Do you think that it should be legal for parents to use prayer as a method of healing to their children?

I recently read an article on a mother who relied on prayer to try and heal her now dead child. Do you guys think prayer should be allowed as an option? This is open to everybody, so please keep it civil.

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Permalink Reply by Dustin on January 3, 2011 at 12:56am

I like this comment - I never thought about it like this before!

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Permalink Reply by Jon Heim on January 2, 2011 at 3:09pm

if prayer is the only course of action you are taking, you are literally doing nothing and should be charged with medical neglect.

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Permalink Reply by Shine on January 2, 2011 at 4:39pm

If prayer is to be a legally condoned method to treat illness, then it should also be a legally condoned method of paying the mortgage. After all, if the premise is that wishful thinking and divine supplication will solve a problem, why limit the condoned methodology to medical problems?

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Permalink Reply by Malcolm on January 3, 2011 at 12:10am

Th problem with this line of reasoning is that with a mortgage, all that matters is whether the payment was made, not whether it was attempted, whereas with medical treatment, since outcomes cannot be assured, one can only insist that it is tried.

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Permalink Reply by Shine on January 3, 2011 at 11:53am

Ah, good point, Malcolm. Maybe the parallel would work better if I were to suggest that prayers be used as an actual form of currency...still, it doesn't sound right. I guess I was just trying to apply the concept of directed thoughts as effective actions to other areas.

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Permalink Reply by Chris Thomas on January 2, 2011 at 4:48pm

As long as it is used as well as conventional medicine I see no harm in it.

But if mumbojumbo (including silly remedies like homoeopathy, exorcism, sacrificing a pig etc) is used INSTEAD of conventional medicine then the person that caused this should be held responsible for the outcome based on the local legislation for child neglect / murder.