CBS News/ October 13, 2010, 1:37 PM

Oregon Takes Custody of Faith Healers' Baby

Timothy Wyland, left, 44, and Rebecca Wyland, center, 23, stand in Clackamas County District court for their arraignment by Judge Robert Herndon, charged with criminal mistreatment after their infant daughter, Alayna May Wyland, was discovered with an untreated mass growing over her left eye. The Wylands are members of the Followers of Christ church, which rejects medical care in favor of faith healing, including anointing with oil, laying on hands, prayer and fasting.

/ AP Photo/Pool, Randy L Rasmussen

(CBS/AP) The Oregon Department of Human Services won custody Tuesday of a 10-month-old Oregon City child facing blindness in one eye.

The girl's parents, Timothy and Rebecca Wyland, believe in faith healing and are facing trial in January on charges of failing to provide adequate care.

The Oregonian reports the state has had temporary custody of the girl, Alayna Wyland, since July. She was initially placed in foster care but allowed back in the Wyland home last month under a court order requiring close medical supervision.

The ruling Tuesday in Clackamas County Circuit Court assures a treatment plan and gives the state power to act on the girl's behalf.

The couple is charged with first-degree criminal mistreatment and goes to trial in January.

The Oregonian quoted John Neidig, an attorney representing Rebecca Wyland, who accused Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) of persecuting the Wylands and "trampling" on their religious rights.

He said, "If these people had been Jewish, Catholic ... even Muslim, DHS would have treated them in a different fashion."

But Clackamas County Circuit Judge Douglas Van Dyk said there was no evidence that DHS discriminated against the Wylands .

"It is unhelpful to this case to point fingers," Van Dyk is quoted in the paper as saying. "It is not a church that is before this court. It is the Wylands."

What do you think about this case? What issues of religion versus law are at play here? We welcome your thoughts.

83 Comments Add a Comment

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cosmicsquid says:: Sky friends and fairy tales have become sole motivation for witnessing miracales? This is why the truth is so difficult for many to understand. A mind that isn't open to skepticism and simple observation is a "terrible thing to waste" because all religions are equally absurd.

Praise Jesus and Allah Ackbar; reply

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cosmicsquid says:: "Seventy percent of the American people believe in a God"

Yes, and how unfortuant that so many don't freely think for themselves. Perhaps that is why the USA the way it is today. To prove something that doesn't exist is complete nonsense. "The burden of proof" is for those who insist it does no matter the number that do believe. In these time it is truly amazing that sky friends and fairy tales are still part of the "stick."; reply

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billjdsm says:: parents are crazy and self absorbed. faith is wonderful and necessary in my belief. the child is both wonderful and necessary too and just needed some help. poor kid, her parents are basically whack jobs.; reply

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shadeofafreeway says:: God I just love it when the crazies congregate like this. It's so much fun watching everyone spar and take sides in an endless, eternal debate. There's no proof either way and thus - no argument really.

As for the actual article, I'm on the fence. Do people's religious beliefs supercede the state's responsibility to protect helpless children? Do they? Forget Muslims. What about the Amish? Aren't they the prime example here?

Is there a clear black and white line between refusal of medical attention and child abuse? Probably not. Nope. Probably will need a judge and maybe a jury to decide this one. Oh wait - that's what is happening. Ok. Still no argument. I'm done.; reply

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slappy-jones says:: by askagain Seventy percent of the American people believe in a God. Therefore, the burden of proof is certainly on those who deny the existence of a God.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If 70% of the American people truly believed in a Tooth Fairy, would you consider that proof, or reason for you to share the belief? All you've proven is that we have a lot of blind sheep who'd rather swill dogma than think for themselves.; reply

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ge556 says:

"Faith is believing what you know ain't so." -- Mark Twain

One of the big dangers of religion is that, in order to have faith, you have to shut down part of your thinking. Then you make lousy decisions.

Truth Teller


peacefulperson replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; You need to use a dictionary to look up the real definition of faith. Twain, while being a great writer, was hardly a man to tell others how to live. Read a biography of him. His "wisdom" didn't make him any happier than everyone else.


ge556 replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; Not very helpful, peacefulperson. From Merriam-Webster:
2 a (1) : belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2) : complete trust

=== TruthTeller

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peacefulperson says:: People who refuse to let their children have medical care are misinterpreting the Bible and putting words in Jesus's mouth. The Bible never mentions refusing medical care for the sake of faith healing.; reply

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carolmarienard says:

Not very many of us have a direct link to the power of the Almighty. Prayer absolutely works, but we need each other, and for severe health issues, we need those people trained to do His work, doctors, etc. I totally understand people praying for loved ones, but to even hesitate to get professional help, I believe is NUTS!


slappy-jones replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; So is prayer.


ge556 replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; Prayer absolutely does not work.

See all 6 Replies

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Overruled1 says:

Religion = mythology.

Mythology = Religion/1 + derivative of facts*number of people - 1/natural history
therefore,
Evolution is fact. Creation is myth and unproven.
Religion is poison.
Everything we were ever told to believe in was nothing but an ancient lie.
Now the facts are, there is a newly discovered earth-like planet...maybe we now have a place to visit..if only religion and politics were banned.


Hali7 replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; Remember John Lennon Imagine "no religion, too." How much of the misery in the world could be eliminated if there was NO religion. There is no god and never has been. It is not dead: it never was. Humans have only ourselves and we better get started.


slvrsurfer3 replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; Actually John Lennon was not suggesting atheism. He was actually an agnostic. What he was suggesting was removing religion from international policy. Injecting religion into government decisions has never worked and never will.

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cosmicsquid says:

"If these people had been Jewish, Catholic ... even Muslim, DHS would have treated them in a different fashion." Not true because all religions are equally absurd. It's obvious like so many others that Timothy and Rebecca Wyland don't, can't, and won't think freely for themselves.

Praise Jesus and Allah Ackbar