Comments on: Madeline Neumann Died Because Her Parents Prayed Instead of Getting Help… Here’s the Irony

By: Alwa

Alwa — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 08:28:04 +0000

I just saw a picture of the poor girl playing in the playground. How very sad this story is. Of course, now both parents have been convicted of second-degree reckless homicide. I just don’t see the point of locking them up until they are over retirement age. However misguided and crazy are their beliefs (the mother apparently continued to believe her daughter could be resurrected for some time after her death) don’t you think they are suffering terribly from this? It’s not as if they wanted her to die. And believe me, you aren’t going to convince others to abandon their own crazy beliefs by throwing the book at these two. They are likely to see this only as religious persecution. And we ought not give in to our own base desire for retribution. We need to be more tolerant of others’ shortcomings even if they lead to such tragic consequences. I’m sure this little girl loved her parents and knew they were doing what they thought was best. I doubt she would want to see them punished. I on the other hand do feel they ought to serve a prison sentence but I cannot in good conscience advocate for 25 years. Something much shorter is in order I think. This story is tragic enough without having to add to it by punishing so harshly these wretched and misguided people.

By: ZombieGirl

ZombieGirl — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:39:47 +0000

Tie her tubes!!!!!!

edit:
Of course that statement alone sounds like I’m ignoring how tragic this story is, but I’m not. We all know that this story is extremely unfair and saddening.

By: Evolve

Evolve — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:42:27 +0000

Believe what you wish, but this one fact will ALWAYS rule…

Stupid People Fade Away.

By: Tony

Tony — Sat, 23 May 2009 01:47:37 +0000

Mother convicted in prayer-death trial

WAUSAU, Wis. – A mother accused of praying instead of seeking medical help for her dying 11-year-old daughter was found guilty Friday of second-degree reckless homicide.

A Marathon County jury deliberated for about four hours before convicting Leilani Neumann, 41, of rural Weston, of second-degree reckless homicide. The crime is punishable by up to 25 years in prison. No sentencing date was set and Neumann remained free on bond.

By: steve

steve — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:51:23 +0000

They have a link to your website on http://www.helptheneumanns.com/ I found this site by doing a little researching in to those wacko's that let their daughter die. I think David Elles of the Neumanns church (http://americaslastdays.com/) should be charged too, as he was the moron that didn't advise them to seek medical attention. I used to more accepting of these kinds of religious practices. However, the more I read and hear about, the more I think that there should be zero tolerance for these people. I'm all about freedom, and I don't wish that anyone be stopped from doing what they please, but seriously, that was dumb. I know they would just fire back with a 'medicine kills X amount of people per year' argument, but I don't think they can even fathom how many people it saves each year. Maybe this is an issue of poor education, and misinformation. I've never met the Neumanns, or David Elles, but I would guess that is the case. Whatever it is, it makes me sad that someones life was cut short for no reason at all. Lets hope the courts make a good decision, and show these people that neglect isn't going to be tolerated for any reason. Neat blog.

By: Monado

Monado — Tue, 19 May 2009 05:28:50 +0000

Religious sentiment must not be allowed to endanger children. “Numbness and collapse” could be emotionally based. It’s important for other parents to see that depending on magic has consequences.

I imagine the judge thought for a second of recommending prayer.

Wasn’t Neumann the one who agreed to plead guilty as long as she could retract her plea if her daughter came back to life?

By: Alx-Nichole

Alx-Nichole — Tue, 19 May 2009 02:23:53 +0000

I’m so sick of hearing things like this.
I was forced to take a religion course at my school called Death and Dying. The teacher taught us that we shouldn’t go to non-Catholic hospitals or non-Catholic doctors because they are not as good or caring as their Catholic counterparts. Also, she said many times that all the people had left was prayer. Some of the situations were similar to this one, but not as extreme. The fact that she supported this instead of supporting the medical treatment that could potentially save someone’s life is terrible.
Rely on doctors, not imaginary friends.

By: mikespeir

mikespeir — Tue, 19 May 2009 00:49:34 +0000

Sometimes, it IS about punishment and I am unapologetic about supporting legitimately punitive measures.

Isn’t that how Christians respond, jemand, when we tick off the various legitimate purposes of punishment and point out that Hell serves none of them?

By: ConstantNeophyte

ConstantNeophyte — Tue, 19 May 2009 00:29:11 +0000

First off, littlejohn: She did deliberately kill someone, even if she didn't think she was killing them. Whether or not you think you commit a crime is not relevant to whether or not a crime was committed. And, as for Anthus Williams, here is the wikipedia article on Gandhi's wife.

By: John Phillips, FCD

John Phillips, FCD — Mon, 18 May 2009 23:21:57 +0000

If for no other reason, they deserve the punishment for the real suffering they put their daughter through, for the way the daughter died was a long way from painless. However, additionally, if found guilty, it marks their action as a definite crime and removes religion as a future excuse for doing nothing. It may not prevent any other wackaloons, whether the parent/guardian and/or witch doctor, doing it in future, but at least they will be aware that their delusion is not a valid defence.