Comments on: Daniel Hauser’s Mom Takes Off Running

By: Miko

Miko — Wed, 27 May 2009 00:38:59 +0000

Update:

Mrs Hauser told a court hearing in Brown County that she now believed chemotherapy was the best option for her son, reported the Associated Press news agency.

Judge John Rodenberg said Daniel should remain with his parents but that “this course of chemotherapy has to commence and commence soon”.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8069375.stm

By: Roy Schwartz

Roy Schwartz — Sat, 23 May 2009 08:44:18 +0000

You can read more about Hodgkin’s and why treating Daniel is so important here:
http://bit.ly/PtgV3

By: Fredrik

Fredrik — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:30:14 +0000

The problem is, RATIONALISM & HUMANISM just doesn’t work with people whose minds have already been infected with RELIGION!

Religion, illiteracy and Hodgkins lymphoma are all curable. The kid is not beyond hope yet. Although I think the odds are long and getting worse.

By: Orac

Orac — Thu, 21 May 2009 12:12:01 +0000

It is interesting that they don’t consider the prolonged, agonizing, process of being consumed by cancer as torture.

Indeed.

By: Michael Nietzsche

Michael Nietzsche — Thu, 21 May 2009 09:46:33 +0000

Hi Richard Wade, thanks for this new letter…. but No apology was necessary, really! We’re all entitled to our own opinions! I can see that you’re a thoughtful person, and I enjoy the exchange of ideas. Sometimes I say things too strongly, in an attempt to just stir up people’s minds and get a reaction. That is my way. sorry if I offended you or anyone else. Now, you say that the way to deal with this problem is to promote Rationalism & Humanistic social values wherever we can…. I agree with you! There’s aproblem here though. The problem is, RATIONALISM & HUMANISM just doesn’t work with people whose minds have already been infected with RELIGION! And, unfortunately you can’t even talk to those people because their minds are completely closed to any other input.

By: revatheist

revatheist — Thu, 21 May 2009 07:51:45 +0000

Here’s the link where I originally read the story:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/05/20/minnesota.forced.chemo/index.html
One thing I noticed and talked about on my blog is that the whole issue isn’t about religion. Their religion didn’t prevent them from taking the kid to the doctor for the original diagnosis and first round of chemo. It was because of the chemo side-effects that they decided to stop treatment and use concentrated idiocy instead. Supposedly, further chemo (and thus further side-effects) would be torture for the poor ignorant lad. It is interesting that they don’t consider the prolonged, agonizing, process of being consumed by cancer as torture. Go figure: po-tay-to, po-tah-to.

By: Richard Wade

Richard Wade — Thu, 21 May 2009 06:11:01 +0000

Hi Michael,
Sorry if I was overly harsh. Like you, I think the primary problem facing this world is overpopulation, with its many dire consequences that are already taking place, and like you my wife and I did our part by having only one child. (Lucky we did too, since she is a helluva handful.)

But the answer to overpopulation is not about allowing unjust and unnecessary death to fall upon the innocent, nor upon the foolish either. The answer is to promote rationalism and humanistic social values everywhere we can, to combat the short-sighted and self-centered attitudes of people, who for cultural, religious or simply personal reasons have large families. The answer is to build a culture of quality of life over quantity of life. The answer is in promoting wise living instead of foolish dying.

My dad was one of three siblings, I am one of two siblings, and my brother and I have had only one child each. Our branch of the family is going extinct. No matter, the continuation of the family name is unimportant. That’s just a word. What is important is living a life of consequence rather than continuance, a life where things are a little better for others because we were briefly here.

I’m way off topic so I’ll be quiet now.

By: Stephan Goodwin

Stephan Goodwin — Thu, 21 May 2009 00:34:05 +0000

I have to disagree with those that would say “just let him die”.
For starters, he obviously doesn’t have the knowledge or world experience necessary to make such a decision.

In addition, saying “just let the religious die” is not fundamentally different than saying “let those with AIDS/cancer/any other disease die”. In the case of this child, he never had a chance. Just because his parents are criminals doesn’t make him a bad person. He should have a chance just like anyone else would.

Hopefully memes like this child’s will, however, end themselves. You can only reject the doctor and reality so long before selection chooses you. Let’s hope that people wise up before the harsh reality of evolution deals with them in its own way.

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 21 May 2009 00:03:12 +0000

As a parent of a 4 year old who has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia I am appalled that these parents would endanger their son in such a way. Had we done nothing when my daughter was diagnosed 2 years ago she would have died within 3 weeks, and I’m quite certain no god would have saved her.

While my wife does thank God quite regularly for the ‘miracle’ of my daughter’s recovery I profusely thank science and the caring doctors and nurses who have helped blood cancers (including lymphoma) become far more survivable than they were just 30 years ago. My daughter has 2 months left in her treatment protocol and will go on to live a happy, full life.

That boy absolutely should be taken from those parents, no ifs, ands, or buts and I hope that there is still time for science and medicine to work their ‘magic’ on him and for reasonable people to undo his brainwashing.

By: Michael Nietzsche

Michael Nietzsche — Wed, 20 May 2009 22:28:07 +0000

To Richard Wade…. Hello my friend, I must let you know, I’ve already done my part. After the wife and I had our two children,back in the 70′s, I had a vasectomy 25 years ago! If you stop to think about it. It isn’t global warming that’s going to kill us all, or polution…. It’s over-population!