Faith healing in the news again
Sep. 14th, 2011 06:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kengrThere's yet another trial of parents whose child died because they wouldn't get a doctor but relied on prayer.
One thing that the talking heads keep bringing up is a new law that (due to this church's record of losing kids) removes religious beliefs as a defense for many sort of homicide cases.
Alas, both the talking heads and the state rep whose idea the law was keep making the same *fundamental* error.
They keep saying that it'll make these believers start taking their kids to the doctors.
Sorry. It won't. It'll just save a lot of time prosecuting them when the kids die.
You see, the state rep and the newscritters have a fundamental misunderstanding of the way laws *actually* work.
People rarely avoid doing something because of the law. In many cases, they don't think they'll get caught (that's usually the case with theft and some sorts of assaults)
In other cases, like these, it doesn't matter *what* the law says because these folk *believe* what they are doing is *right*. As such, they'll do what they believe is right, regardless of the law.
The laws *already* make failing to provide needed medical treatment illegal. And these folks have been ignoring that. Removing a defense of "religious belief" when they get tried for violating those laws isn't going to make a bit of difference.
After all, they've *never* won using it!
We *need* to get people, *especially* law makers, to understand that not everyone thinks they way they do. Or shares their beliefs. So laws that go against those beliefs are just a waste of time and resources.
It's "magical thinking" to act as if changing the laws will change those sorts of behaviors. This is one example. Many drug laws are another. And there are many, many more.
One thing that the talking heads keep bringing up is a new law that (due to this church's record of losing kids) removes religious beliefs as a defense for many sort of homicide cases.
Alas, both the talking heads and the state rep whose idea the law was keep making the same *fundamental* error.
They keep saying that it'll make these believers start taking their kids to the doctors.
Sorry. It won't. It'll just save a lot of time prosecuting them when the kids die.
You see, the state rep and the newscritters have a fundamental misunderstanding of the way laws *actually* work.
People rarely avoid doing something because of the law. In many cases, they don't think they'll get caught (that's usually the case with theft and some sorts of assaults)
In other cases, like these, it doesn't matter *what* the law says because these folk *believe* what they are doing is *right*. As such, they'll do what they believe is right, regardless of the law.
The laws *already* make failing to provide needed medical treatment illegal. And these folks have been ignoring that. Removing a defense of "religious belief" when they get tried for violating those laws isn't going to make a bit of difference.
After all, they've *never* won using it!
We *need* to get people, *especially* law makers, to understand that not everyone thinks they way they do. Or shares their beliefs. So laws that go against those beliefs are just a waste of time and resources.
It's "magical thinking" to act as if changing the laws will change those sorts of behaviors. This is one example. Many drug laws are another. And there are many, many more.
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no subject
Date: 2011-09-15 04:03 am (UTC)If you're feeling annoyed at human stupidity you probably shouldn't check out the io9 facebook comments on a recent vaccination article...
no subject
Date: 2011-09-15 05:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-15 06:29 am (UTC)I've got no problem with people having whatever religious beliefs they want to.
But as soon as they start trying to make others live in accordance with *their* beliefs, they've crossed a line. Kids are a special case, but even there, keeping info from the kids or denying them access to stuff like medical care is out of line.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-15 06:35 am (UTC)The evacuation bus comes by and he waves them off, saying "The Lord will provide."
A sheriff's deputy drives by as the water is getting close to the road. Again the response: "The Lord will provide."
Now the water is over the road and lapping at the house foundations. A guy in a rowboat comes by, but again gets waved off. "The Lord will provide."
The first floor is flooded. He's looking out a second floor window. A second boat, but once again "The Lord will provide."
Finally, he's trapped on the roof and a helicopter comes by. Still he waves them off "The Lord will provide."
The waters rise even higher and he has to swim. But soon his arms give out and he drowns.
He finds himself standing before the Lord and hesistantly asks, "Lord, why didn't you provide me with help?"
"My child, I provided you with a bus, a patrol car, two boats and a helicopter. Why didn't you *take* the help I provided?"
no subject
Date: 2011-09-15 07:23 am (UTC)*Sigh* There was a year or so back in Iowa when I was doing so well at attuning my mind to Shao-Kehn's help that I felt like Harry Potter after taking that good-luck potion; like any random whim could take me to something wonderful and helpful, and all I had to do was just follow my gut and not second-guess things.
It was that same attunement that made me hear music in random sounds and noises, too. It's my goal to re-achieve that level of attunement.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-15 01:26 pm (UTC)You just need to realize that most lawmakers have an irrational belief that passing a law will make people do what they want.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-15 01:50 pm (UTC)