Imagine, that you are a young boy or girl with a severe illness whose family decides that they would rather let God’s power work than give you the necessary medication for survival.

While to some of you this is a far-fetched idea, the actuality of the whole situation is that this practice occurs on a daily basis. It is endorsed under a religion called scientology.

While the courts try to intervene in situations perceived as life and death matters, those who practice this religion are given freedom to choose whether or not they want to use medicine in many situations.

If something is not deemed to be “life and death,” religious freedom supersedes all medical knowledge related to the case.

It is one thing to have a licensed doctor discuss the pros and cons of a particular medicine, it is entirely different to have someone without any background in medicine discussing it.

In scientology’s case, an example of someone who speaks and has no professional knowledge of what they are talking about is Tom Cruise. Cruise uses his platform to give his views on why there should be no medication.

Whether or not people are actually going to listen to him is beside the point.

The issue at hand is whether or not Cruise should be given air time to discuss something he has absolutely no idea about and something that may in turn influence people’s decisions about the issues.

Cruise tries to manipulate people into joining a cult-like following that has no logic or benefit to society associated with it.

Imagine, that you are an 8 year-old child who is separated from other children your age in a home-schooled environment.

You are constantly told that it is important to tell others to convert if they want to avoid purgatory.

While this is unfamiliar to some, it is the way many Christian families choose to live their lives and raise their kids.

One of the key elements of religious freedom is to be allowed to understand what all religions are trying to teach, and to choose which one, if any, is best for you.

Having people come knocking on your door in an effort to convert a person or having schools that are specific to certain religions take away from these children’s ability to have religious freedom.

The documentary “Jesus Camp,” illustrated just how controlling certain evangelist practices are and how they do, in a sense, brainwash children.

While we may try to act naďve to this whole epidemic and pretend as though it does not exist, we as a society have to at some point stand up and say that it simply cannot be tolerated.

While the intentions of those teaching children these sorts of practices may not be bad, the result of extremely biased religious views is something that is surely a detriment to society.

These close-minded religion’s do more harm than good when indoctrinating their members. Children should be taught to respect pluralism.

Columnist: Michael Haberman - 03/01/07