Let them have faith

Recently I read a newspaper article about a fourteen year old Jehovah's Witness girl who was refusing to get a blood transfusion which would save her life. The journalist was strongly protesting this, arguing that no child should die for their faith. This enraged me. Such a statement presupposes that no child (up to age what?!) can have a true enough faith that they can make meaningful life decisions for themselves. What kind of message does that send to children/teenagers?

Granted, there is a line somewhere to be drawn for when a child is old enough to make informed rational choices, or have a genuine belief, and I understand that line would fluctuate for every person (and I'm certainly not about to attempt to draw one), but is it really our decision (as adults) to say whether or not the decision or faith of a child/teenager is true?

However, the question is begged of the parents, which is to ask whether they have let their daughter come to JW faith on her own, or whether they have forced their beliefs on her, putting their desire for righteousness ahead of the needs of their daughter. I can't answer that, but I can only hope that she has come to her faith willingly.

Assuming that, what right would anyone have to make the final decision on a girl's life, forcing her to live, when it is according to her beliefs that she die? I ask this: What kind of life would she lead after being forced to live, as a result of a blood transfusion that is against her beliefs to get, when she may have believed it was her time to go and be with God? She would have to live with that regret, that pain, that thorn in her side for as long as she remains with those beliefs.

I suppose I feel so strongly about this because it all comes back to my belief in letting people have their faith. As long as ones beliefs do not harm others or themselves unnecessarily, one should be allowed to believe in whatever gives their life meaning, and should not be questioned by others. End of story.

   [ posted by Anabee @ 8:20 AM ]