This story about Oregon removing legal protections for parents who rely solely on faith to treat their dying children leaves me conflicted.

Oregon lawmakers will take the first step today toward ending legal protections for parents who rely solely on faith to treat their dying children.

The bill targets the Followers of Christ, an Oregon City church with a long history of children dying from treatable medical conditions. A previous crackdown restricted but did not eliminate religious immunity from state criminal statutes.

Like I said, conflicted.

On the one hand, I think these people are probably all nuts. On the other hand, I don’t like the government interfering with religious practices. On the one hand, we don’t protect other religious practices that break the law. On the other hand, this is not an illegal practice but rather the neglect of available remedies.

On the one hand, I think I have to side with the government on this one. On the other hand, this IS Oregon we are talking about. The state where they can force you to seek medical treatment from a doctor, but the doctor can also kill you if you want.

In this schizo society, parents cannot say no to medical care needed to save a life, but the government can.

If only the Followers of Christ can get a death panel to declare their lives are not worth saving, then they should be good to go.