The Ethical and Legal Issues
Surrounding Faith Based Healing
Francis Haggerty
HCA 531
Sheri Putnam
Introduction
Should a parent be able to make the ultimate and final decision to provide medical treatment for their child? Do parents have the right to choose prayer instead of modern medicine to relieve their child’s suffering? Throughout this paper I will attempt to provide various examples, both local and national, of religious sects that believe in the power of prayer rather then conventional medicine when it comes to healing. Many court battles and legislative decisions have been appealed due to the repetitive arguments over the freedom of religion. Since the 1970’s forty-four states have had some type of religious exemptions laws that limited the punitive actions brought against the parents who refused to attain medical attention for their children. This first amendment right has convinced some legislators into believing that parents should not be prosecuted when they fail to attain medical attention for their children who eventually die. Many of these illnesses are easily treatable through vaccines or antibiotics. Although every religion has some reliance on a higher power for healing, it is the denominations that refuse to attain medical attention for their children that will be addressed throughout this paper.
What is faith based healing? “Faith healing is founded on the belief that certain people or places have the ability to cure and heal –that someone or something can eliminate disease or heal injuries through a close connection to a higher power” ( Faith Healing, n.d.). This belief is taught by charismatic and persuasive leaders who often lead large congreg ...