Ray and Louise Spiering, devout members of a fundamental Christian church and followers of some teachings of the Church of Scientology, found themselves in the midst of a controversy when their newborn daughter Melynda was required to undergo blood screening within 48 hours of birth as mandated by Nebraska law. To the Spierings, this was a violation of their religious beliefs and their right to make decisions for their four children.
The couple believes in the concept of “silent birth” from the Church of Scientology, which promotes minimizing noise and talking around someone in pain. They wanted to avoid loud noises and reduce the pain experienced by their daughter after birth for the sake of her physical and mental well-being. However, blood screening is important to detect rare congenital diseases that can lead to severe mental retardation or even death if left undetected.
The Spierings, along with another set of parents, took their case to the Nebraska Supreme Court and the Legislature to make the newborn screening law more flexible. Currently, Nebraska is one of four states that do not allow parents to opt out of the testing.
The Spierings hoped for seven days to complete the testing to avoid any potential problems, although their preference would have been to skip the test altogether. Despite their arguments, a federal judge upheld the law as constitutional, but granted the Spierings an eight-day waiting period during the pending case, ensuring that their daughter was not tested within the initial 48-hour window.
It is important to note that the purpose of newborn screening is not to cause harm to babies, but rather to provide peace of mind to parents by detecting any potential health issues early on. While the Spierings may disagree with the testing due to their religious beliefs, it is crucial to prioritize the well-being of newborns and ensure their long-term health and happiness.
SOURCE:MSNBC
