http://www.religionnewsblog.com Religion news about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:08:05 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/24151/followers-of-christ-church-members-sentenced-to-prison-for-faith-healing-death-of-son-neil-beagley http://www.religionnewsblog.com/24151/followers-of-christ-church-members-sentenced-to-prison-for-faith-healing-death-of-son-neil-beagley#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:05:39 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=24151 Judge Steven Maurer sentenced Jeffrey and Marci Beagley to 16 months in prison this afternoon, calling the couple’s decision to not seek medical care for their 16-year-old son, Neil Beagley, a “crime that was a product of an unwillingness to respect the boundaries of freedom of religious expression.”

The Beagleys and Worthingtons are members of the Followers of Christ Church. Members of the Oregon City church have a lengthy history of child deaths from lack of medical care that influenced a 1999 law eliminating the religious freedom defense in cases involving the welfare of a child.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/24151/followers-of-christ-church-members-sentenced-to-prison-for-faith-healing-death-of-son-neil-beagley/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23522/ava-worthington-jury-deadlocked http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23522/ava-worthington-jury-deadlocked#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:44:14 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23522 The judge in the faith-healing trial of Carl and Raylene Worthington sent jurors home this afternoon after they sent a note saying they were deadlocked on all charges.

The Worthingtons are charged with second-degree manslaughter and criminal mistreatment for failing to provide adequate medical care for their daughter in favor of faith healing practices.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23522/ava-worthington-jury-deadlocked/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23516/ava-worthington-faith-healing-trial-2 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23516/ava-worthington-faith-healing-trial-2#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:53:00 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23516 The parents of Ava Worthington are members of the Followers of Christ, an independent church that shuns conventional medicine for spiritual healing practices such as the laying on of hands and anointing the sick with olive oil.

They are accused of manslaughter and criminal mistreatment in the death of their 15-month-old baby girl.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23516/ava-worthington-faith-healing-trial-2/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23039/ava-worthington-5 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23039/ava-worthington-5#comments Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:17:38 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23039 A Clackamas County, Ore., couple accused of letting their infant daughter die by relying on prayer, rather than medicine, today asked that the charges be dropped, arguing that they infringe on their freedom of religion and their right to raise their children in their own way.

"Mr. and Mrs. Worthington maintain that their prosecution contravenes their right 'to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences,' as guaranteed by the Constitution of the State of Oregon and the Constitution of the United States," the motion said.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23039/ava-worthington-5/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23038/parents-charged-in-faith-healing-case http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23038/parents-charged-in-faith-healing-case#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:19:56 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23038
Jeffrey Dean Beagley, 50, and Marci Rae Beagley, 46, pleaded not guilty on Friday to criminally negligent homicide charges in the death of their son, 16-year-old Neil Jeffrey Beagley.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23038/parents-charged-in-faith-healing-case/feed 0