I'm not much of preacher (and I'll try not to make a long address to the
"choir") but no way, no how am I willing to concede that Ezzo's approach is
the Christian or Godly one.  IMO we make a mistake in skirting this issue by
replying with the standard "research shows" or "many mothers have found"
phrases.  If I really believed that God wanted me to feed my baby every four
hours then I wouldn't care what scientific research or other parents
suggested.  God is God.  Even if I eventually "gave in" and followed the
advice of a LC about cue feeding I might feel that my relationship with God
was damaged and that we couldn't quite trust each other, God and I.  This
would not help my relationship with my child, to think that s/he caused a
rift between myself and God, or that s/he caused me to fall into "sin".

IMO the most effective and honest response is one that offers respect for
their religion, even admiration for their integrity in applying spiritual
principles to their parenting, and some suggestions about what other
Christian leaders have said about parenting and breastfeeding (starting with
the authors of the bible).  There is lots of this info available on the web,
I did a google.com search and the first site seemed pretty good  <A
HREF="http://www.mailing-list.net/redrhino/Ezzo/Files.html">Files on the WWW
about Gary Ezzo and GFI</A> (some of the links were slow).

I would take the same approach if any other religious order offered parenting
advice that conflicted with Truth (as I understand it).  Find others within
the order that are more enlightened and direct the parents to their writings.
 You don't have to attack their religion or discuss/preach your own.

I sure hope I haven't stepped on any toes here, I'm very respectful of
others' ideologies.  There is a difference between respecting another's point
of view and ignoring it entirely.  Sometimes engaging in a constructive
dialogue about alternative points of view is one of the most respectful
things we can do.

Elaine Ziska
out on a limb in Jackson, Mississippi
"the buckle of the bible belt"

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