Using Religion To Kill

The couple in the picture above are Herbert and Catherine Schaible of Philadelphia. They just allowed their 8-month old baby to die by refusing to get medical care for the sick infant. They are members of the First Century Gospel Church - a weird sect of christianity that believes it is a sin to seek medical help. They believe that prayer is the only "medicine" their god allows.

This might be almost understandable if this was the first time they had done this (since a case might be made that they didn't understand the serious consequences of their action -- or lack of action). But this isn't the first time for the Schaibles. They were convicted in 2009 of involuntary manslaughter for letting their two-year old child die of pneumonia, and placed on ten years probation (with a condition that they get medical care for their sick children).

In my mind, I believe these perversions of parenthood have committed two new crimes. First, they have violated their probation by not getting medical care for the sick baby. Second, they have committed murder by refusing to get that medical care -- knowing from past experience that the failure to get medical care could result in the child's death. They have now used their religion to kill two human beings.

These people can believe in whatever religion they want. They even have the right to refuse medical care for themselves, thus killing themselves. It is stupid, but I believe the constitutional right to religious freedom would allow them to do that. But what they do not have the right to do is use their religion to take the life of someone else -- even if that someone else is their own child. Those children are not their "property". They are human beings, who have the right to live in spite of the religious beliefs of their parents.

The really scary part is that these "parents" (and I use that term very loosely) have seven other children. Fortunately, the city has placed those children in foster care -- and they should stay there. They should never be returned to their "parents" (or any other members of the First Century Gospel Church). They have shown they will not get those children medical care when needed, even when ordered to do so by a court -- and that means that more children are likely to die if returned to them.

The couple's attorney said, "Nobody argues that these aren't very loving, nurturing parents." I disagree. They gave up the right to be considered "loving, nurturing parents" when they used their religion to kill two of their own children. The primary responsibility of a parent is to protect their child from harm. They are criminals, and they should be given long prison sentences to ponder their criminal behavior.

That's what I think. Do you disagree?