Abandonment stories, 125–126
Abington Hospital (Philadelphia), 98
in India, 84–85
miscarriage and infection and, 82–84
moment of conception and, 75–77
number per year throughout the world, 77–78
rape, incest, endangerment of mother’s life and, 86–87
in religious texts, 75–76
at St. Joseph’s Medical Center (Phoenix), xii, 78–82
See also Catholic Church and abortion
Abraham (father of Jewish people), 66
sacrifice of Isaac and, 34, 35, 122
ACLU. See American Civil Liberties Union
Acts 4:10, 47
Acts 5:15–16, 131
Acts 8:6–7, 131
Acts 9:32–35, 131
Acts 9:36–41, 132
Acts 15:29, 60–61
Acts 20:9–12, 132
Acts 28:3–9, 131
Affordable Care Act, 160, 192–193
Ahearn, June, 12–15, 16, 19, 20
Akron Children’s Hospital, 173–174, 175
Albert Einstein Hospital (Philadelphia), 95
American Academy of Pediatrics, 20, 67, 195
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), 108–109
American Journal of Roentgenology, 166
American Lawyer, 149
Anderson, Willimina, 158–159
Anemia, x
Animal sacrifice, 151–154
Anti-Semitism, 109
Apostles (Christian), faith healing by, 116, 131–132
Appendix, ruptured, 95
Appleby, Scott, 65
Applewhite, Marshall, 26–27, 41
Arendt, Hannah, 39–40
Aristotle, 123
Asatru (polytheistic Viking religion), 150–151
Assemblies of God, 141
Asser, Seth, 180
ATF. See Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
Ave Maria School of Law (Naples, Florida), 78
Back pain, 3
Bacterial meningitis, xiv, 16, 72–73, 95, 174, 178
Bacterial pneumonia, ix, 169–170, 191
Baker, Abigail, 2
Baker, Mark, 2
Bakker, Jim, 140–141
Bakker, Tammy Faye, 140
Balter, Jerome, 110–111
Banyard, John, 145
Barstow Community Hospital (Barstow, California), 44
Battered child syndrome, 167. See also Child abuse
“The Battered Child Syndrome” (Kempe), 167
Baylor College of Medicine, 143
Beach, Wanda, 138
Beagley, Jeff and Marci, 22–23, 35
Beagley, Neil (son), 22–23, 35
The Believers (film), 152
Benedetti, Fabrizio, 142
Benedict XIV, 138
Benkowski, Mark, 47
Bergh, Henry, 164–165
Bernadette of Lourdes, 135–137
Bible, 75–76
literal interpretation of, 59–61
See also New Testament; Old Testament; specific books of the Bible
Bilbo, Garland, 141
Black, Galen, 156–157
Blackwell, Kamilya, 96
Bladder obstruction, 22–23
Blair, Linda, 64
Blatty, William Peter, 64
Blind Faith: The Unholy Alliance of Religion and Medicine (Sloan), 132
Bliss, Edward, 119–120
Block, Robert W., 195
Blood transfusions, x, 60–61, 158–160
Bloodletting, 60
Bloodstream infections, 182
Bloomberg, Michael, 69
The Body, 32
Born in Zion Ministry, 32
Boston College, 85
Brackenridge High School (San Antonio, Texas), 106
Branch Davidians (Mount Carmel, Texas), 25–26, 27–28, 41
Brazil, abortion in, 86–87
Brockton, Massachusetts, 154–155
Brown, Jerry, 23
Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, 175
Bryan, William Jennings, 148
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), 26
Burstyn, Ellen, 64
Bush, George H. W., 88
Bush, George W., 150
Caffey, John, 166
Calhoun, Jim, 188
Callagy, Grace, 84
Campolo, Tony, 142
Cannon, George Q., 156
CAPTA. See Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act
Carle, Sister Judith, 80
Carpena, Bianca, 102
Carpenter, Leroy, Jr., 95
Carpenter, Lisa, 95
Carter, Rosalyn, 23
Castille, Ronald, 98
Catholic Church
exorcism in, 64–66
faith healing history of, 132–134
support of faith healing by, 138
Catholic Church and abortion, xii, 75–89
in Brazil, 86–87
equal right to life of mother and unborn child issue, 81, 85
excommunication and, 79, 86–87
moment of conception and, 75–77
Philomena (film) and, 87–89
rape, incest, endangerment of mother’s life and, 86–87
at St. Joseph’s Medical Center, 78–82
See also Abortion
Catholic Healthcare West (parent organization of St. Joseph’s Medical Center), 80
Catholic hospitals, xii. See also Hospitals; specific hospitals
CDC. See Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), xi, 69, 93, 112, 182
Chaput, Charles (archbishop), 77
Charles II (king of England), 134
Chicago, 148
CHILD. See Children’s Healthcare Is a Legal Duty
Child abuse
battered child syndrome and, 167
court’s failure to protect against, 171, 172–173
Fourteenth Amendment and, Equal Protection Clause of, 174–175
mandatory reporting laws and, 169
religiously motivated medical neglect as, 169–170, 173–174, 175–176
from 1870s to the present, 163–169
states with religious exemption from, 172
US Congress and, 167–169
See also Infanticide, child sacrifice, and child abuse; Infanticide and child abuse
Child abuse laws
in Pennsylvania, 189–192
religious exemptions from, 185–187
religious exemptions from, advocacy groups and states opposing, 183
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), 168, 170–172, 192
religious exemption from, and Christian Science, 171–172
“Child Fatalities from Religion-Motivated Medical Neglect” (R. Swan and S. Asser), 180–182
Child sacrifice. See Infanticide, child sacrifice, and child abuse
Child sexual abuse, 187–188
Childbirth complications, 95, 148
Children
abandonment stories about, 125–126
child labor law and, 154–155
diseases of, as test of faith, 101, 128
infanticide, child sacrifice, and child abuse in ancient times and time of Jesus and, 120–123, 125–128
infanticide and child abuse in poems, songs, games, folk tales, nursery rhymes of today and, 123–125
Jesus’s message of love for, 126–128
suffering of, in name of Jesus, 120
unimmunized, and measles, 93–98, 101, 105, 112
See also Child abuse; Child abuse laws; Child sexual abuse
Children’s Healthcare Is a Legal Duty (CHILD), 180
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, xiv, 92, 99–100, 103
Christ Assembly, 32
Christ Miracle Healing Center, 32
Christian Broadcasting Network, 139, 140
Christian Catholic Church, 148
Christian faith healers. See Faith healers
Christian Science, 1–2, 3–4, 6–18, 41, 181
bible of (see Science and Health with a Key to the Scriptures)
compulsory vaccination laws and, 106–107
doctors’ false thinking as contaminator of thinking, 10
doctrine over existence and, 32
doctrine over experience and, 31
fear of doctors and, 35
growth rate of, 4
language and, 31
man as spiritual image of God belief and, 1–2, 4, 9
personality disorders and, 57
prayer treatment and, 1–2
refusal to embrace medical advances and, 5
religious exemption from Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and, 171–172
religious motivated medical neglect as child abuse and, 169–170
requirement to report contagious diseases and, 13
success of, compared with early medicine, 4–5
See also Eddy, Mary Baker
Christian Science Church
efforts to obtain religious exemption from medical health care mandate, 192–193
efforts to stop repeal of religious exemptions from child abuse laws, 185–187
faith healing success story of, 177–178
Swan’s public denunciation of, 177–180
Christian Science Monitor, 178
Christian Science practitioners, 10–12, 12–15, 16–17, 19–20, 58
insurance companies’ reimbursement to, 20
See also Faith healers
Christian Scientists
Ehrlichman, John, 170–171, 172
Haldeman, H. R. “Bob,” 170–171, 172
Christians
hospitals and, 119
influence of healing and ministry of Jesus on early, 118–120
number of, 28
1 Chronicles 21:1–14, 114
2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6, 122
The Church and Abortion: A Catholic Dissent (O’Brien), 87
Church of England, 137
Church of God, 32
Church of God of the Union Assembly, 32
Church of Jesus Christ Christian, 151
Church of Latter-day Saints, 155–156
Church of the Firstborn, 32, 181
Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye, 151
Circumcision, metzitzah and, xi, 66–73
Cirillo, Vincent A., 110–111
College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, 166
Conestoga Wood Specialties, 160–161
Confession for imagined sins, religious cults and, 30
Connolly, Mary and Francis, 163, 165
Constantine, 127
Contraception, requirement of corporations to provide health coverage including, 160–161
Control of information, religious cults and, 29
Cooper, Maura, 100
Cooper, Pat, 61
Corporations, requirement to provide minimum essential health coverage, including contraception and, 160–161
Cottrell, Terrance, Jr., x, 61–63, 65, 66
Courts, failure to protect against child abuse and, 171, 172–173. See also United States Supreme Court
Crawford, Jim, 109
Cults. See Religious cults
Cunningham, Holland, 185
Curley, Timothy, 188
David (king), 114
Davies, Arthur, 18
Dawkins, Richard, xiii
Delphi, Greece, 122
DeMause, Lloyd, 126
Denmark, 121
Denton County, TX, xi
Department of Health and Education, 169
Department of Health and Human Services, 169, 171
Dependent personality disorder, 54–55
Detroit Free Press, 178
Devil, 95, 101, 114–116. See also Lucifer
Diets, 2
DiMotto, Jean, 66
Diocletian (emperor of Rome), 121
Diphtheria, 147
Disease, 117–118
of children, as test of faith, 101, 128
as God’s punishment for sin, 114
See also specific diseases
Doctors/physicians, 10, 35, 97–100, 102
modern concept of disease by, 117–118
Doctrine over existence, religious cults and, 31
Doctrine over experience, religious cults and, 31
Donohue, Phil, 179
Douglas, William O., 150
Dove World Outreach Center (Florida), 108
Dowie, John Alexander, 148
Drug laws, religious ritual in violation of, 156–157
Duarte, Jorge, 153
The Dybbuk (play), 63
Eagle Mountain International Church (Texas), xi
Earnest, Josh, 161
Ectopic pregnancy, 80
Eddy, Mary Baker, 2–5, 10, 21, 30, 31, 41
bible of Christian Science and, 3–4 (see also Science and Health with a Key to the Scriptures)
birth of Christian Science and, 3
as chosen by God, 29
empowerment of women and, 5
as founder of Christian Science mother church in Boston, 4
materia medica and, 12
pain medicine and, 8
power of suggestion/healing ministry of Jesus and, 3
See also Christian Science
Egypt (ancient), 114
Ehrlichman, John, 170–171, 172, 176, 177
Eichmann, Adolf, trial of, 39–40
Eichmann in Jerusalem (Arendt), 40
Electricity, curative power of, 3
Elizabeth (mother of John the Baptist), 75–76
Elsah, Illinois, 6–7
Emotions, physical illness and, 3
Employers’ right to practice their faith, 149–150, 154
The End of Faith (Harris), xiii
Entertainment Weekly, 64
Escape From Freedom (Fromm), 197
European kings, Christian healing by, 134–135
Evans, Nancy, 100
Excommunication, abortion and, 79, 86–87
Existence, doctrine over, 31
Exodus 1:15–22; 2:1–10, 122
Exodus 8:12–13; 9:2–6; 9:8–10; 12:29, 114
Exodus 20:10, 149
The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel (film), 65
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (film), 65
The Exorcist (Blatty), 64
The Exorcist (film), 64
Experience, doctrine over, 31
Faith Assembly Church, 21–22, 23, 32, 41, 113, 181
Faith healers
Bakker, Jim, 140–141
Popoff, Peter, 139
Roberts, Oral, 138
Robertson, Pat, 139–140
Swaggart, Jimmy Lee, 141
See also Christian Science practitioners; other specific healers
Faith healing, 131–144
by apostles, 131–132
Bernadette of Lourdes and, 135–137
the Catholic Church and, 132–134
condemnation of churches and, 137–138
endorphins and, 142–143
by European kings, 134–135
expectation and, 143
grounded in science, 132
grounded in supernatural acts of mortal men, 132
Jesus and, 113 (see also under Jesus)
Martin Luther and, 135
missionaries and, 119–120
monasteries and, 119
in New Testament, 131–132
placebo response and, 144
by priests and relics, 133
reasons for popularity of, 141–144
reasons it might work, 142–143
relics and, 133–134
relics attributed to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and, 133–134
by saints, 133
sense of magic and wonder and, 141–142
support of Catholic Church and, 138
See also Faith healers; Medical neglect, religious reasons for; specific family cases regarding; specific faith-healing denominations
Faith Tabernacle Congregation (Philadelphia), 32, 91, 92, 181
compulsory vaccination law and, 107–108
court order for doctors’ visits to families of, 97–100, 102
court order to hospitalize boy infected with measles and, 102–103, 104
measles epidemic and, 94–112
public opinion against, 101
religious exemption to vaccination overturned and, 110–111
threat of prosecution to families and, 98
See also Reinert, Rev. Charles
Faith Temple Church of Apostolic Faith (Milwaukee), x, 61–63
Faith Temple Doctoral Church of Christ in God, 32
Family Worship Center (Baton Rouge), 141
FDA. See Food and Drug Administration
Female infanticide, 121–122
First Assembly of God Church (California), 44
First-Century Gospel Church (Philadelphia), ix, 32, 100, 105, 112, 189
compulsory vaccination law and, 107–108
First Gospel Delivery Church, 32
Fischer, Rabbi Yitzchok, 69
Fisichella, Salvatore (archbishop), 86–87, 89
Flato, Charles, 165
Followers of Christ Church (Oregon), 22–23, 32, 41, 182, 185, 186, 187
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 144
Fost, Norman, 20
Fourteenth Amendment, Equal Protection Clause of, 174–175
Franklin, Ben, 5
Free speech, 108–109
Freud, Sigmund, 183
Fromm, Erich, 197
Full Metal Jacket (film), 26
Gabriel (archangel), 122
Galileo, 60
Gallagher, Eugene, 26
Garcia, Rosemary, 141
Genesis 1:27, 197
Genesis 1:28, 66
Genesis 17:10–11, 66
Genesis 22:1–2, 9–12, 34
Genesis 22:11–12, 122
Georgia, 64
Germantown, Maryland, 66
Gilmore, Dustin, 181
Gilstrop, Hazel, 97
Ginsburg, Ruth Bader, 160–161
Glendale, California, 66
God, 129
dependence on, 55–56
punishment for disobedience by, 34–35
story of Job and, 114–116
The God Delusion (Dawkins), xiii
God Is Not Great (Hitchens), xiii
Gorman, Marvin, 141
Gorman, Randi, 141
Gravity’s Rainbow (Pynchon), 176
Great Britain, 184
Greece (ancient), 114, 123, 125
Gustafson, Terry, 185
Gwinnett County, Georgia, 64
Hahn, Jessica, 140–141
Halappanavar, Praveen and Savita, 82–85
Haldeman, H. R. “Bob,” 170–171, 172, 176, 177
Hale-Bopp comet, 27
Hall, Gary and Margaret, 113
Hall, Joel (son), 113
Hamburger Hill (film), 26
Harlan, Marshall John, 106
Harris, Sam, xiii
Harvard Medical School, 143
Hawkins, Jean, 17
Healing. See Faith Healers; Faith Healing
Healing in Early Christianity (Porterfield), 119
Heaven’s Gate (UFO-based religion; San Diego, CA), 26–27, 27–28, 41
Heilman, Dean and Susan, 91–92
Heilman, Michael (son), 91–92
Hell, concept of, 122
Hemophilia, 91–92
Hemphill, David, 61–63
trial of, 62–63
guilty verdict of felony child abuse and, 63
prison sentence of, 66
trial of, 62–63
Heritage USA (Fort Mill, South Carolina), 140
Hermanson, Amy (daughter), 171–172
Hermanson, Christine, felony child abuse and murder conviction overturned and, 171–172
Heron (king of Judea Province), 126
Herpes virus infections, xi, 68–69, 72
Hershberger, Andy and Anna, 173–174, 175–176
Hershberger, Sarah (daughter), 173–174
Hess, Michael, 88
modern concept of disease by, 117–118
Hippocratic Oath, 123
Hitchens, Christopher, xiii
HIV. See Human immunodeficiency virus
Hobby Lobby decision, 160–161
Hoffner, Rich, 98
Homeopathy, 2
Homosexuality, 108–109
Hospitals
Catholic, abortions at (see St. Joseph’s Medical Center, abortion at)
Christians and, 119
See also specific hospitals
How to Be Pentecostal Without Speaking in Tongues (Campolo), 142
Howell, Vernon (a.k.a. David Koresh), 25–26, 41
belief in apocalypse by, 25–26
belief in self as the Messiah, 25
as chosen by God, 29
sexual relations with group members (including adolescent girls) by, 25
standoff at Mount Carmel and, 26
stockpiling of weapons by, 26
Hucksterism, 5
Hughes, Rev. Edward, 64
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), 66–67
Human papillomavirus, 67
Hunt, Linda, 79–80
Hydropathy, 2
Infanticide, child sacrifice, and child abuse, in ancient times and time of Jesus, 120–123, 125–128. See also Child abuse
Infanticide, female, 121–122. See also Child abuse
Infanticide and child abuse, in poems, songs, games, folk tales, nursery rhymes of today, 123–125. See also Child abuse
Inflexibility of doctrines, religious cults and, 30–31
Inherit the Wind (play and film), 148
Innocent III, 134
Insurance companies, reimbursement to Christian Science practitioners by, 20
International Association of Exorcists, 64
International Hotel (Portland, Maine), 3
Ireland
Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act, 85
Irish Times, 85
Israel, 120–121
Italy, exorcism in, 64
Jacobson, Henning, 105–106, 107
Jacobson v. Massachusetts, 106
James 5:14–15, ix
James Randi Educational Foundation, 139
Japan, 121
Jayaraman, Mythri, 190
Jefferson, Thomas, 155
Jeffrey, Rev. George Johnstone, 138
Jehovah’s Witnesses, x, 60–61, 154–155, 158–160
Jeremiah 1:4, 75
Jeremiah 7:32, 122
allowing children to suffer in name of, 120
belief that disease was arbitrary and, 117
faith healing by relics attributed to, 133–134
healing, with love and compassion and, 117–118
healing and ministry of, 3, 113, 114–120, 129–131
as infant, sparing of, 126
infanticide, child sacrifice, child abuse in ancient times and time of, 120–123, 125–128
love of children by, 126–128
modern concept of disease by, 117
resurrection of Lazarus by, 129–131
story of Job and, 114–116
support of physicians by, 118, 128
in the womb, 75–76
Jesus Through Jon and Judy, 32
Job, story of, 114–116
Job 10:8, 75
Jochebed (mother of Moses), 122
Joffe, Mark, 100
John 5:7, 59
John 9:3, 117
John 11:1, 17, 39–44, 130
John 11:39, 130
John 14:12, 132
John the Baptist, 76
Johnson, Monica (daughter), 96, 100
Johnson, Tina Louise (daughter), 100–101
Johnson, Wayne (father), 96
Jolly K, 168–169
Jones, James, 23–25, 41, 110–111
belief in self as the Messiah, 24
as chosen by God, 29
claims of abuse and starvation from congregants against, 24
delusions of grandeur and paranoia of, 24
in Jonestown (Guyana), 24
mass suicide of congregants and, 24–25
sexual relations with group members, including adolescent girls, by, 25
Jones, Jesse E., 159
Jones, Michelle, 25
Jones, Rachel, 25
Jones, Serenity Sea, 25
Jonestown (Guyana), 24
Joseph (husband of Mary), faith healing by relics attributed to, 133, 134
Joshua 6:26, 121
Journal of the American Medical Association, 167
belief that disease is God’s punishment for sin and, 114
circumcision and metzitzah and, xi, 66–73
mohel (person who performs ritual circumcision) and, xi, 67, 69–70, 71, 73
Judas Iscariot, 65
Judd, Emma, 148
Kaptchuk, Ted, 143
Kelly, Rev. Charles, 95
Kelsey, Morton, 118
Kempe, Henry, 167–168
Kennedy, Anthony, 153
Kenny, Edna, 85
Kessler, Karl, 45–47
Khan, Saeed, 108
1 Kings 16:34, 121
Kirn, Daniel, 102
Knepfler, Sharon, 15–16
Korea, 66
Koresh, David. See Howell, Vernon
Korn, Gordon, 95
Labrenz, Cheryl Linn, 158
Lacy, Shawn, 110
Laitner, Jeanne, 10–12, 19, 20
Lambertini, Prospero, 138
Language, religious cults and, 31
The Last Strawberry (R. Swan), 183
Lazarus, 129–131
Leadership, 21, 29, 32. See also Faith healers; specific leaders
Lecky, William, 123
Lee, Philomena, 87–89
Lerner, Benjamin, 190–191
Levenson, Robert, 105, 111–112
Leviticus 7:26, x
Leviticus 21:5, 72
Levy, Deborah, 109
Lewis, Jerry Lee, 141
Life, 167
Lille, Charisse, 102
Lincoln, Abraham, 33
L’Osservatore Romano (Vatican newspaper), 86
Louis XIV (king of France), 134
Lucifer (a.k.a. Satan), 34, 35, 52, 56, 58, 64, 65. See also Devil
Luke 1:39–42, 75–76
Luke 5:31, 118
Luke 7:11–15, 129
Luke 8:41–55, 129
Luke 9:6, 131
Luke 10:35, 120
Luke 13:2–5, 117
Luther, Martin, 135
Lymphoma, 173–174
MacAlistar, Stewart, 120
Magi (Zoroastrian priests), 126
Magnets, curative power of, 3
Mannheim, Robbie, 63–64
Manno, Catherine, 92
Mark 1:25–26, x
Mark 2:17, 118
Mark 9:37, 126
Mark 10:16, 126
Mark 11:24, 59
Mary (mother of Jesus)
faith healing by relics attributed to, 133, 134
pregnancy of, 75–76
Mass suicide, of cult members, 24–25, 26–27
Massage therapy, 3
Matthew 2:16, 126
Matthew 9:12, 118
Matthew 10:1, 131
Matthew 10:8, 131
Matthew 12:27–28, 117
Matthew 18:19, 59
Matthew 19:14, 126
Matthew 25:40, xiii
Matthew 27:51–52, 129
Mayo Clinic, 161
McBride, Sister Margaret Mary, xii, 79–80, 81, 82
McCormick, Mary Ellen, 163–165
McCormick, Thomas, 163
McQueary, Mike, 188
Measles, xi–xii
Measles Elimination Program, 93
Measles epidemic (Philadelphia, 1989 to 1991), 92–112
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and, 99–100, 103
court order for doctors’ visits to families and, 97–100, 102
court order to hospitalize boy infected with measles and, 102–103, 104
end of, 111–112
financial toll of, 105
reasons for death of children during, 101
religious exemption from vaccination overturned and, 110
St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and, 99–103
statistics on, 112
threat of prosecution to families and, 98
unimmunized children and, 93–98, 101, 105, 112
Mechanical asphyxiation due to external chest compression, x, 62
Medical health care/Affordable Care Act, Christian Science Church’s efforts to obtain religious exemption from mandate regarding, 192–193
Medical neglect, religiously motivated
as child abuse, 169–170, 173–174, 175–176
and the courts (see United States Supreme Court)
effectiveness of punishment for, 184–187
the law and, mid-1800s to early 1900s, 145–149
reasons for, 59–61
reasons public tolerates, 193
sects accounting for most deaths from, 181, 182
states that protect, 171
Swan’s (Rita) efforts to end, 177–184, 197–198
See also Faith healing: reasons for popularity of; specific cases
Medical/scientific advances, reasons for rejection of, 59–60
Medicine
fear of, 35
psychology of choosing religion over, 41
in the 1800s and early 1900s, 4–5
scientific advances in, 5
Melitus (Turkey), 121–122
Meningococcus, 182
Mesmerism. See Hypnosis
Mexico, 121
Milgram, Stanley, 35–39, 40–41
Miller, Wallace, 150
Mills, Dick, 51
Miskimens, Seth, 175
Missionaries, 119–120
Mitzvahs (commandments), xiii, 66
Mohel (person who performs ritual circumcision), xi, 67, 69–70, 71, 73
Molla, Gianna Beretta, 81
Monasteries, 119
Morby, Abraham (son), 146
Morby, John and Rachel, 146, 147
Morill Anti-Bigamy Act, 155
Mormons. See Church of Latter-day Saints
Mortob, Isaac, 70
Moscone, George, 23
Moses, 122
MOVE bombing (Philadelphia), 99–100
Murphree, Debra, 141
Muslim Association of North Central Florida, 108
Mysteries of the World (Pick), 133
Narcissistic personality disorder, 55–56
Nash, Gary, 44, 47, 48, 50, 51–52, 54, 55
National Institutes of Health, 161
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 20
National Socialist Party of America, 109
Native American Church, 157
The Nazi Doctors: Medical Killing and the Psychology of Genocide (Lifton), 40
New Hampshire, 2
New Testament, xiii, 60, 126–128
concept of Hell in, 122
healing in, 131–132
healing powers of Jesus and, 116 (see also under Jesus)
Jesus’s love of children in, 126–128
New York City, xi, 66, 68–70, 72, 165
New York Post, 89
New York State, 107
Newsweek, 167
Nichols, Nichelle, 27
Nichols, Thomas, 27
Niederman, Rabbi David, 70
“No Name” Fellowship, 32
No Spin Faith: Rejecting Spin Doctors (Larry Parker), 57–58
Northeast Kingdom Community Church, 32
Numbers 12:10, 114
Numbers 15:32, 35, 36, 71
Nuremberg trials, 40
Obama, Barack, 160, 161, 192, 194
Obedience to authority experiment, 35–39, 40–41
Obedience to Authority (Milgram), 35–36
O’Brien, George, 87
Oedipus, 125
Ogden, Utah, 1–2
Ohio, 150–151
belief that disease is God’s punishment for sin and, 114
child sacrifice in, 122
Olmsted, Thomas J. (bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix), xii, 79–80
O’Malley, Sean, 85
One Mind Ministries, 32
The Onion (online news source), 109
Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association, 138
Organized religions, members’ faith in leadership of, 32
Otterman, Sharon, 67
“Parents Who Beat Children: A Tragic Increase in Cases of Child Abuse Is Prompting a Hunt for Ways to Select Sick Adults Who Commit Such Crimes,” 167
Parker, Larry and Lucky, 43–58
conviction reduction and sentence of, 53–54
daughters of (Pam and Tricia), 48
felony child abuse and felony manslaughter charges reduced and, 49
No Spin Faith: Rejecting Spin Doctors, 57–58
psychological disorder as rationale for behavior of, 54–58
son Wesley and, illness and death of, 43–49
We Let Our Son Die: A Parents’ Search for Truth, 41, 44, 52
Parker, Wesley (son), 43–49
Paterno, Joe, 188
Paul VI, 64
Payne, Gregory Henry, 127
Pediatrics, 180
child abuse laws in, 189–192
Swan’s (Rita) efforts to repeal religious exemption in, 191–192
Pennsylvania Children and Youth Administration, 191
Pennsylvania Hospital (Philadelphia), 120
Pennsylvania State University, 187–188
People’s Temple of Full Gospel Church, 23–25, 27–28, 41
Perricone, Joseph, 158
Persia (ancient), 114
1 Peter 2:9, 145
Peter Popoff Evangelical Association, 139
Peyote, 157
Phelps-Roper, Shirley, 108–109
The Phil Donohue Show (television talk show), 178–180
Philbin, Regis, 48
Phillip the Fair (king of France), 134
Philomena (film), 87–89
Physical illness, emotions and, 3
Physicians. See Doctors
Pichardo, Ernesto, 151–153
Pick, Christopher, 133
Pierson, Luther, 148–149
Pittsburg, Kansas, 6
Plato, 123
Platoon (film), 26
Pneumonia, 113, 145–146, 147, 148, 189
Poland, 66
Polio, 106–107
Polycarp (bishop of Smyrna), 119
Polygamy, 155–156
Pontifical Academy for Life, 86
Pontifical academy (Rome), x, 64–65
Poor Law Amendment Act, 146
Popoff, Peter, 139
Porterfield, Amanda, 119
The Possession (film), 63
Power-of-suggestion therapy, 3
President’s Certificate for Outstanding Service, 195–196
Prisoners’ right to practice their faith, 150–151, 154
Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act (Ireland), 85
Provonsha, Jack, 118
Psalm 139:13, 75
Psychological disorders, 54–58
Psychosis/delusion, 56–57
PTL Club (Christian television program), 140
Pulmonary hypertension, xii
Purity, religious cults and, 30
Purkiss, Henry and Louisa, 147
Purkiss, Norman (son), 147, 155
Pynchon, Thomas, 176
Pyrrhus (king), 135
Quimby, Phineas Parkhurst, 3, 4
Randi, James, 139
Reagan, Ronald, 88
Redwood Valley, California, 23
Reinert, Rev. Charles, 91, 92, 95, 104–105
children’s diseases as test of faith and, 101
compulsory vaccination law and, 108, 109
interpretation of the end of measles epidemic and, 112
See also Faith Tabernacle Congregation (Philadelphia)
Reiss, Dorit, 161
Relics, faith healing and, 133–134
Religion
acts of love and kindness and, xiii
as compared to science, 129
over medicine, choice of, 41
promise of eternal life and, 33
punishment for disobedience and, 34–35
true believers and fear of doctors/medicine and, 35
unconscionable acts and, xiv
Religious cult(s), 21–32
characteristics of, 27–32
control of information by, 29
definition of, 28–32
demand for confession for imagined sins and, 30
demand for purity by, 30
doctrine over existence and, 31–32
doctrine over experience and, 31
inflexibility of doctrines by, 30–31
as insular groups, 23
language, 31
number of, 32
See also specific cults
Religious exemption
from child abuse, 171–172
from child abuse laws, 183, 185–187
from vaccination, 110
Religious persecution, 49, 50, 108
Reynolds, George, 155–156
“Rights of Children” (Senate Subcommittee on Children and Youth), 168
Riis, Jacob, 164
Robertson, Pat, 139–140
“The Roentgen [X-Ray] Manifestations of Unrecognized Skeletal Trauma” (Silverman), 166–167
Roman empire, 123
Romans 8:11, 135
Rome (ancient), 125
Romero, Rev. Daniel, 44–45, 52
Roseburg, Oregon, 156–157
Ross, Robert, 94, 95–96, 97–99, 102–104, 107, 110, 111
Rothert, Anthony, 109
Rutledge, Wiley B., 154–155
Ryan, Leo, Jr., 24
Saints, faith healing by, 133
Salvation for Sale (Straub), 140
Sandusky, Jerry, 187–188
Santeria, 151–154
Satan. See Lucifer
The Saturday Evening Post, 165, 167
Sayville, New York, 66
Scarlet fever, 146
Scarnecchia, Brian, 78
Schaffner, William, 70
Schaible, Brandon and Kent (sons), 189–191
Schaible, Herbert and Catherine, ix, 189–191
Schofield, Amelia Jane, 155
Schreiber, Moses, 68
Schultz, Gary, 188
Schweitzer, Albert, 119
Science
as compared to religion, 129
faith healing grounded in, 132
Science and Health with a Key to the Scriptures (Eddy), 3–4, 10, 13, 29, 30
Scopes, John, 148
Sean Ross Abbey (Roscrea, Ireland), 87–89
Sedgwick, Kyra, 63
Semmelweis, Ignaz, 67
Seneca (Roman statesman), 123
Senior, Amos and Tansley (sons), 147
Senior, George, 147
The 700 Club (Christian television program), 139
Seventh-day Adventist Church, 25, 28, 149–150
Sherbert, Adell, 149–150
Sheridan, Dorothy, 169–170
Sheridan, Lisa, 169–170
Shymalan, M. Night, 196
Silverman, Fred, 166–167
Simmons, Betty, 154–155
Simmons, Leroy, 57
Sisters of Mercy, 79
Sixsmith, Martin, 88
Skokie, Illinois, 109
Skolnik, Rabbi Gerald, 71
Sloan, Richard, 132
Smallpox, 146
Smallpox epidemic (Cambridge, Massachusetts), 105–106
Smith, Alfred, 156–157
Smith, Joseph, 155
Smith, Kyle, 89
Snow, C. P., 36
Sobrinho, Cardoso (archbishop of Recife, Brazil), 86
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 164
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, 165
Somalia, 194
Soto, Jason, 158
Soto, Rebecca, 158
The Source, 32
Spanier, Graham, 188
Spellman, Eugene, 152–153
St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children (Philadelphia), 99–103
St. Joseph’s Medical Center (Phoenix), abortion at, xii, 78–82
Stangle, Josef (bishop of West Germany), 65
Starr, Bruce, 185–186
States
with laws that protect religiously motivated medical neglect, 171
opposing religious exemptions from child abuse laws, 183
with religious exemptions from child abuse, 172
Still, Debra, 95
Straub, Gerry, 140
Suicide, 72
Summers, Edward, 102, 110, 111
Supernatural acts of mortal men, faith healing grounded in, 132
Swaggart, Jimmy Lee, 141
Swan, Matthew (son), death of, 7, 178, 183. See also under Swan, Rita and Doug
Swan, Rita
efforts to end religiously motivated medical neglect by, 177–184, 197–198
efforts to repeal religious exemption from child abuse laws, 185–187
efforts to repeal religious exemption in Pennsylvania by, 191–192
founding of child advocacy organization by, 180
President’s Certificate for Outstanding Service awarded to, 195–196
public denunciation of Christian Science Church by, 177–180
report on child death and permanent disability from medical neglect by, 180–182
story of son’s death by, 183
Swan, Rita and Doug, 1–2, 6–21, 29, 30, 31, 35
birth of daughter (Catherine) and, 7
birth of son (Matthew) and, 8
death of son (Matthew) and, 17
diagnosis of bacterial meningitis of son (Matthew) and, 16
ignorance regarding medicine by, 72–73
illness of son (Matthew) and, 10–18
malpractice lawsuit against Christian Science practitioners by, 19–20 (see also practitioners Ahearn, June; Laitner, Jeanne)
medical treatment for son (Matthew) and, 15–17
practitioners for son (Matthew) and, 10–12, 12–15, 16–17, 19–20
practitioner’s reasons for prayers/healing powers not working for son (Matthew) and, 12, 13, 16
Swanson, Eva, 181
Switzerland, 66
Syphilis, 68
Tabor, James, 26
Talbot, Norman, 20
Tanner, Don, 44
Tarrant County, Texas, xi
Tarte, Alden, 152
Tattoos, 72
The Telegraph, 77
Temin, Carolyn Engle, 189–190
Tendler, Rabbi Moshe, 71
Teresa, Mother, 33
Tertullian, 77
Test of faith, children’s diseases as, 101, 128
The Believers Fellowship, 32
Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism (Lifton), 28
A Thousand Lives (Scheeres), 23
Time, 167
Times of India, 84–85
Tipperary, Ireland, 87–89
Tolefree, Tamara, 61
Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (television talk show), 139
Topeka, Kansas, 108–109
Torah, 66
Trilling, Lionel, 31
Tuberculosis, 68
Tuddenham, Mary Ann, 155
Twelve Tribes, 32
Twitchell, David, 184
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 193–194
Unimmunized children, 93–98, 101, 105, 112
United Church Mission Hospitals, 119
United Church of Canada, 137–138
United Church of Christ, 17
United Jewish Organization (Brooklyn), 70
exorcism in, 64–65
influence of Jesus’s teachings in, 120
refusal to ratify UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and, 193–194
United States Congress, child abuse and, 167–169
United States Lutheran Church Committee, 137
United States Supreme Court
compulsory vaccination laws and, 105–111
polygamy and, 155–156
religious freedom and, 149–162
religious ritual in violation of state drugs laws and, 156–157
requirement of all corporations to provide minimum essential health coverage, including contraception and, 160–161
right of employers to practice their faith and, 149–150, 154
right of prisoners to practice their faith and, 150–151, 154
right to distribute religious pamphlets, and child-labor law and, 154–155
right to home school children and, 150, 154
right to practice animal sacrifice and, 151–154
University Hospital (Galway, Ireland), 82
University of California Hastings School of Law, 161
University of Notre Dame, 65
Utah, 155
Vaccination, xi–xii, xiv, 72, 93, 182
compulsory, 105–111
mandatory, 107
Vail Hydropathic Institute (Hill, New Hampshire), 3
Vanderbilt University, 70
Varma, Jay, 70
Vass, Arpad, 131
Vigilantius of Talouse, 134
The Village (film), 196
Viral meningitis, 177–178
Visiting Nurses Association of Philadelphia, 105
Von Sydow, Max, 64
Vonderscher, Mary, 138
Wagstaffe, Lois (daughter), 145–146
Wagstaffe, Thomas and Mary Ann, 145–146, 148
Waite, Morrison, 156
Watergate scandal, 170
Wayne State University Medical Library, 177–178, 197
We Let Our Son Die: A Parents’ Search for Truth (Larry Parker), 41, 44, 52
West Germany, 65
Westboro Baptist Church, 108–109
Wheeler, Etta Angell, 163–165
Why Waco? (Tabor and Gallagher), 26
Williams, Mark, 62–63
Women, as spiritual healers, 5
Woods, Judith, 77
World Health Organization, 67
Wray, Nelda, 143
Wright, J. Skelley, 159
Yoder, Jonas, 150
Young, Brigham, 155
Young, J. Addison, 149
Yutzy, Adin, 150
Zamora, Rigoberto, 153–154