Boy Abandoned by Religious Parents After Receiving a Blood Transfusion
I consider myself to be a fairly easy-going guy. I try not to bother anyone preferring to live and let live.
But nothing gets my tits in a wringer more than when I hear of someone doing something monstrous because of their stupid religious beliefs.
Case in point from Peace FM Online:
I was talking to a co-worker about a month ago, and we were discussing the many cases that have been in the news recently of parents depriving their children of urgent medical care -- even to the point of death -- because of their religious beliefs.
I generally don't like the government interfering in people's personal lives, but when I hear stories like this, I find that I could very easily be swayed into accepting some kind of law that would forbid parents from using religion -- or any other woo -- to deny their children medical attention.
Hey, if you're an adult, and you want to pray to your sky daddy to heal your cancer instead of going to a doctor, or don't want a blood transfusion because your holy book teaches that it's wrong, fine. Good luck with that. But stop making sacrificial lambs of your kids in order to prove your stupid faith.
What do you think? Would you be okay with the government stepping in and making laws to stop parents from harming their children because of religious beliefs? Or is this just going to be something we're going to have to accept in our society?
But nothing gets my tits in a wringer more than when I hear of someone doing something monstrous because of their stupid religious beliefs.
Case in point from Peace FM Online:
A Jehovah Witness man, Kwabena Afum and his wife, Margret Afum aka Abena Oduma, have had a brush with the law after creating an unnecessary chaotic scene at New Edubiase Government Hospital in a bid to prevent medical officers from giving blood to their son. Kwabena Afum was arrested last week Tuesday and granted a police enquiry bail the next day for causing panic and chaos by allegedly mobilizing some members of his church to foment trouble at the hospital.The Jehova's Witness religion teaches that scripture forbids the ingestion of blood and that includes receiving blood in the form of a transfusion.
He has since disowned five-year-old Jepheth Asamoah, who is currently in the custody of the Social Welfare Department in the district, even after his release.
According to Dr. Manye Mensah, Medical Superintendant Officer at the hospital, Jepheth was brought to the hospital on April 25, 2010 in an anaemic weak condition.
He said upon examination, he discovered the young boy had lost lots of blood which needed urgent replacement and therefore decided to stable his condition with a medication and oxygen that did not work.
He told Daily Guide that whilst the patient’s condition appeared stable because of the heamorrhage, he informed the couple about the need for a blood transfusion to replace the lost blood, which the couple resisted, citing their religious belief.
Bent on saving the life of the little boy, the Medical Superintendant indicated that as he and his team began the process of transfusion, Kwabena Afum and some members of Jehovah Witnesses besieged the theatre room in a bid to prevent them from carrying out their professional duties.
I was talking to a co-worker about a month ago, and we were discussing the many cases that have been in the news recently of parents depriving their children of urgent medical care -- even to the point of death -- because of their religious beliefs.
I generally don't like the government interfering in people's personal lives, but when I hear stories like this, I find that I could very easily be swayed into accepting some kind of law that would forbid parents from using religion -- or any other woo -- to deny their children medical attention.
Hey, if you're an adult, and you want to pray to your sky daddy to heal your cancer instead of going to a doctor, or don't want a blood transfusion because your holy book teaches that it's wrong, fine. Good luck with that. But stop making sacrificial lambs of your kids in order to prove your stupid faith.
What do you think? Would you be okay with the government stepping in and making laws to stop parents from harming their children because of religious beliefs? Or is this just going to be something we're going to have to accept in our society?
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Comment by Mario Rodgers on May 6, 2010 at 7:02pm -
I have no respect for JWs or anybody who uses their religion as an excuse to act like idiots.
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Comment by wisp on May 6, 2010 at 8:45pm -
I absolutely have a problem with people being allowed to force their beliefs upon their children to the point of ill health or even death. There is no reason why we should prevent an adult from refusing medical care on the basis of some outdated superstition, but a child does not have the right to make that decision for him-or herself.
If parents are legally charged with neglect for being too lazy to get their children proper medical care, why should their religion allow them to neglect their kids legally? It shouldn't.
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Comment by Mike on May 6, 2010 at 8:49pm -
religion should be banned because of people like this - how about a compromise - if you aren't considered an adult, you should not be subject to religious ideology of any kind that may bring harm to the you - that way only *adults* can make a decision to refuse treatment (on their own behalf or for *another* adult) when it comes to religious ideals ??
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Comment by Peter Price on May 7, 2010 at 3:25pm -
These people make me sick!
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