[DieHard the Hunter]

I’m between two fires with this one. On the one hand, I don’t like the idea of courts being able to order anybody to undergo any medical treatment.

On the other hand, I sure hope they find that kid and that they’re able to save his life. Heathen religions are all very well, but there is only one God, and only He can heal illnesses.

[Abathar]

I believe that the parents can raise their child any way they want right up until society deems it abuse. The odds that have been given are 90% chance of full recovery if he gets the treatment vs. 5% if he doesn’t.

Guardianship means just that, putting the welfare of the child above all else, and these parents are not doing it.

If the kid was 18 then they can do whatever they want, hell even if the odds are 50/50 currently then the courts should butt out, but with the odds the doctors are giving then this falls fully under negligence IMHO, no matter what their religious beliefs are.

[TurtleUp]

I hope the parents choose treatment that may save their son's life, but it's a question of free choice. The government has no authority to use force to compel obedience in this situation: "Amendment I. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ..."

[waxer1]

Did they talk to the boy? LIke I said on some other thread, when my son was getting chemo, there were teens there ranging from 12-20 who decided not to continue with treatment and their decisions were respected.

I am too in between a rock and a hard place on this one. But, the mother just made matters worse by doing this.

[Caramelgal]

I’m between two fires with this one. On the one hand, I don’t like the idea of courts being able to order anybody to undergo any medical treatment.

On the other hand, I sure hope they find that kid and that they’re able to save his life. Heathen religions are all very well, but there is only one God, and only He can heal illnesses.

I am divided on this as well. I am all for parental rights with very limited government interference and I even though I am an Agnostic/Atheist, I am very sympathetic and supportive of religious freedom.

I hesitate to make a judgment as to whether the parent’s religion is “heathen” or not. To me it is, but then I also don’t understand parents who refuse to get their children vaccinated against preventable and possibly fatal diseases either.

As to God healing illnesses, I tend to come down on the side that God, if he exists, gave us a brain and it’s a waste and an insult not to use it.

The boy’s parents belong to some sort of sect that believes in Native American healing and natural remedies. If these remedies are so wonderful and harmless, then there is no reason that they might be used in conjunction with traditional medicine. If it’s all up to God’s hand anyway, then why not go with the treatment that actually has a proven success rate?

It is indeed though a slippery slope, but on the other hand, if this kid’s parents belonged to some religious cult that believed that illness was sinful and the cure was withholding food and water and beating the crap out of the kid to drive out the evil spirits, the state would and I think rightly so, step in and terminate parental rights in the best interests of the child.

I think that withholding medical care in this case boarders on abuse and at minimum shear stupidity and gross irresponsibility.

[muawiyah]

Nemenhah is deep into the use of peyote to “cure all things”. There’s no question in this case that the court is acting in the child’s best interest and the mother is not.

[cajungirl]

If the kid had a broken leg with bones hanging out and was screaming in pain,,it would be clearer because of the nature of what you see.

Can’t see the lymphoma so it just looks murkier I guess.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Especially since it’s unpleasant and doesn’t always work.