Kara Neumann’s Father Found Guilty August 2, 2009

Kara Neumann’s Father Found Guilty

By Guest Contributor
August 2, 2009

Good. Put Dale Neumann away. I know some of you are saying that extended jailtime won’t do much to change his views or the views of other Christians who feel God trumps doctors when it comes to the health of their children. But I still think an example needs to be set. These parents shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it.

Does anyone else find the BBC News picture of Neumann unsettling?

(Thanks to Jennifer for the link)

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  • Danny

    I was very happy when I saw this. I am really hoping that both parents get the full sentence. It won’t change the views of other people but it’s nice to know that the courts won’t take that kind of crap.

  • chancelikely

    I can see this going in two directions:

    1.) The Neumanns’ convictions inspiring more of that martyr complex that a lot of Christianity runs on.

    2.) It’ll send a message that you can pray all you like, but you still have to take your sick kid to a doctor at some point.

    My guess is that it’ll be mostly #2, with maybe a dash of #1 for the particularly wingnutty.

  • I think that this will definitely set an example and hopefully help to prevent some cases in the future. Hopefully. And, yes, that picture is creepy as hell. Ew.

  • Richard Wade

    Does anyone else find the BBC News picture of Neumann unsettling?

    I don’t. Context is everything. It all depends on what was happening at the moment that he smiled. It does not necessarily reflect his attitude about the case. His child is dead, his life is ruined and he’s facing years in prison, but that doesn’t mean he cannot or should not flex the muscles above his mouth ever again, or enjoy a joke. He has plenty of pain, you can be certain of that. After my initial outrage at people who have done what he has done, I feel only sadness.

  • I feel terrible for this man. It must be the most defeated feeling someone can be in the world to know that your entire belief system failed you when you needed it, that the life of your most precious child was snuffed out because you believed the word of God was true and that doctors are less than Jesus. I imagine he will be re-evaluating his life…

    …oh, God was just testing his faith?

    Oh. Right then. Carry on.

  • As I said in my own post about him and his wife (who was also convicted): put them away for the maximum sentence and let them pray to be released sooner.

  • ErinM

    I find this phrase interesting: “a selfish act of faith.”

    Doesn’t that just say it all?

  • Axel

    Neither me nor – as far as I remember – anybody else suggested on the occasion of your last entry on the Neumann case to ‘let them go away with it’…

  • Dan W

    I hope he gets locked up for the full sentence. Maybe then some of these religious zealots will think to take their kids to a doctor if they get sick.

  • medussa

    I’m with Erin here: I really liked the line “a selfish act of faith”, seems very appropriate.

  • Liudvikas

    1 point to the world.
    I hope this will set a precedent and various idiots won’t be able to justify their actions with their religion.

  • Is it also possible to charge his pastor or church as well? As far as I can tell this case revolves around the issue of duty of care. A parent has a duty of care for their children. A teacher has a duty of care for their pupils within certain limitations. A scout leader has a duty of care as does any other club where the children are away from their parents and are under the authority of another adult. Do a pastor or leaders within the church also enjoy this same duty of care?

    I don’t think that there is a case against the church here because Kara Neumann got sick at home in the care of her parents. In slightly different circumstances though could the church as a legal entity be held responsible for a death? Perhaps if Dale Neumann had asked his pastor to visit and help in prayers and he had seen how sick she was and done nothing could he have also been charged.

    I’m wondering where the duty of care ends in a religious context. By deferring responsibility to a higher power does the higher power, represented by the church, have an obligation to take on the responsibility and duties of a carer? If so should they be legally held accountable when they fail to uphold their responsibilities?

  • Ron in Houston

    I’m rather put off by the use of words like “happy” or “good” to describe this situation. I think the result is just under our laws, but remember this is not a crime of true criminal intent – this is one of those crimes of negligence.

  • The problem is, this won’t change anything, and will only feed the persecution complex that type of Christian almost always seems to have. Instead of waking some of them up to the dangers of putting dogma ahead of their family, it will only reinforce their faith in their dogma.

  • CatBallou

    I kept waiting for the FSM to fix my car, but dang it, I ended up going to a mechanic.
    Does the bible actually tell people not to go to doctors? That praying is not just helpful, it’s enough?

  • the larch

    i know of one handsome, tall, stubbled, blue-eyed, cynical diagnostician in new jersey who must be sniggering and cringing at the same time.

    oh, and if i wasn’t such a hippie, i’d beat these nutters with a lead pipe until they get a haemorrhage and tell them to pray to god to save them instead of calling an ambulance. such a heavenly way to die!