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NowISeetheLight

(3,941 posts)
Wed Jul 6, 2022, 11:17 PM Jul 2022

Medical Care for Children? Religion? The SCOTUS?

I read an article on yahoo news tonight about 12 members of an Australian church being arrested for denying a diabetic child insulin (she died).

https://news.yahoo.com/twelve-religious-group-members-arrested-084011421.html

It got me thinking about cases like this here in the US. From time to time I’ve seen cases like this in the news where kids died, or almost died, and the parents were charged. Some states have laws requiring medical care. Given our new Supreme Christian Court I’m wondering how long until we see laws about this being thrown out based on “freedom of religion”. Healthline has a good article about parents religious beliefs becoming child abuse.

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/parents-beliefs-about-medicine-child-abuse

Going even further. There are states that allow people like pharmacists refuse to serve patients based on religion. What if a doctor refuses to treat a child based on religion? Back in 2015 there was a case in Michigan where a pediatrician “prayed” and decided to refuse to see an infant because the child’s parents were a lesbian couple.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/02/19/pediatrician-refuses-to-treat-baby-with-lesbian-parents-and-theres-nothing-illegal-about-it/

Could a Jewish firefighter refuse to rescue someone from a burning mosque? Or a Muslim firefighter refuse to save a Jewish person from a burning synagogue? After all it’s “religious freedom” and apparently all you need is a “sincerely held belief”.

What about race? With the rise of white Christian nationalism how long until we see some right wing individual discriminate against a minority based on their “religious belief” that whites are superior? How would the Supreme Court decide something like that? After all there are anti-discrimination laws on the books but without a “tradition” and it not being in the Constitution, what could SCOTUS do?

I believe in “God” but I readily admit I don’t know what that is. I do know though I don’t believe about 95% of what man says about God. I don’t need to know. That’s why it’s called “faith”. It’s a personal decision. I’m secure enough in my personal faith to not need to force beliefs on anyone else. Seeing this country backslide to the days of religious dogma and theocracy is a nightmare I’d hope to never witness. Instead I have a front row seat.



3 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Medical Care for Children? Religion? The SCOTUS? (Original Post) NowISeetheLight Jul 2022 OP
Now Catholics/Protestants can refuse to treat each other? keithbvadu2 Jul 2022 #1
Yes and what about Mormons? NowISeetheLight Jul 2022 #2
The law requires "reasonable accommodation" for an employee's religious belief... PoliticAverse Jul 2022 #3

keithbvadu2

(36,371 posts)
1. Now Catholics/Protestants can refuse to treat each other?
Wed Jul 6, 2022, 11:51 PM
Jul 2022

Now Catholics/Protestants can refuse to treat each other?

Many Catholics/Protestants consider the other to be false Christians.

NowISeetheLight

(3,941 posts)
2. Yes and what about Mormons?
Thu Jul 7, 2022, 12:01 AM
Jul 2022

They were chased across the country and called “not Christian”. So much for “freedom of religion”. Apparently only if it’s their religion.

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)
3. The law requires "reasonable accommodation" for an employee's religious belief...
Thu Jul 7, 2022, 03:13 AM
Jul 2022

what is "reasonable" is subject to opinion. Two muslim truck drivers were awarded $ 240,000 after being fired for refusing to deliver alcohol.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jury-awards-240000-to-muslim-men-fired-for-refusing-to-deliver-alcohol-in-illinois/

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