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Bad Faith

When Religious Belief Undermines Modern Medicine

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About this listen

In recent years there have been major outbreaks of whooping cough among children in California, mumps in New York, and measles in Ohio's Amish country - despite the fact that these are all vaccine-preventable diseases. Although America is the most medically advanced place in the world, many people disregard modern medicine in favor of using their faith to fight life-threatening illnesses. In 21st-century America, how could this be happening?

Acclaimed physician and author Dr. Paul Offit chronicles the stories of these faithful and their children, whose devastating experiences highlight the tangled relationship between religion and medicine in America. Religious or not, this issue reaches everyone - whether you are seeking treatment at a Catholic hospital or trying to keep your kids safe from diseases spread by their unvaccinated peers.

Replete with vivid storytelling and complex, compelling characters, Bad Faith makes a strenuous case that denying medicine to children in the name of religion isn't just unwise and immoral but a rejection of the very best aspects of what belief itself has to offer.

©2015 Paul A. Offit, M.D. (P)2015 Tantor Medicine & Health Care Industry Medical Ethics Medicine Health Care

Critic reviews

"Offit masterfully points out that the denial of medicine in the name of religion actually rejects the basic teaching of religious faith." ( Library Journal)
All stars
Most relevant
An astounding account of how children’s rights are violated in name of religions. How they are refused medical help and either die or suffer horrible consequences of it to this day still and how this is allowed. This story focusses mainly on Christian Science but should be a warning to all who nowadays flirt with alternative medicine and the antivax movements as well as to society in general because we need to stand up for our children’s rights to live healthily.

Astounding and informative

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