The Harm

and minimum marrying age
EGYPT: A battle over female circumcision

Islamists and conservative clerics are fighting proposed legislation in the Egyptian parliament that would criminalize female circumcision and raise the minimum age of when a girl can marry. The Islamists view the bill as an affront to Sharia law.

The legislation drafted by the government-backed National Council for Motherhood and Childhood would impose a prison sentence of as long as two years and a maximum fine of 5,000 Egyptian pounds, or about $1,000. The proposal would raise the minimum age of marriage from 16 to 18. The bill has been met with a storm of anger by a number of delegates from both the majority and the Islamist opposition led by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Opponents say the new restrictions are an attempt by the government to impose a Western agenda on an Islamic society. Some clerics, in opposing the bill, state that Islamic Sharia law condones female circumcision and imposes no minimum age of marriage. “Religion does not prohibit or criminalize female circumcision,” prominent Islamic scholar Mustafa al-Shaka said to the local press this week.

Islamic scholars have been divided over the religious validity of female circumcision. One camp holds that Islam opposes it, while the other argues that this procedure, in which parts of the female genitals are removed, is necessary to tame a woman’s sexual desires and ensure decency.

The bill’s architects hold that there is a national consensus on the criminalization of female circumcision. “Nobody can deny that the Egyptian society resents the negative health effects caused by [female] circumcision,” said Moushira Khattab, secretary-general of the National Council for Motherhood and Childhood. “Thus, the punishment of those who conduct that practice is a must.”

Female circumcision remains a widespread practice in Egypt, despite having been illegal for years. About 70% of Egyptian girls are believed to be victims of the practice. Last summer, the death of a 12-year-old girl in Upper Egypt in a clinic where she was undergoing the procedure reignited calls to impose harsher penalties on practitioners of the surgery.

Islomists oppose a bill cause there religion “doesn’t prohibit it”?

Mothers charged of murder in ‘witchcraft’ torching

Malawi Police has pressed murder charge to two mothers for burning their children to death in a ritual to exorcise demons.

Chifundo Chibwezo, Police spokesperson for Limbe Police Unit in the commercial city of Blantyre said Agness Kamanga-Gadama, 30, and Catherine Kamanga, 23 have been charged with murder for allegedly torching to death two children - aged three and seven - to exorcise them of “witchcraft”.

“We have charged them with murder,” said Chibwezo. “They both deny the charge,” he said.

Police arrested the women, members of the Assemblies of God church, after being tipped off by villagers who became suspicious of the smoke and noises from the house occupied by the sisters.

The suspects had locked up a total of four children in a squattertown house for a week to “pray and fast to cast out demons”.

The children allegedly confessed to practicing witchcraft.

“The women insist their children had demons that needed exorcising,” said Limbe Police Unit spokesman.

The two children who died on the spot were aged three and seven years, the police said.

Parents surrender to police over daughter’s death

CLACKAMAS COUNTY - The parents of a baby girl who died from a treatable illness voluntarily surrendered to police Friday night after arrest warrants were issued for them.

Carl Worthington, 28, and Raylene Worthington, 25, face charges of second-degree manslaughter and second-degree criminal mistreatment in connection with the death of their daughter, 15-month-old Ava Worthington.

The infant died March 2 from bacterial bronchial pneumonia and an infection, both of which the state medical examiner said could have easily been cured with common antibiotics.

Numerous sources told KATU News that instead of taking their daughter to a doctor, her parents prayed over her.

The Worthingtons are members of the Followers of Christ Church in Oregon City, a church that has a history of faith healing. The couple also lost a son in 2001.

It is sick that such things are allowed to happen. Such churches should be shut down and parents who deny there children medical care should have there children taken from them.
Parents have the right to have what ever religion they want but they have no right to deny there children medical care no madder what there religion is.

Woman accused of witchcraft in Bihar

In a shocking example of lawlessness in Bihar, a woman was beaten mercilessly in front of a crowd in a village near Patna.

The woman, villagers claim, was involved in witchcraft. However, she rebuffed the allegations but the crowd ignored her denials.

Forty-five year-old Lalpari Devi of Naubatpur village in Patna had gone to Adalchak Dumaria village on Thursday for treating one Manorama Rai, who was suffering from mental ailment, police sources said.

But as Manorama’s condition deteriorated during the treatment, her husband Ramayodhya Rai got angry with Lalpari and tortured her along with the neighbours.

Describing her ordeal, Lalpari Devi said, ”They beat me brutally and called police. They tied me with a rope and made me walk through the village.”

She further added that the villagers cut her hair and burnt it, tied her to the tree and beat her up. ”I am not a thief but they did this to me. I have not done anything,” she said.

The villagers then tonsured her head and smeared her face with limestone.

Police soon reached the scene and rescued Lalpari. She was admitted to a hospital from where she was discharged on Friday.

Police have filed an FIR and arrested Ramayodhya Rai. (With PTI inputs)

Accused Witch Beaten in Eastern India

PATNA, India (AP) - A woman accused of practicing witchcraft in eastern India was tied to a tree and beaten by enraged villagers, police said Friday.

Lalpari Devi was attacked Wednesday in a village on the outskirts of Patna, the capital of Bihar state, local police official Nishant Tiwary told The Associated Press.

Tiwary said Devi claimed to be a faith healer and was treating a mentally ill woman in the village. When the woman attempted to commit suicide, Devi was attacked by angry villagers, Tiwary said.

He said Devi was tied to a tree with rope and repeatedly beaten. Her hair was then cut off and she was paraded through the village, Tiwary said. A video of the attack was aired Friday by New Delhi Television.

Ram Ayodhya Rai, the mentally ill woman’s husband, was arrested and charged with assault, Tiwari said. He added that police have started an investigation to find out how many other villagers were involved in the assault.

Devi is being investigated for fraud, Tiwary said.

Rural areas in India remain deeply superstitious, despite the country’s economic progress in recent years. Many people believe in black magic and dozens of people are beaten or killed every year for practicing witchcraft.

The price if the beliefe in magic.

Questionable Oregon City church came under fire a decade ago as well

“Ten years ago I couldn’t express my feelings for what was going on out there, but I can now,” Hass said. “This is child abuse. Pure and simple. There is no other way to say it.”

Hass said he remembered standing in the back of the church listening to the Followers of Christ service. There was no pastor and no sermon, just a series of hymns sung by the congregation. The leader apparently died years ago. An elder in the church told Hass that the followers believe their faith in God will cure the sick.

The question now is, did 15-month-old Ava Worthington die three weeks ago because of her parents’ belief in faith healing? The medical examiner said she died in her parents’ home from an illness that could have been cured with common antibiotics.

In the Bible there are are many passages that talk about faith healing. In the King James Version of the New Testament it says, “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up” - James 5:14 - 5:15.

One church member told us this past Sunday to read The Book of Daniel and the story of how he was thrown to the lions for his beliefs, to understand why the members are not afraid to go to jail. The passage reads, “So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.” - Daniel 6:23.

The power of faith to delude people. How many people have to die before something is done about this cult. Maybe we should test there beliefs, shoot some of them, throw some Molotov cocktails into there church, see if God protects them.

Hidden danger of herbal remedies
We told last night how PhD student Ling Wang died from liver failure after she used a herbal remedy to tackle a skin rash and stomach upset.

An inquest heard the 25-year-old, of Spital Tongues, Newcastle, fell into a coma after taking an unknown Chinese medicine.

Pathologists said Jin Bu Huan could have been the remedy she had taken.

Prof Margaret Bassendine, head of hepatology at the university, said: “Traditional Chinese herbal medicines are widely available in Western society and are popular as a form of ‘natural’ alternative medicine.

“Their use is increasing, as they are perceived to be free of side-effects, but they remain largely unregulated. We describe two patients who suffered severe hepatitis, one of whom died, after taking Chinese herbal remedies for minor complaints.

“Two products appear to be implicated frequently: Jin Bu Huan was taken by 11 patients, and Dictamnus dasycarpus was taken by six patients, including both severe cases.

“It is difficult to provide conclusive evidence of what caused hepatitis but these cases highlight not only the potential dangers of these products, but also the need for greater control.”

Dr George Rae, regional spokesman for the British Medical Association, advised caution.

He said: “It’s well recognised that doctors will get patients coming in asking about herbal medicine and you have to be aware of the fact herbal medicine can have side-effects the same as traditional medicine.

“Herbal preparations can, on occasion, interact with the conventional medicine people are also taking. The advice is always to speak to your GP or pharmacist.”

Thanks to Elyse at Skepchick I bring you this

WESTON, Wis. - The mother of an 11-year-old girl who died of untreated diabetes said Wednesday that she did not know her daughter was terminally ill as she prayed for her to get better.

Madeline Neumann died Sunday from an undiagnosed and treatable form of diabetes.

Her mother, Leilani Neumann, told The Associated Press she never expected her daughter, whom she called Kara, to die. The family believes in the Bible, and it says healing comes from God, but they are not crazy, religious people and they have nothing against doctors, she said.

Really? The why did they pray instead of taking there child to a doctor?

Everest Metro Police Chief Dan Vergin has said an autopsy determined Madeline died from diabetic ketoacidosis, an ailment that left her with too little insulin in her body.

She had probably been ill for about 30 days, suffering symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, excessive thirst, loss of appetite and weakness, he said. She had not been diagnosed with the ailment previously, he said.

“We just noticed a tiredness within the past two weeks,” she said. “And then just the day before and that day (she died), it suddenly just went to a more serious situation. We stayed fast in prayer then. We believed that she would recover. We saw signs that to us, it looked like she was recovering.”

When are people going to learn that 1 action no matter how small does 10,000 more than a 1,000,000 people praying. Its common knowledge, when you child gets sick, don’t stand around praying, take them to the doctor.

Death by supplements

In 1996, my colleagues and I published a study on selenium in prostate cancer prevention. In brief, we found an unprecedented 60% reduction of prostate cancer in men who received dietary supplements of selenium. Our study was imperfect and while it produced an interesting hypothesis - selenium reduces prostate cancer incidence - it had not been designed to give a definitive answer. Last year, a National Cancer Institute report found that selenium supplementation is associated with more aggressive prostate cancer and prostate cancer death. In other words, despite the hope given by our imperfect 1996 study, it may actually be that selenium supplements accelerate prostate cancer.

Doctors in Texas have now reported that two men developed aggressive prostate cancer after taking the same herbal supplement which they bought over the internet; they reportedly later died of prostate cancer. They had bought the supplement to improve muscle strength and sexual vigor. Both had had normal prostate examinations in the not-so-distant past. Both had unusually aggressive clinical courses. Laboratory analysis of the supplements revealed unlisted ingredients, including testosterone, and potent cancer-cell promoting properties of these supplements. The FDA has now become involved and the supplements have been taken off the market. But what about all the other supplements still available? What’s in them? We cannot easily know.

Why would any one buy “supplements” of the internet?

Thanks to Amanda at Skepchick I bring you this.

Gracia likes watching television - mostly soaps and cartoons, but sometimes the news.

The young woman, tall and thin with braided hair coiled on her head, is doing well at school and wants to be a doctor.

She had been sent back to DR Congo by her father and step-mother, after living with them in Tottenham, north London, for several years.

She is thought to be among hundreds of African children living in the UK and sent back to DR Congo or Angola after being accused of witchcraft.

Traumatised

The issue came to light in the summer of 2005, when a court in London heard the case of a young girl who was tortured after being accused of being possessed.

The jury learnt a new word, kindoki. It is what the Congolese call witchcraft.

After I first reported on Gracia’s plight in Kinshasa, one listener was so moved she began sending money to support the girl.

Now, Gracia lives with her aunt and can afford school fees.

Inside her home there is a television and three sofas, and her mother has come to visit.

Gracia tells me how thankful she is for the financial help she has received, and talks about her favourite lessons, living with her aunt, and the holidays.

But when I ask her to tell me what led her father and step-mother to accuse her of witchcraft, she does not reply.

Often these accusations can be a way of ridding a family of an extra mouth to feed.

Gracia is “very traumatised”, says Adolphine Kumbaki, who runs a charity called Bantu Cocorico, which has been helping to look after Gracia.

“To say a child is a witch is very, very dangerous,” she says, and many such children are abandoned.

Aid agencies think that the most of the 13,000 children sleeping rough in Kinshasa have been accused of kindoki.

Stigma

Gracia’s mother says that even though life is much better for her daughter, her daughter longs to return to London.

Asked if London or Kinshasa feels like home, Gracia replies simply: “London.”

“I don’t like being here, I don’t like the schools here, I don’t want to stay here,” she says.

Gracia is doing well at school, and wants to be a doctor

Her mother says she would like Gracia to return to the UK.

“She isn’t happy, she always thinks of returning,” she says.

A child must suffer cause of the crazy beliefs of her parents.