Parents of Injured Baby Opt for Emergency Baptism

[Michael Hardner]

It seems as if you're dismissing this as an isolated incident. However, there have been quite a number of deaths of children due to parents withholding medical care for religious reasons.

If they can address the root cause of stupidity, then I'm on board. But religion doesn't cause stupidity any more than being an atheist causes you to become an arrogant know-it-all.

The issues of religion, race or what have you just help paint the various sides as us-vs-them and make it more difficult to get to the root of the issues.

[cybercoma]

MH, it seems obvious to me that these people made a rational choice based on their religious beliefs. They feared for their child's eternal soul, so decided to have it baptized. If they were not religious, they would have taken the child to a hospital first without thinking twice about it. This is what I meant when I said this is an example of religion making good people do horrifying things. This is the tangible ramifications of religious belief.

[Bonam]

But religion doesn't cause stupidity any more than being an atheist causes you to become an arrogant know-it-all.

No, it generally works the other way around.

[Mighty AC]

If they can address the root cause of stupidity, then I'm on board. But religion doesn't cause stupidity.

It certainly helps people to act, think and behave stupidly. This is generally achieved by entrenching irrational beliefs in children before they have developed critical thinking skills. A physically abusive parent is partially to blame when their child repeats cycle of violence. Similarly, those that indoctrinated the parents being discussed in this thread are partially responsible for the death of the child. Indoctrination is child abuse.

Edited December 3, 2013 by Mighty AC

[carepov]

The root cause of this death is not religion, it is stupidity/mental illness.

From the original link: "a spokesman for the St. Petersburg Orthodox Church said“This is superstition, not religion. They should have gone to the hospital.”"

It [religion] certainly helps people to act, think and behave stupidly.

In some cases yes, and in some cases religion helps people to act, think and behave creatively, intellegently, think critically and morally.

Indoctrination is child abuse.

This statement is ridiculous.

[carepov]

MH, it seems obvious to me that these people made a rational choice based on their religious beliefs. They feared for their child's eternal soul, so decided to have it baptized. If they were not religious, they would have taken the child to a hospital first without thinking twice about it. This is what I meant when I said this is an example of religion making good people do horrifying things. This is the tangible ramifications of religious belief.

These people were not rational therefore they were unable to make a rational choice.

[Guest]

Interesting point. You can be found not guilty of a crime if voices tell you to do it. Are they not guilty because God told them to do it?

What about Mrs. Crystals and Aromatherapy? Loony enough to be not guilty?

Edited December 3, 2013 by bcsapper

[Wilber]

Oh sure. A friend of mine also once told me about someone he knew who wore a crucifix into battle. Wouldn't you know that this gentleman was shot and it stopped the bullet. NOW what do you think about religion ?

Bullets have also been stopped by things like whiskey flasks and cigarette cases. What does that say about religion?

[Michael Hardner]

I only have evidence about the crucifix, sorry. I don't make decisions based on faith, only evidence.