Mar 27

Written by: Skeptic
3/27/2008 2:13 PM

Madeline Kara Neumann is dead beacause of of religion. This is the only reason.  I am disgusted when I hear stories like this. In the past it has been Johova's  Witnesses refusing blood transfusions on behalf of their children in the name of some imaginary friend.  These morons who this girl had the misfortune of being the daughter of chose to put their faith in...well, faith. Faith, what a stupid premise.

I do not have faith in anything. I do not have faith in science or in the love of my children or in the sun coming up tommorrow. For these things and all others happenings I have evidence. My children tell me they love me, that is my evidence. The sun has come up on roughly 24 hour intervals for billions of years, that is my evidence(it is repeatable). Insulin was discovered through science and it has saved thousands of lives over most of the last century and it could have save Madeline's life. But her parents instead chose to pray, because they had faith.

No evidence that prayer had ever saved a life before. In fact science has tested it and shown it does not, so long as the person being prayed for is unaware. If they are aware? Then it has some effect which can be scientifically attributed to a plecebo. 

My whole point here is that faith causes damage. It clouds peoples judgment and ability to think rationally. It is drilled into people as children when they lack the skills to apply critical thought and as a consequence usually stays for life. It makes people fly planes into buildings, hate one another for being different and allow their children to die when a simple needle could save them.

Science has advanced the human race in every aspect of our existence, it has allowed us to start to understand our  beginnings, prolong our lives, map the world, make an ankle deep entry into the cosmic ocean (thank you Carl), take control our destiny and abandon many superstitions.  There are still those who hold on to these old ways, the majority in some places. I undersatnd that because change takes time but that does not mean I tollerate it. I abhore these people for what they do, they are delusional and their stupidity causes others to suffer. We are wise to speak out against people who believe in such things. Even the moderates, because  when the moderates incorporate prayer with more rational means they help to enable those who forgo the rational means.  When you think prayer may help, you tend to justify it to those who may think it is all that is required.

I wish I could say Madeline is in a better place but my rational side knows she is gone.

 

Copyright ©2008 Skeptic

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