Quote:
Originally Posted by Vulcan
Hey, Icurus, the parents are incompetent and I think it's been established that they are free to refuse treatment of themselves but they've lost their parental rights as far as I'm concerned.
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Just because they have a moral stance that differs from the majority of society doesn't make them incompetent.
And you have to keep in mind that the parents do believe their choice is the best choice for their children (i.e. they may die but at least they will have Salvation in the afterlife--I don't know how JW works but I am guessing it is something along the lines of that). If the state takes control then the message sent is that the state's values are more valid than the parents', to the extent that altricial children can be legally seized from their parents. (Imagine the flip side, that in Bizarro world run by the Jehovah's Witness the state would not allow your child to get a blood transfusion... how would you feel? I know it is a bit different, but try to imagine what the parents must be feeling.)
The stance the BC government should take is that the sanctity of human life is paramount over even religion and individual autonomy, as a matter of international human rights (see Article 1 of the Universal Declaration), custom, and
jus cogens norms.
It is a difficult issue to be sure and I don't think I have thought my way through it just yet.