I Don't Understand

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  1. Don W profile image85
    Don Wposted 8 years ago

    I consider myself to be fairly liberal-minded. I acknowledge that people have different beliefs that I may not agree with, even beliefs I might consider to be harmful in some ways. Most of the time I can, if not empathise, at least understand why and how people come to hold such beliefs. Until now.

    The people in the article below let their premature newborn son, David, die because as "followers of Christ" they do not believe in traditional forms of medical care. One state doctor said that if David had been taken to hospital he would have had a "99 percent chance of survival.” The Oregon State Supreme Court has just upheld the couple's sentence for manslaughter.

    Try as I might, I do not understand. I cannot understand their beliefs. I wonder if a Christian can please explain to me, which part of the teachings of Christ forbids a parent from seeking medical help for a sick child? I'm genuinely at a loss.

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2 … -baby.html

    1. Credence2 profile image79
      Credence2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      There are none, Jesus had directed people to go to physicians in the scriptures.

      There are just many that take their paranoia and attribute it to scripture, when there is no scriptural basis to support it. That is not "Christian".

    2. tsmog profile image85
      tsmogposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I'm agreement there are none to my knowledge. Luke, a direct disciple of Jesus, was a physician and his written contribution is one of the synoptic gospels. Both inference and common sense seems to lend that using a physician with the arts of healing was not prohibited.

      However, that does not address a mind, like mindedness, beliefs and systems of belief. Just as within the democratic or republican party there will be departures with factions within the greater whole based on beliefs and belief systems. I am sure with a little pondering examples can be determined offering wondering too.

    3. colorfulone profile image77
      colorfuloneposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Cults like Christian Science and the Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in doctors' life saving methods or taking medications for themselves and for their children.  Some do wear glasses and use canes or wheelchairs, and may see a doctor for broken bones.  Otherwise, they believe in healing through prayer for illnesses.  They have their own translations of Scriptures that error from original doctrines. 

      It is sad that people can be so deceived and believe so strongly in false doctrines that parents would not seek medical help to save the life of their own child.

      1. Credence2 profile image79
        Credence2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

        What you say is not true about Jehovahs Witnesses. There is not any restrictions on use of doctors and medicines. Their only restraint is a prohibition about recieving blood transfusions. It is hardly cultist, as most sensible laymen can tell you that it is a dirty practice. I have studied with JW's  for many years and I know. To each their own, but the JW's are more consistent in their beliefs and practices than the so called mainline denominations.

        I am not aware of the practices of Christian Science.

        1. BuddiNsense profile image60
          BuddiNsenseposted 8 years agoin reply to this

          Even dirtier is the practice of living in liquor amnii.

        2. colorfulone profile image77
          colorfuloneposted 8 years agoin reply to this

          Thank you for your authoritative admonition. 
          (Time for some shut eye, good night.)

    4. Don W profile image85
      Don Wposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      And now this. A Christian "intervention" when a teen wanted to leave the church, that resulted in one teen brother being beaten to death, and the other being hospitalized.
      http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/16/nyreg … hurch.html

      Again, I can't reconcile these actions with what I know of Christian beliefs. Do those of you who are Christians (and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this) feel any sense that these things reflect badly on Christianity in the eyes of non-Christians (is that of any importance to you anyway)? Or do you feel this type of behaviour is so far removed from your faith, and your belief that it doesn't really register with you as anything related to Christianity at all?

  2. Jeramey Conrad profile image84
    Jeramey Conradposted 8 years ago

    I'm not a Christian, but it is not in the teachings of Christ that these people act. Over the centuries, in every religion, you get what are called charismatic leaders. They may either start a small offshoot or cult that is nominally named after the parent religion, or if they have the power and influence, end up as the figurehead of a sect. But these are corruptions. Just like a Catholic priest who abuses children, or the evangelical television preacher who solicits hundreds or thousands of poor people to send him $5 to his "ministry" so he can brag about how God loves him so much he drives a Bentley.

    In short, just because someone says, "this religion influenced me to do it" doesn't mean it's a tenet of that religion.

  3. SpiritusShepherd profile image60
    SpiritusShepherdposted 8 years ago

    I think one of the major problems today is this new "prosperity Gospel" that has infiltrated the church through preachers like Joel Olsteen.  They teach that if one believes hard enough, prays hard enough and has only positive thoughts then God will bless them and make them rich and nothing bad will ever happen to them again. Your baby died? Then you didn't have enough faith. You lost your job? You just need to get rid of all those negative thoughts and declare that will you will have a new job tomorrow.

    I have suffered from mental illness since age 12, growing up in a Pentecostal church I came to believe that had been healed and stopped taking medication as well stopped seeing a mental health care provider. I was 16 at the time. When I realized that I was still have trouble I went to my parents and told them I would like to start seeing some again. My stepmother told me that all I needed to do was pray and stop letting Satan put negative thoughts in mind.

    3 years after leaving my parents and the Pentecostal church behind I finally went to see someone after a huge breakdown. It was hard, because I had come to believe that taking medication made me weak, but now I am doing much better.

 
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