Murder by prayer: When is enough, enough?

I've pondered similar things. Although I am not a religious man, I defend the freedom of religion and separation of church and state. But we all have heard of tragic stories, like Watchtower or Christian Scientist families who deny life-saving blood transfusions based on an obscure biblical passage. And at some point you have to say that you can't just use the scapegoat that it is done under religious pretenses.Should we allow chickens everywhere to be beheaded and their blood drained in the comfort of the Santa Ria practitioner's home and disregard animal rights? Should Native Americans get a green light on Peyote because their ancestors used it?I don't know, because how easy would it be to state that anything could be done under the guise of religion as a get out of jail free card? There will on some level always be a crux when private rights and government welfare clash. On most occasions I prefer the freedom from government intrusion, but there is simply no denying that it has its place and its benefit when appropriate.

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"I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. " Thomas Paine

Sounds good to me.

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"I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. " Thomas Paine

You're taking evolution to a ridiculous extreme. We could just as easily say that cold and callous people are too selfish to live and therefore deserve to have their genes removed from the population.Just because their parents are religious nutjobs, does not mean that their children will be.And if they're nutjobs for believing that prayer alone will save their child, what does it make you that you want to allow the death of children on the basis of supposed "bad genes?" Eugenics, much?

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"Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it" -- Thomas Paine

So if parents should be allowed to withhold medical treatment instead of prayer, are they allowed (either morally or legally) to ONLY pray when their child is being murdered in front of them?Because I'm willing to bet if we put your pet theory to the test, you would lose heart and lose faith real quick. You would intervene. And what would that say about your faith in light of your declarations?That's the funny thing about sanctimony. The Pope rides around in a car with bulletproof glass and a security detail. What does that say about his level of faith?Muslim extremists blow themselves up in the name of Allah to destroy the heathens that Allah despises. What, is Allah too inept to do the dirty work himself?Oh ye of little faith....

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"Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it" -- Thomas Paine