4.05.2008
Freedom of Religion?
There recently have been two situations that have caused me to think about the concept of freedom of religion. I want to know what you think.
A few weeks ago, in our area, a 15-month old girl died from untreated pneumonia because her parents belong to a church that practices faith-healing alone, choosing not to seek medical care when ill. This girl is far from the first child of a member of this particular church who has died from an easily treatable medical condition. These parents are now being charged with manslaughter.
Yesterday, law enforcement officials removed at least 137 children from the ranch belonging to followers of Warren Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of the LDS. These children who were removed are believed to be in danger of physical, emotional or sexual abuse. The FLDS church practices arranged marriages, often between girls as young as 12 or 13 to men far older than they are. This church also regularly practices polygamy, and many of these girls are married into families where they might be the 3rd or even 4th wife. Warren Jeffs is now serving a minimum 10-year prison sentence, having been convicted of two counts of accomplice to rape for marrying underage girls to adult men. Just to clarify, the FLDS church is no longer affiliated with the LDS church, and most Mormons DO NOT endorse these practices.
Obviously, we know child abuse certainly isn't limited to those who belong to extremist religions, but that is the context of my question today.
In the most technical sense, freedom of religion does not protect behaviors or activities that are otherwise criminal. However, is there more we should be doing to protect children who are harmed by religious extremists, right here in the United States? Should we, as followers of Christ, be more aggressive in some way towards ending these kinds of practices? Should we be more angry about children who are abused or endangered in the name of God?
I don't specifically know what we CAN do about it, I'm just asking for your thoughts on this subject.
Anyone?
A few weeks ago, in our area, a 15-month old girl died from untreated pneumonia because her parents belong to a church that practices faith-healing alone, choosing not to seek medical care when ill. This girl is far from the first child of a member of this particular church who has died from an easily treatable medical condition. These parents are now being charged with manslaughter.
Yesterday, law enforcement officials removed at least 137 children from the ranch belonging to followers of Warren Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of the LDS. These children who were removed are believed to be in danger of physical, emotional or sexual abuse. The FLDS church practices arranged marriages, often between girls as young as 12 or 13 to men far older than they are. This church also regularly practices polygamy, and many of these girls are married into families where they might be the 3rd or even 4th wife. Warren Jeffs is now serving a minimum 10-year prison sentence, having been convicted of two counts of accomplice to rape for marrying underage girls to adult men. Just to clarify, the FLDS church is no longer affiliated with the LDS church, and most Mormons DO NOT endorse these practices.
Obviously, we know child abuse certainly isn't limited to those who belong to extremist religions, but that is the context of my question today.
In the most technical sense, freedom of religion does not protect behaviors or activities that are otherwise criminal. However, is there more we should be doing to protect children who are harmed by religious extremists, right here in the United States? Should we, as followers of Christ, be more aggressive in some way towards ending these kinds of practices? Should we be more angry about children who are abused or endangered in the name of God?
I don't specifically know what we CAN do about it, I'm just asking for your thoughts on this subject.
Anyone?
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