I was trying to stay away from this thread but this is really bothering me.
What does the fact that the Travoltas are members of Scientology have to do with their decision how to treat the disease of a family member and especially what does it have to do with the tragedy of losing a child? I really don't understand how people find it okay to attack the Travoltas over the tragic death of their son, claiming (without any evidence) that they were unwilling to keep the boy on seizure medication and, therefore, were responsible for Jett falling and hitting his head, which led to his death.
Now, I am not a member of Scientology, nor do I agree with some / many of their beliefs. However, I not only believe in religious freedom which we are granted by our constitution but I also believe that parents have the right to decide what treatment they deem appropriate for their child(ren).
People seem to forget that modern day pharmaceuticals and conventional medicine are not without controversy either. What about all those kids on SSRI drugs who end up committing suicide? What about the almost 800,000 people yearly who are killed by modern day medicine and its pharmaceuticals? Yet to some people modern day drugs are always good and the lack thereof is always bad.
Baylian, I am not sure what exactly Scientology's stance on autism is but I think the teaching is that any mental, neurological or psychological disorder is fraud and they reject the use of psychopharmaca and psychiatry.
My personal opinion is that there are instances where those kinds of drugs are indicated and are a life saver but I also think that America is the most overdiagnosed and overprescribed nation in the world and that modern medicine comes at a heavy price. Therefore, everyone should have the right, the freedom and the obligation to make medical decisions for themselves or their loved ones without fear of being prosecuted, literally or in the court of public opinion.