While Oregon may be one of the most secular states with the Portland area being almost a post-religious society, it does have its share of crazies. A few groups, including the poorly named “Christian Scientists” reject all medical care, and rely on God to heal the sick. Since that works so well, there have been several recent murder, manslaughter, and child abuse cases since parents would refuse medical treatment for their children that had very treatable conditions. Fortunately there’s hope:

The Oregon House approved a bill Thursday that would remove legal protection for parents who choose faith healing over medical intervention when treating their children. The bill passed unanimously, though two Republican representatives raised concerns that the legislation was taking the issue away from juries and sending the state down a slippery slope.

The legislation comes in response to an Oregon City church, the Followers of Christ, that has a long history of child deaths even though the conditions from which the children died were medically treatable. 

Currently, spiritual treatment can be used as a defense against some homicide charges. The bill would eliminate that defense and subject parents who chose faith healing over medical treatment at the expense of their child’s life to mandatory sentencing under Measure 11.

Now if the parent’s want to refuse treatment, they’ll just have to use the insanity defense. Quite fitting.

It’s times like this that I’m proud to have grown up in Oregon!

(Via Friendly Atheist, Pharyngula, and Skepchick)