Pale Rider]

i agree. However, im not sure if criminal prosecution is really necessary in such situations because I would think the loss of the child would be punishment enough. but then maybe they dont.


These people put their religion ahead of the welfare of their daughter. They deserve everything they get. I hope they are sent to jail for a long, long time.

They may as well have held a gun to the kids head.

I think they deserve to be punished also.