Whooping Cough halted in Jefferson County Washington, Kingdom League International taking credit for halting the "epidemic" with prayer

In March, the state of Washington reported 640 cases of Whooping Cough.  By April 4, the Department of Health reported 29 new cases in Jefferson County.

"We've been an epidemic probably since the end of February," said Julia Danskin, JCPH nursing director.

By April 14, the health department stated the bacteria continued to spread and Jefferson County ordered everyone over 19 and in contact with infants vaccinated.  The health department even opened a clinic for people with no health insurance or whose health insurance did not cover the cost of vaccinations to receive the vaccination without cost.

"We hope people will get vaccinated, especially if they are going to be around infants," Danskin said.

As of Monday May 14, the health department reported 21 confirmed cases and six suspected cases in Jefferson County.  In North Olympic Peninsula, the health department reported 26 confirmed cases.

Meanwhile, Kingdom League International began prayer for Jefferson County and on May 25, they declared that they halted Whooping Cough in the county through prayer.  They made this claim despite the fact the PTLeader reported that the health department said they confirmed 21 cases of Whooping Cough for Jefferson County on May 14.  They also established councils to connect with the seven spheres of society.

According to the site, on March 27, a county Commissioner of Jefferson County asked them to pray about the epidemic.  Since April 13, the site stated that there have been no more confirmed cases of Whooping Cough in the county, pointing to the article, which declared "no new cases of Whooping Cough since April 13" even though the bacteria still spreads through Jefferson County.

Then Kingdom League International stated the police chief asked for prayer concerning crime over the holidays.  According to Kingdom League, the crime rate dropped more than 50% over the holidays.

One brave person posted a question, asking if the Kingdom League was claiming the "halting of Whooping Cough" was evidence that prayer works and not evidence that vaccination works.  Tim Taylor, co-founder and overseer of Kingdom League International, replied and said, "Yes, that is exactly what I am saying and it is based on my experience."

The poster further pressed Taylor about his statement concerning prayer working, instead of a natural explanation, using the scientific method.  Taylor's response was to ask the poster if he had a personal relationship with Jesus and if he met Jesus, instead of answering his questions, but later admitted that he did not agree that natural explanations trumps supernatural ones. Taylor truly believes that the epidemic ceased due to prayer and not vaccinations.

Health officials reported that there is little risk of acquiring Whooping Cough for those vaccinated against it.

While infants are at the highest risk of complications, most of them get the disease through younger children and adults around them, health officials say. That's why officials urge that the best way to protect young children is to become immunized.

Mriana

Mriana is a humanist and the author of "A Source of Misery". She has two grown sons and raises cats. She enjoys writing, reading, science, philosophy, psychology, and other subjects. Mriana is also an animal lover, who cares for their welfare as living beings, who are part of the earth. She is a huge Star Trek fan in a little body.

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  • Sitemanager

    The article mentions 7 spheres of sociery…are these 7 mountains (spheres) dominionists claiming that they stopped the epidemic?

    • http://www.houseofbetazed.com Mriana

      All I know is that the website said "7 spheres".  I assume they mean 7 mountains, that's why I included it because I thought it was important to note that these people maybe of the same clothe.

  • Diane Patyjewicz

    It is easy to state that prayer cures things that  can also be done by science or medicine.

    I would like to see them cure Down Syndrome. I remember after sarah palin was picked as VP there was a prayer day for her son Trig to be cured of DS. The day came and went and no 'cure'. Of course it was because not enough people prayed…..

     

    • http://www.houseofbetazed.com Mriana

      I grew up among Xians who believe(d) in getting medical help and praying.  To quote my mother to the best of my memory and without calling her and asking her, she believes, as did her parents, "God gave us doctors as a means to heal us through them."  Or another way I've heard it said, "God heals through the doctors."  To not use medical technology and science as we currently know it is to reject God's healing powers, but they did and do (those still alive) say you need prayer too or God won't heal you even with the doctors. In other words, you have to ask God to heal you and guide the doctors to heal you or He won't do it.  Which I find very strange, because if you take the mythology out of it, as I have, what you have is reality.  The doctors can still heal you even without prayer.  IMHO, prayer is a psychological crutch or security blanket, at least for those who believe like my relatives and yes, they were Church of God, but as they said and still say, "Not that one" meaning not World Church of God, which I discovered in recent years.  This was the CoG, Anderson Indiana, which is a little different.

      The way I figure it, if people do rely on doctors and pray too, that's fine, but it's a little like Linus , with his thumb and security blanket. I found Bishop Spong's (of the Episcopal Church) ironic, "They need to grow up."

  • Vivisectus

    It was not their prayers at all! I was my intercession with the small pixie that lives in my big toe.