If there is one thing that absolutely infuriates me, it's when the actions of "adults" affect the lives of children in a negative way. Even more so when it threatens their well being. This past week in Balch Spring, Texas police were anonymously alerted to the possible danger a toddler may have been exposed to by none other than the hands of his parents. Upon investigating this report, Lt. Mark Maret confirmed that officers had learned of the death of a two year old boy that was given nothing but water to "starve out" a demon that had possessed him. The parents reportedly did this for 25 days after being told to do so by their church leaders. Daniel Zapata Meza and his wife Aracely of their home based church Iglesia Internacional Jesus Es El Rey (say that three times fast) not only forbade the parents from feeding the child but also told all church members the same in order to "rid him of a malevolent spirit". During which time, church secretary and third in command, Nazareth Zurita said she witnessed the child fall and hit his head several times but hesitated to help him due to his demonic possession.
On March 22nd, after finding their child unresponsive, the unnamed parents brought him to the home/church of the Mezas' for help and upon realizing what had happened, the Mezas, being the wholesome good clergy that they are, decided to perform a resurrection ceremony called "The Rising" where after rubbing the subjects head with oil, the "resurrectee" is prayed over by the entire congregation (or as many as they can get on short notice) led by Daniel Meza in order to bring the subject back to life purged of their demon. All the while Daniel was professing that "God was going to perform a miracle". You probably already have guessed, my fellow Observer,..... he didn't.
After the resurrection failed the parents are believed by authorities to have taken their son to be buried in Mexico at the suggestion of the Mezas and as of yet, have not been located. Police have arrested Aracely Meza, who is considered a prophet by her following and would advise church members what god had told her. Meza was charged with injury to a child and serious bodily injury to a child by omission. She is being held on a $100,000.00 bond. Lt. Maret commented that there is a ongoing investigation and "more arrests are expected". When church members were asked why the child was starved and why they allowed it to go on for so long, most responded that it was "God's Will".
.............What the Hell is wrong with people?!?!?! In all my 49 years it has never ceased to amaze me that we still thrive on this planet as a species. I mean... really, how are we still here? How do some of us even know how to breath? It becomes an even more significant question when you consider what these religious "mental giants" are doing. It's bad enough that these people actually still believe in demonic possessions but now they're starving their children to exorcise them? And it's not just a few zealot nut jobs getting together on a Tuesday afternoon to discuss the latest trending on the Beelzebub front. Neighbors claimed that although the Meza's home was not zoned for church services, not registered as a church and both were not ordained by any recognized denomination, cars lined the local streets during their services regardless. So much so that they complained it was almost impossible to navigate the neighborhood streets. Sounds to me like we had a mini Mr. & Mrs. Jim Jones on our hands. Starving a child was just the beginning for these bible thumping bozos. Chances are they were just months away from breaking out the Kool-Aid. Sadder still is that most of their congregation probably would have downed it in record time and asked for seconds. Mmmm.......cherry.....my favorite. Ohhhhhh Yeahhhhh!
What bothers me the most, my loyal reader, is that we tell ourselves we are so smart. Pat ourselves on the back for our scientific and technological advances. Pride ourselves in rising above this voodoo type of primitive religion to the point that we are genuinely shocked when one of them pops upon the reverent radar with an atrocity like this one. Believing that these religions are on the decline and fading out is just as naïve as thinking that racism in America is almost non-existent. And Elvis was just spotted in Tulsa, Oklahoma having coffee in a roadhouse diner with Oral Roberts. These religions and beliefs not only still exist, they are thriving. Other countries accept them a lot more than we do and although many of us would like to believe we are a world dominator of right thinking and everyone should follow our values and morals.... most of them don't. Hasn't any one wondered why the rest of the world hates us so much? It has to be more than just jealousy and envy.... don't you think? But I digress....
Back on point, another thing that gets my divine deity dander up is these parents that subject their children and other family members to this religious enslavement of their beliefs and passing it off as religious freedom. Really?.... Freedom? Having someone with power over you telling you what to think, believe and when to eat doesn't sound like freedom to me. They seem to think that just because they believe what some fortune teller, witch doctor hack reading tea leaves at the bottom of a McDonald's paper cup, passing herself off as a "divine prophet" says they have the religions right to starve their child because she said god said so. Couple of problems here..... First of all... Why would god want you to starve your child? Isn't this a reasonable question for a parent to ask? Wouldn't any parent have a certain amount of concern being told to do such a thing? And not just one.... both thought this was a good idea because god thought it was. Second, even if you did believe in all this demonic possession mumbo jumbo, wouldn't you question it's effectiveness after a few days....a week.....a couple weeks? And by the way, how was this child's possession manifesting itself? You know, laymen term wise. Head spinning? Green Vomit? Tricycle accident around a staircase? Rolling sideways up walls? How exactly was this little two year old boy a demonic threat to adults? That's the problem with religious freedom. It requires no validation for the belief and faith you put into it. No matter what justification these parents try to convey about what they did, the fact is, at heart they knew that they went too far. I have a hard time believing that after just one day of denying their child food they didn't realize that what they were told to do was wrong. Why else would they take off back to Mexico? Moral support? Religious understanding? Less likely to be prosecuted for murder and/or extradited?.... Ladies and gentlemen....I think we have a winner! As for religions understanding, here's a fervent fact. Nearly 80% of all Mexico's religious population is Roman Catholic who, years ago, made the decision that although they still acknowledge the existence of the devil and demons, they now look upon them as facets of the human psyche. Maybe that hasn't made it down to Old El Paso Way yet.
Your right to practice your religion can only go so far. When you starve a child to death in order to practice that right you have crossed a line that you shouldn't have approached to begin with. I've seen religion do wondrous things for people and although I do not choose to gain my guidance from on high, I will never deny that it can be a powerful force for people that use it as a genuine benign form of philosophy and life choice. I would also never deny them the right to practice it or criticize that practice. However, It has been my experience more often than not that religion is used as a self righteous platform for people to use against others. Self proclaimed prophets climbing onto their fire and brimstone soap boxes to preach to others what they should and shouldn't do.... say or shouldn't say while all the while, out of public view, do exactly what they preach against and then beg for our forgiveness for their "sins" when they get caught with their pants down behind the pulpit. We see religions icons fall every day and yet we still put stock in the ones that come running up to take their place in order to fleece us once again. Seems to me, the last place I would want a revolving door on is the front of the church I'm putting my faith into for it's leaders to use. Moreover when those same leaders tell me to starve my child. Strictly an Observation. If you'll excuse me, I've got to get to Tulsa.
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