A woman in Indiana used the "religious freedom" to defend herself against beating her son. Thirty-year old Kihn Par Thaing, beat her seven year old son, leaving him with 36 "deep purple bruises across his back, arm, and thigh", according to the Washington Post. He had a visible mark on his ear the shape of a hook, which the court said was from being hit with a hanger. Her son's teacher said that when she went to pat him on the back, he flinched, which led to child services being called to the school. Thaing has been charged with "battery on a person less than 14 years old and neglect of a dependent," both being felonies, and is now on probation. In July, when the case was first brought to light, Thaing asked for the case to be dismissed. Her reasoning being that Indiana's religious freedom law protects her from being prosecuted. In the year that the "religious freedom" law has been enacted, this is the first case that has dealt with the safety of a child. Her attorney Greg Bowes, said that "her Christian beliefs were the “guiding values” that influenced her behavior when she punished her son". He also cited verses from Proverbs 23:13-14:"Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol". He also argued that the Indiana law says that parents can use "reasonable punishment necessary for their children's 'proper control, training, and education'". The prosecutor said that there was no way of determining what's reasonable punishment and what's not. This raises many questions, one of mine being, "when is it ok for the government to step into the religious beliefs of US citizens?". Because the first admendment states that US citizens have the freedom to practice their religion, and that's all Thaing was doing. Given that it wasn't an ideal way of practicing, but does the government really have the power to intervene? Because if they do intervene, wouldn't that be going against the Constitution? Maybe Thaing went about this the wrong way, I mean child abuse is definitely punishable, but using religion as your excuse may not be the best way to get out of trouble.
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