It was a slow day, a very joyful lady and her adorable daughter came in. She was quite obviously Christian, as the words out of her mouth were "What a beautiful day the Lord has blessed with" I smiled and and agreed "It's a beautiful day". She began to look around, I offered her daughter a "free sample" and she began to tell me about school. I questioned her studies and what she liked best.

I am not one to talk down to children, and though she was only about 10, she was quite intelligent and she confessed an interest in science and how she loved to read and write.

As I checked out the purchases I told the woman what a lovely daughter she had. That maybe she would be a great doctor one day.

WHOA! no way. Thus began a preaching about the coming end when there would be no need of doctors for there would be no sickness. Jesus would be here soon and as she preached she occasionally looked to her daughter and said, "isn't that right?" Or "Her path is the Lords to choose".

I asked if she believed in medicine at all? No, Jesus will provide and she went on for a bit and handed me a paper with Bible verses listed that I should read. We had walked toward the door at that point and they turned to leave. The little girl turned her head to me and I gave her a big smile and told her that maybe one day she would "write" of great things.

She dropped her mothers hand and put her arms around my waist and gave me a big hug and looked up at me with a big smile.

What would you do, if a child you knew was ill and could be helped with medical treatment. But the family had a faith so strong that no matter how God answerd their prayers it was the way it should be?

How much right to we have in a free society like America to intervene? What would you do?

We have every right and obligation to report parents for neglect. Good parents will raise their children with faith. Foolish parents will force their kids into their own fanaticism.

Ugh...

It'a great to have failth, I do. However, when I'm sick I say a prayer that the doctore finds out what is wrong, and I call & make an appt with the doctor's office. All you can do is report them to the correct authorities & say a prayer that the right thing will be done before it's to late...See Jesus/God does work in mysterious ways!!

It's not your right to report suspicions of child abuse/neglect, it's your obligation.

Call child services and tell them that your concern. They will make sure the child is safe and properly cared for.

They will not take the child away, tell the parents they are bad parents, or anything like that.

The family will never know who called child services, unless you tell them.

What is the difference between physical and mental abuse? One is usually easy enough to spot, one is not. In either case what does it matter as long as Freedom of Religion allows one to practice their faith accordingly? In other words what right does our government have or anyone else to decide when religion is not a protected right?

Religion is a protected right until it leaves the etheral and starts abusing/neglecting/destroying the empirical.

Religion is NOT a right when it is harmful, it's written in the constitution.

keywhee just said it better

The welfare of a child is paramount and should supercede any right to religious beliefs.

When a teenager attempts suidide because the religious family to which they belong is condeming them or mentally abusing them based of some percieved sin, should the government have the authority to remove other children from the house, for 'religious abuse'?