Are Faith-Healing Parents Guilty of a Crime for Not Seeking Medical Care for Daughter?
SodaHead News
2011/06/09 11:00:00
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Is it possible to be guilty of doing nothing? A jury in Oregon City, Ore., thought so in the case of a mother and father who are members of a faith-healing church. After just one hour of deliberation on Tuesday, the jury unanimously found Timothy and Rebecca Wyland guilty of felony criminal mistreatment for not seeking medical care for their daughter.
The two face up to five years in prison, but are likely to receive probation and possibly some jail time in the case that gained national attention for pointing out the division between faith and medicine.
The couple failed to consult a doctor when their daughter Alayna's birthmark developed into an abnormal growth of blood vessels, known as a hemangioma.
Though she improved under court-ordered medical care, the case was the third involving members of Oregon City's Followers of Christ church, which considers medical treatment a rejection of religious faith. The Wylands were the third couple from the church to be prosecuted in the past two years for failing to provide medical treatment for their children.
The lead prosecutor dismissed defense attorney's attempts to paint the Wylands as victims of overly aggressive child-welfare workers who took away their daughter and persecuted the couple for their religious beliefs. The prosecution also noted that the couple had more than six months to seek medical attention for the child, but did not do so because of their faith.
During that time, they watched as the growth ballooned and relied on faith-healing rituals such as prayer, anointing with oils and laying of hands to counter the condition.
Oregon law considers a parent or guardian who "intentionally or knowingly withholds medical attention from a person" to be guilty of first-degree criminal mistreatment.
What do you think?
The two face up to five years in prison, but are likely to receive probation and possibly some jail time in the case that gained national attention for pointing out the division between faith and medicine.
The couple failed to consult a doctor when their daughter Alayna's birthmark developed into an abnormal growth of blood vessels, known as a hemangioma.
Though she improved under court-ordered medical care, the case was the third involving members of Oregon City's Followers of Christ church, which considers medical treatment a rejection of religious faith. The Wylands were the third couple from the church to be prosecuted in the past two years for failing to provide medical treatment for their children.
The lead prosecutor dismissed defense attorney's attempts to paint the Wylands as victims of overly aggressive child-welfare workers who took away their daughter and persecuted the couple for their religious beliefs. The prosecution also noted that the couple had more than six months to seek medical attention for the child, but did not do so because of their faith.
During that time, they watched as the growth ballooned and relied on faith-healing rituals such as prayer, anointing with oils and laying of hands to counter the condition.
Oregon law considers a parent or guardian who "intentionally or knowingly withholds medical attention from a person" to be guilty of first-degree criminal mistreatment.
What do you think?
Top Opinion
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U Mad Bro? 2011/06/10 15:21:27Yes
+7With a hemangioma that big, the safest thing to do is have it removed ASAP. It can cause heart failure due the amount of blood being diverted to the tumor. The court did the right thing. I'd like to see how this family deals with stage 3 cancer.
"A religious man is on top of a roof during a great flood. A man comes by in a boat and says "get in, get in!" The religous man replies, " no I have faith in God, he will grant me a miracle."
Later the water is up to his waist and another boat comes by and the guy tells him to get in again. He responds that he has faith in god and god will give him a miracle. With the water at about chest high, another boat comes to rescue him, but he turns down the offer again cause "God will grant him a miracle."
With the water at chin high, a helicopter throws down a ladder and they tell him to get in, mumbling with the water in his mouth, he again turns down the request for help for the faith of God. He arrives at the gates of heaven with broken faith and says to Peter, I thought God would grant me a miracle and I have been let down." St. Peter chuckles and responds, "I don't know what you're complaining about, we sent you three boats and a helicopter."
Some people really are that stupid.
Thanks for your comment LUCKY
Each case is unique. I know of families who have opted out of medical care for solid reasons; they are not kooks.
In this case I would like to make a sincere effort to read all the facts but in the meantime I will vote no.
There are well-meaning state workers but coming from a background where the state over-reaches.. I always will be on the side of individual freedom. Without it, believe me, our country would be walking into a bigger mess.
In this case....was there more than one team of physicians collaborating? What were the credentials of the medical team? Is there a power struggle going?-- "My way or the highway" type attitude. Was it the right timing? etc
The idea is to make sure the puzzle pieces of moving forward are right from every angle...not just the state.
Now there are many, many children in this great land (and in my homeland) who are physically disabled topically (e.g. burn victims, etc.) but they live a happy productive life.
In this case I need more input to make a serious decision; the details are not there. Out of curiosity I will goggle this case and I certainly would not say the parents are idiots. I do not know them and neither do you.
they knowingly endangered that child's life (whether they believed they were doing the right thing or not)
This is the problem when superstition crosses the line and effects reality.
Apart from which, I do not remember Jesus ever saying you could not visit a doctor, or withold medical treatment and just pray. Treatment and prayer should go hand in hand. You can do ...
Apart from which, I do not remember Jesus ever saying you could not visit a doctor, or withold medical treatment and just pray. Treatment and prayer should go hand in hand. You can do both. So where they get this hair-brained idea that Christ says you cannot have medical treatment, I have no idea! It is not a rejection of faith to have treatment or see a doctor. This leader of this church should be shot for passing on such spurious and dangerous ideas. Faith healing, or even herbs, alternative medicine can go hand in hand with current medical science/doctors/treatment to help the patient, but not faith-healing alone. Only Jesus had the power to heal with his hands and that died with him.
Apart from which, independ..... what is your point, apart fro a personal attack, that is? I have had this dianetics training, although I stopped going when I was given a CD on how they planed to attack and discredit personally the man who did the expose on Scientology and their rabid hatred of the Psychiatry profession and drugs. They even extend this hatred to psychologists who they say g...
Apart from which, independ..... what is your point, apart fro a personal attack, that is? I have had this dianetics training, although I stopped going when I was given a CD on how they planed to attack and discredit personally the man who did the expose on Scientology and their rabid hatred of the Psychiatry profession and drugs. They even extend this hatred to psychologists who they say give drugs when this is blatently untrue. The extent to which they dug into her personal, private life and background, was deeply disturbing. I got out immediately! I was also increadingly worried and disturbed by their bizare and unethical training. By the way, I know dianetics has no registration, no peer review, no ethical commity, no clinical training whatsoever. It is a pseudo therapy/science.
You asked what my point was...personal attack? No, it was dialogue with an observation of what I read from you. Collaborating and exchanging ideas....is not an attack. It is conversation - gleaning from each other.
Be wary of reading too much and beyond what someone is saying. If you are not sure of something, just ask. It saves many problems. :)
However there is one problem I have with these sorts or rulings, this sort of ruling could lead to the courts deciding upon all medical treatments for a child, which can be a terrible thing when our healthcare system has become so corrupt.
- so I only agree with these cases when the parent is completely negligent in caring for their child.
Some people are so brainwashed they cannot think for themselves and realize what is best.