Oregon is getting ready to end legal protection to parents who abandon modern medicine in favor of faith healing when treating their children's illness. House Bill 2721 would eliminate faith healing as a legal defense for parents who rely only on faith healing or other spiritual practices to heal sick children.
The change in law can be understood as a direct response to the Oregon City church, The Followers of Christ. The church is notorious for allowing sick children to suffer and even die rather than seeking medical attention. The church preaches a religion based in faith-healing, a religion that rejects modern medicine in favor of prayer and the anointing of the sick with oil.
Church members have a lengthy history of children dying from lack of medical care. The Oregon State Medical Examiner's office has estimated that in the past 30 years, more than 20 children of church members have died of preventable or curable conditions.
Rep. Carolyn Tomei, D-Milwaukie, said that the deaths of children belonging to the Followers of Christ church prompted her to introduce the bill. Tomei said: "Such gross and unnecessary neglect cannot be allowed, even if the parents are well-meaning."
House bill 2721 is scheduled for a public hearing by the House Judiciary Committee Monday. The bill is expected to move easily through the Oregon House. At the current time there is no meaningful opposition to the legislation.
Comments
Grown adults need to stop believing in fairytales.
A voice for those who have no choice. I would like all states to pass a similar rule.To protect the innocents form the intentions meant well but lack substance. Ignorance may be bliss to some but deadly to others.
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