There is no demonic possession going on in Moruga. But there is certainly child abuse.

According to newspaper reports, over 20 female pupils of the Moruga Government School collapsed recently. It fell to the State to care for the children. But, if the cause was psychological, rather than exposure to some harmful drug, any such intervention is likely to fail since most of the parents and the community have abdicated their responsibility to protect and care for their children.

Instead, by attributing their children's condition to demon possession, these adults are exacerbating the girls' condition. Even if a "cure" were effected in the short term, the children would remain susceptible to baleful psychological influences because they have been predisposed to such responses. This is only one way in which religion facilitates child abuse.

When it comes to extreme abuse, everyone refers to the horrific murders of little Akiel Chambers, Amy Emily Anamanthodo and Sean Luke. Few remember 17-year-old Candace Quan Chan, who contracted pneumonia but was not carried to the hospital by her Shouter Baptist relatives who decided to pray for her instead? Candace died and her body was left in the house for three days while these relatives tried to resurrect her. No one was charged for neglect, manslaughter, or even failure to report a death.

One Baptist leader, a Government Senator at the time, chided the individuals, not for abuse, but for attempting a resurrection in the wrong way.

Is it any wonder that rates of child abuse are lower in secular nations, while countries with high religiosity have more child labour, child slavery and child deaths?

T&T Humanist Association

via e-mail