15 Year Old Girl Disowned for Having a Brain Tumor Removed

Sorted under religion on July 31, 2009

“Christian Scientists” are (you saw this coming) bat shit crazy. To truly believe that modern medicine and conventional forms of health care hold no weight compared to heavy duty praying is ludicrous, but that is how Christian Scientists live their lives. And that is what they breed their children to believe–even if their children have a brain tumor and are given six months to live. The answer? Fuck that surgery that could help that child live a full life, you better get in your room and pray really hard for god to take that tumor away.

And that is exactly what has happened in the-girl-known-as-Jessica’s case. (Not her real name, by the way.)

Jessica’s was born and raised by a family of devout, fundamentalist Christian Scientists–an oxymoron in itself–and when she was playing at her friend’s house, she fell down with a seizure–most likely something that had also happened at her own, in front of her family. Of course her friend’s family took her to the hospital, where it was discovered that Jessica had an operable brain tumor. Without the operation, Jessica was given a prognosis of about six months to live, but the good news was that they could get her in surgery within the week.

Yay, right!?

No, not quite. Jessica’s family went to visit her in the hospital once they found out about what had happened and before even asking her if she was okay or trying to comfort the child, they began chastising her for going to a hospital to begin with. In fact, they did not ask what had happened, nor did they ask if she was okay because her family believed that faith and prayer are all that is needed to cure ailments–including brain tumors. Her family expressly forbade her from getting the surgery that would save her life and tried to get her to leave the hospital and go to their pastor for extensive prayer. Although her family forbade her to go through with the surgery, she did have the surgery and it was a great success; but even though Jessica had taken her life into her own hands and had made the right decision to have her brain tumor removed, she lost her family because of their inability to see reality through that dark cloud of religious propaganda.

Obviously the only logical explanation here is that Jessica just didn’t believe in god hard enough and maybe if she had, she wouldn’t have gotten a brain tumor. but regardless of her illness, there is never an excuse to have a life-saving procedure done. If god wants you to get better then you just will, miraculously; you’ll wake up one morning and poof, you’ll be all better and will suddenly possess the ability to one-handed cartwheels and juggle while riding a unicycle down the highway. How’s that for god’s mysterious plan for you?

Jessica has been completely disowned by her family merely because she wanted to live and made the logical decision to seek medical care in order to stay alive. Law enforcement officials should be taking a deep look into this case and determine whether or not Jessica was having seizures while in the care of her parents and if she was, they should be arrested and charged with attempted murder. If parents were fully aware that their child was having symptoms that turned out to be caused by something life-threatening, they would undoubtedly be facing charges, but because this family is hiding behind their religious beliefs, people are not immediately calling them out on the consequences that they should have to face for putting their child in great danger.



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  • Such family is ridicules which is do not like their children even in such crucial situation. I will pray to God for her.
  • Oh my goodness, that poor girl. My heart goes out to her. :(
  • great article, thanks..
  • To refer to Christian Scientists as bat shit crazy (or putting the term in quotation marks as if it's a made up religion) is really really offensive. This is an extreme case and not representative of the Church of Christ, Scientist as a whole. But of course, I'm sure any intelligent person would realize that. In fact, the original article on the story (that you linked to) did make that disclaimer, but I guess that part wouldn't fit into your rant.

    As a so-called feminist you should know how wrong it is to make generalizations and disparaging stereotypes about a minority group. In fact, do some reading about Mary Baker Eddy and you'll see that Christian Science is almost a little feminist.

    A lot of religions and cultures have aspects that might seem crazy to people outside the group. I'm sure if you look at your own background you can find at least one or two things that other people might think are crazy. Imagine if this post started as "Muslims" are bat shit crazy... or "black people" are bat shit crazy... or "feminists" are bat shit crazy.
  • Firstly, Christian Scientists is in quotes in the beginning because as I go on to mention, Christianity+science is an oxymoron. A contradiction, if you will. For a group of people who constantly throw any scientific evidence that backs up anything that they do not agree with out the window and then come out and say 'We have our own science and it's called prayer' ...well then that's called faith, not science. I think that Christian Scientists have actually come to call themselves that to fuck with people who actually take scientific evidence of something as fact. Much like the anti-choicers who call themselves pro-life yet support the war and everything else that George Bush did in his 8 year reign.

    Secondly, funny for you to claim that one thing is offensive, yet go on to say some things that can also be taken offensively; see your 'any intelligent person would have realized that' comment, as well as your 'as a so-called feminist' comment.

    It does not matter whether or not this is an "extreme case;" in fact, when it comes to corruption within any religion for any reason, ESPECIALLY Christianity and Catholicism, stories like this won't make it to the media and the only reason this story did was because someone had the balls to write it up on a website.

    You're very right that a lot of religions and cultures have aspects that might seem crazy to people outside of that group; however, it does not make them right. Do you think honour killings are just fine and dandy and people should stop worrying so much about them happening just because those people live in a certain culture that we just don't understand? Should we start writing about how female genital mutilation really isn't such a big deal because we just don't understand the culture that these people have? Um, I don't think so. The only thing that struck a chord within you to leave the comment that you did is that I said that religion is bat shit crazy--a comment that I will not try to cover my ass for or try to alleviate any situation that can arise from it because I firmly believe that it is. And regardless of whether or not you view certain religions as "a little feminist" or not, this feminist who is also an atheist, has a hard time trying to comprehend the fact that the entire business of religion--and yes, it is a business--supports women at all because from where I'm sitting, women always, always, always get the short end of the stick when it comes to religion as a whole, regardless of the religion you practice. And to add, people who practice religion, especially Christianity, are by no means, not even by a long shot, a minority group.
  • Wow. Okay.

    1. If you're going to argue about semantics, then that's a whole other story. Yes, you can argue that the name is a contradiction, but whatever they call themselves, deciding that an entire group of people are bat shit crazy based on ONE fucked up story is an unfair generalization and yes, it's wrong.
    2. Christian Scientists haven't "come" to call themselves anything to fuck with people... that's the name of the religion. That's like saying people who live in New Mexico are just calling it that to fuck with Mexicans. No, that's just WHAT.IT'S.CALLED.
    3. My comments were meant to be 'offensive'... but offensive TO YOU, not to feminists in general. Your comments on the other hand, were straight up ignorance and bigotry. I think that any intelligent person WOULD realize that a blatant, rude generalization is offensive and wrong... therefore suggesting that either a) you aren't intelligent - which you probably are - or b) you knowingly saying something rude and ignorant. THAT was my point. If you're offended by my pointing out your bigotry, then soooo sorry.
    4. I've seen TONS of stories about how horrible people who object to mainstream medicine are... TONS. So don't give me that whole "this never makes it to the media" bullshit. Even so, I have no objection to you sharing this story or even referring to it as fucked up (because it is)... what I object to is your lumping an entire group of people together as bat shit crazy based on a situation that is NOT typically characteristic of that group.
    5. As a feminist, I'm sure you can relate to people making generalizations about feminists and about women in general. It's not okay and neither is this. I don't care how fucked up this situation is... most Christian Scientists are not that extreme and WOULD seek medical attention in life-or-death cases such as this one. So however crazy you think religion is, you are still wrong on this one.
    6. I will NOT pretend that Christianity in general is usually anti-feminist... but as far as the "Christ-based" religions go, Christian Science IS a lot more female-centric than other sects. It was founded by a woman who was pretty damn feminist for the time period.
    7. "People who practice religion" are not a minority group, but among the publicly accepted religions the Church of Christ, Scientist IS a minority - and a not widely respected one at that. I would never generalize that all atheists are ________ or all feminists are _________. However you justify it, what you're doing is wrong.
  • PS: I just checked out your comments moderation policy and apparently you delete any comments including "degrading stereotypes"... but yet, it's okay for you to use degrading stereotypes in your blog entries? I guess as long as you're stereotyping something YOU don't like, then it's okay.
  • Well that is definitely a perk of this being my website, after all.

    Sorry I haven't gotten back to you with your 7 points of interests above. Believe me, it isn't being I don't have anything to say about them. Just had some important stuff going on; so I suppose I'll engage in this conversation a bit more!

    My remarks are not those of playing with semantics, by any means. If you're talking about how we should not "discriminate" against any group of people regardless of what they do that they we do not understand, then that is open to all groups. And if that's so, then honour killings and female genital mutilation would also be protected under your so-called definition. Now if you meant to say that we should not discriminate against any religious groups, regardless of what they do, you should have said so.

    THAT is the problem here. You do not like the fact that I am "discriminating" against a religious group. Religion has such a hold over people; many of us were raised in a household that was religious, we have stayed true to that religion as we saw we must, or stayed true to certain parts of it to claim that we were still religious, and so on. When it comes to religion, people cannot say anything bad about it, regardless of the religion it is because that is offensive; however, when something is fucked up I'm going to say that it's fucked up. I might even say that it, and the people who are doing it, are bat shit crazy. Sorry if that offends you and I do completely understand your remarks about generalizing a group. In the future I will be sure to put a disclaimer that sure, not all people in that group are as crazy as this story is. And I guess that's all I can do at this point.
  • Well, I just pointing out the hypocrisy: that you would delete someone else's degrading stereotypes, but defend your own.

    My comment about 'semantics' was regarding the contradiction of terms Christian and Science. It wasn't about discrimination or protection. Nor was it about honor killings or female genital mutilation, which I see you've brought up twice now. It was about unfair generalizations and stereotypes.

    I never said that we should accept every part of every religion... but simply that it's WRONG to call an entire group of people "bat shit crazy" based on the extreme actions of one family. I don't agree with honor killings... that doesn't mean that I think all Middle Easterners are killers. Obviously they aren't. (And yes, I know that the Middle Eastern cultures are also not the only ones who sometimes participate in honor killing... just an example).

    As for your "discrimination" against a religious group. I don't care what your feelings are about religious groups in general... they probably aren't THAT different than my own feelings about organized religion (actually, the fact that you seem to think I'm from the "religion can do no wrong" camp is somewhat hilarious). What I don't agree with is degrading stereotypes and generalizations. I will repeat, it's WRONG to call an entire group of people "bat shit crazy" based on the extreme actions of one family.

    I agree that this situation is fucked up. I already said that. But what I do NOT agree with, is the stereotype that ALL Christian Scientists are like this or that all Christian Scientists are "bat shit crazy".

    I'm glad that you will hopefully in the future, steer clear of such rude generalizations. Although, I have to wonder why you chose to ignore the disclaimer given in the original story and why you felt the need to defend your offensive remarks up until now.
  • Jessika is really lucky and the Docs. are really God for her. I wish her best of luck in future also.Doctors shows that nothing is impossible.
  • Jessica will be fine. She might be disowned by her family, but I believe this will turn out for the best for her in he long run.
  • gennadiy
    My heart goes out to her.I wish her best of luck in future also.
    Good Luck
  • Wow, how sick and scary! Christian Scientists freak me out too! I hope Jessica recovers all right.
  • Again, most Christian Scientists aren't like that.
  • executivegiftsexpert
    Poor girl. Just be strong always, you can do it.
  • its just a trial for her... I hope she will be fine.
  • That's really sad if it is curable in operation why not,...... family must give their child in a good fight by operation I know God will be their to give them comfort.
  • What is wrong with these people?I mean yes, we all believe that faith can cure and move mountains. But not at all times!
  • I actually believe in God and nobody can question my faith, but this kind of religious craft make me sick. I dont get it why you cant do surgery to save your life. I think people are sometimes blinded by the faith that is only open to one thing.
  • poor that girl! hope that all things will be okie soon for them!
  • The Darkest eyes hide behind religion.
  • bromalite
    Wow, incredible... i mean, i believe in the power of prayer but i also believe in good ol' fashioned sense. Scientologists i believe subscribe to a similar philosophy of rejecting conventional treatments.
  • cadillactight
    Why wouldn't that family use their sense and Thank to God that she is curable by the hospitals. God has already heard them cured her indirectly. God is involved every where and he lives inside of us.
  • Disgusting. This reminds me of the religious cults who let their children die because they refuse to seek medical attention and turn only to prayer. As a believer, I believe in the power of prayer, but sometimes God works through medicine. Sad.
  • Just to share something. I read in The Secret, Cathy Goodman was diagnosed with breast cancer. One of the things she did to heal herself was to watch very funny movies. After approximately 3 months, she is healed without any radiation and chemotherapy.
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