You Can Pray…But How About Going to a Doctor First?
by Sara on 04/03/08 filed under Myths & Wives' Tales
«Why pick on religion?» We skeptics/atheists are often asked. Sure, you may not like it, but come on — what harm does it do?
It is true that religion in the right hands can do some good (or at the very least, mind its own business). However, encouraging faith over reason can lead to disastrous, if not tragic, results.
Take, for example, the case of Madeline Neumann, the
According to an article in Pantagraph.com, The girl’s mother, Leilani Neumann, said the family believes in the Bible and that healing comes from God, but she said they do not belong to an organized religion or faith, are not fanatics and have nothing against doctors.
If these people aren’t fanatics, I’d hate to see how real fanatics would have handled this situation.
Who’s to Blame?
Not surprisingly, many theists hesitate to blame god or religion for this tragedy. In the comments below the Pantagraph article, one concerned citizen writes, “Sure, there are fanatics in any religious organization — it’s those people that make their religion look bad. However, I myself believe in God, but I also know that God helps those that help themselves. While prayer can be positive and reassuring in times like these, the mere act alone cannot magically make a person that has a severe, yet treatable illness better.
A recent AOL poll asked readers two questions:
- Do you believe prayer can heal or help heal?
- Should parents be allowed to refuse medical treatment for children on religious grounds?
As of 7:30 am on 3/28, 83% of those polled said that a parent should NOT be allowed to refuse medical treatment for their kids. However, 72% of people believe that prayer can heal or help heal.
Something’s Not Quite Right Here…
How can so many people believe that prayer is helpful, while also believing that medical treatment should not be refused in favor of religion? If prayer can be positive and healing, why do we need doctors? And if God made doctors so that people can «help themselves,» why do we need prayer?
In many churches across America, people are taught that prayer changes things. James 5:16 clearly says, «The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.» Read a little more of the bible and you’ll see plenty of examples of prayers being answered; Moses, Joshua, David, and Paul not only prayed to God, but received specific answers.
Many people are able to keep this bit of teaching separate from logic and reason. They may believe in the power of prayer, but when they or their children get sick, they pray AND go to a doctor. However, given the church’s emphasis on the power of prayer, it should surprise no one that a handful of people will go the extra step and rely totally on the power of god. It should surprise us even less that these people will have sweet, totally innocent children who will have to pay the price for their parents’ misguided beliefs. The church cannot muddy the waters of reason, and then distance itself when not everyone is able to slog their way through.
Conclusion
Now that we’ve seen what happened when you try prayer without going to a doctor, I urge you to try it the other way. The next time you get sick, try going to a doctor WITHOUT praying. We’ll see which of those actions proves more successful on its own.
In the meantime, did Madeline’s parents at least learn their lesson? According to the Pantagraph article, they are not worried about the impending investigation because their lives are in God’s hands.
It will be interesting to note whether they bother to hire a lawyer.
heather
Apr 6th, 2008
Very good points on a depressing story.
I really love your conclusion. “It will be interesting to note whether they bother to hire a lawyer”
Stushie
Apr 8th, 2008
So all praying people are tainted by one souless couple? Are you serious?
Honestly, when I’ve come across people who are introuble, sick, or faced with terminal illness, they usually pray “God help me.” Be honest, have you never prayed something like that yourself?
Prayer is a natural act. Whether or not anybody listens is a different matter altogether. You’re young and feel invincible. Wait until you’re old and feeble, widowed and alone. Then perhaps you’ll understand the comfort of prayer.
The Monkey
Apr 8th, 2008
Stushie: “So all praying people are tainted by one souless couple? Are you serious?” That wasn’t in there at all. Do you endorse praying instead of medical attention? I’d like to think you don’t, and that you’d advise to pray AND seek professional medical help. If you endorse praying instead of medical attention, you got some pretty bad press.
“Be honest, have you never prayed something like that yourself?” Sure I have. I was raised Lutheran and for the first 20 years of my life, prayed as any Christian does. Did my prayers ever work? Who knows. The answer was either Yes, No, or Wait. Will something completely random happen right now? The answer is either Yes, No, or Wait. For some prayer is comforting, and I think that’s great. But it’s not for everyone.
Prayer is not a natural act. Prayer seems natural if you’re raised and conditioned to think it’s a natural act.
I’ll leave those last three sentences be… I enjoyed your feedback until reading that part. Sad…
sara
Apr 8th, 2008
Stushie, to answer your question, I used to pray quite a bit back when I still believed in god (I was raised Catholic). Prayer began to make less and less sense to me after a while, however, and I stopped. A few years ago, a member of my family (someone I’m very close to) became seriously ill. Once, when I was on my way back from a visit in the hospital, I thought to myself, “I wish I could pray about this.” I remembered that prayer was comforting, and I knew that people around me were still making themselves feel better that way. However, I may have wanted the comfort, but I knew deep down that the prayer wouldn’t accomplish anything, and was therefore a waste of time and enrergy. I comforted myself instead by spending time with other loved ones, and doing things to take my mind off the bad situation. In otherwords, I learned how to cope in secular ways. My family member actually did get better, and is in good health today (so I don’t see what difference the prayer would have made.)
Prayer is comforting because it makes us feel like we are doing something even when there’s nothing we can do. It also makes us feel that if we pray hard enough, the universe just might bend to our will. That feeling of power can be, as it was in the above incident, misleading and damaging. The parents in the above article felt like they were helping their daughter, when in reality they should have just brought her to a medical professional. I don’t agree with your point that prayer is positive or neccessary because it’s comforting. Alcohol can be comforting, but that doesn’t mean we should drink instead of facing reality.
Ivy
Apr 9th, 2008
I do agree with this article in that reason and wisdom should not be thrown out, just because you believe in God and prayer. As a Christian, I do believe in the power of prayer, and when someone is in right standing with God (walking according to His will), then their prayers will be answered. However, even Luke, one of Jesus’ disciples was a doctor. Sometimes God’s healing does not come through a supernatural act, but through the miracle of science and medicine. Unless God specifically tells someone not to go through treatment or use medicine, I believe we (Christians) should be smart. Those parents were acting out of ignorance, unless they felt God was telling to not let her go through any sort of treatment. Because of my personal convictions, when I am sick, I try my best to use homeopathic medicine, just because I believe that you should not stray too far from the resources God gave us in nature. But I am completely for the use of medicine.
Herbal Junky
Aug 18th, 2009
This is my first visit here, thanks
Evie
Nov 12th, 2009
I agree TOTALLY that she shouldn’t have been refused treatment.
I believe that is refusing the creation (doctors) of God.
Ok, so God didn’t create doctors but he has a will and plan for each and every one of us, for some that becoming a doctor.
Being a doctor is a gift from God so going to a doctor is praising and thanking God.
I also agree with Ivy and what she has said.
I hope and pray that parents who were going down the same path as madelines parents have heard of or read this article and will learn from it.
Amen & God bless you all
pete
Nov 18th, 2009
YES pray . Pray you get a great doctor If available