A parent denies a child necessary medical care in favour of religious or traditional healing
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The Situation
What They Said
“The child does not need a doctor — we pray and trust God to heal, and traditional medicine is enough.”
This phrase is used by a parent or guardian when a child shows signs of illness requiring medical attention, refusing professional healthcare on religious or traditional grounds while the child's condition deteriorates.
The Fallacy
False Dilemma / Appeal to Faith
This argument presents faith and medical care as mutually exclusive choices, which is a false dilemma. Prayer and medicine are not opposites — and using one does not require abandoning the other. The argument also conflates a parent's religious right with the right of the child — the child's right to healthcare is an independent right that the parent's religious belief cannot override when the child's life or health is at risk.
What the Law Says
Your Legal Foundation
Código Civil y Comercial
art. 1740 del Código Civil y Comercial — Duty to provide medical care
“Compensation for damage must be full. It consists of restoring the injured party to the situation prior to the harmful act, whether by payment in money or in kind.”
If a parent refuses medical care for a child on religious or traditional grounds, and the child suffers harm as a result, the parent may be liable for damages. The child (or representative) can seek full compensation to restore the child's health, which may include medical expenses and other costs.
What Scripture Says
God's Word on This
Luke 10:34 (NET)
“He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”
The Good Samaritan in Jesus' parable provided immediate physical and medical care — Jesus presented practical healthcare as an act of love and obedience, not a failure of faith.
Sirach 38:1-4 (cf. Proverbs 17:22) (NET)
“Honor the physician for his services, for the Lord created him. His skill comes from the Most High, and the king rewards him. The physician's knowledge gives him high standing, he is admired by the great.”
The wisdom tradition affirms that medical skill is a gift from God — using doctors is consistent with honouring God, not contrary to faith.
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You Know the Law — But Do You Know What to Say?
Reading your rights is one thing. Using them under pressure — calmly, correctly, in the right words — is what actually protects you. Members get the scripted rebuttal for this exact situation: what to say first, what to say if they push back, the tone to use, and the constitutional provision to cite. Practise out loud with audio until it's automatic.