It’s very unfortunate The Associated Press article “Child deaths test faith-healing exemption” in the Nov. 22 Sun Journal associates the practice of Christian Science with a few tragic deaths of children in Oregon and Wisconsin.

Christian Science parents are caring, loving, rational and responsible with their children and practice their religion with the health of their child as their first priority. My family has found Christian Science treatment to be very safe and effective. Christian Science is in no way related to the ‘faith healing’ groups mentioned in the article and the implication is misleading and irresponsible. Maine law does and should require parents to provide proper health care for their children, but it does not and should not require that care be medical care.

I was raised in Christian Science and am now raising children – we practice Christian Science because it works.

We would never practice our religion at the expense of our children.

Seth C. Johnson, Falmouth

Christian Science Committee on Publication