Bad Faith

When Religious Belief Undermines Modern Medicine

By: Paul A. Offit MD

Narrated by: Tom Perkins

Length: 7 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

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

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)

A must read

This book is chock full of stories that most people I know probably have never heard of.

It is time for America to WAKE UP and realize that "Freedom of Religion" is ensuring that parents can do what they like, and kill their children in the name of religion. And this DENIES THE RIGHTS of the children to a life to live!

Parents who refuse medical care to their children in the name of religion need to be prosecuted! Please read this book.

I know our country was founded on the idea of "Freedom of Religion." What about the Right to Life by a child who needed protecting by their parents, teachers, church, family, community? They often can't speak up for themselves. We as a country need to speak up for the defenseless.

"Freedom of Religion" is NOT good enough alone.

Children and religion-induced medical neglect

Paul Offit's book "Bad Faith" was much less a condemnation of religious dogma interfering with health care than a critique on the fallacies of religious avoidance of certain medical practices; ultimately, the books is a call to arms for better protection of children, some of the most vulnerable of the population to infectious diseases, and less leniency on parents who use religion to exempt their children from life saving treatments that lead to their death. Full of anecdotes of common, treatable or preventable conditions, the stories seem like they are pulled out of the early 20th century. There was interesting exploration of the history of child neglect and children's historical lack of rights that helped put into perspective the abuses and rights violations made by parents who choose religion and prayer over modern medical care. I enjoyed Offit's approach to the ethical issues involved in parents refusing care for sick/ dying children, but he did go on a few tangents that seemed to distract from the otherwise engaging narrative. Would highly recommend to anyone interested in the issue of religious exemptions to medical care, prayer healing and other practices from a diverse sampling of religions, and ethical considerations in pediatric care (or the avoidance of care).

Made an Atheist love religions

It showed the love religions can have and the dangers they can cause.
It's great.

Religion is Not Medicine

Where does Bad Faith rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Excellent - truth be told it was my first time listening to an audio book - I've read other books by Paul Offit so I knew what to expect as far as information but it was great to be able to listen to it and do something else at the same time.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Bad Faith?

This is not a novel so the whole thing should be memorable to anyone who listens to it.

What does Tom Perkins bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Mostly the ability to listen - the narration is very good and is similar in style to the way I would have read it myself. His voice is clear and easy to listen to.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

not applicable

Any additional comments?

Religion has played a part in the deaths and horrible pain and suffering of too many children with impunity in this country. Religion and medicine can coexist, but one cannot be substituted for the other. Education on this topic should be an imperative to anyone who cares for a child, whether they practice religion or not given the disgraceful lack of factual knowledge among many Americans.

Dr. Offit always fair

I am a nurse practitioner and appreciate Dr. Offit’s perspective on medical topics. He seeks the whole truth with as little bias as possible. This books is a straightforward look how religious beliefs harm children while respecting that many of these parents’ beliefs are sincere.
In the end we must find a way to protect children. He is just the science communicator who can help us do this.

Odd

As both a Christian and a physician, I expected a well-rounded look at different religious ideas that makes parents choose not to pursue vaccines or other medical care. I thought by knowing more about the thoughts behind parents' decisions I could better answer their questions and confront any erroneous information. Instead this guy spends the whole book listing different cases with dead kids whose parents refused treatment or vaccines but without at all attempting to explore why the parents made that choice except in a couple of the cases (where other books already did the work). Then he ends with re-iterating his belief that any parent who refuses any medical treatment is committing child abuse. That's not a helpful attitude AND it's not an attitude likely to help any of this Guy's poor pediatric patients. Bottom line there is no new information or insight on either side of the debate here.