Big news in our city at the moment, is a landmark decision on euthanasia. A man who is quadraplegic has taken his case all the way to the Supreme court and has won the right to die. For those unfamiliar with it, he is being fed through a tube into his stomach. This win means that they can cease to feed him and he will essentially starve to death.
This whole thing makes me so angry. Angry because the essential argument for death, is that he has a low "quality of life". Because he can't scratch his nose, wipe his bottom, and do other things that we take for granted, his life quality is not enough to warrant life? If we take this logic to it's endth degree, anyone who is in a similar position could and/or should die. After all, they don't have the same quality of life as full bodied persons! Then what about people with low IQ's or disease, or other socially unacceptable issues? Why don't we show compassion and help them die?
It also makes me angry because this man thinks that he has nothing to contribute. But where is his family? Where are the people who can see his value is far greater than the ability to blow his own nose? Where are the advocates for life, those who love him as person not for what he can do for them?
Of course, I am also angry because we claim (the vast majority of Aussies) to believe in the 10 commandments, but then when it comes to this issues, forget that murder is one of them. Where is the compassion? Where is the love? Where is the sanctity of life?
About Me
- chris
- I am married to the wonderful Natalee and we have two beautiful children. Our ministry is with IPHC in Perth, Western Australia.
1 comment:
I watched a movie the other day called "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" with Ben Stein. I'm not sure if the movie was released in AU, but it was really good. Ben goes around and interviews people who have been shut out of the world of academia in the US for mentioning ID (Intelligent Design) as a possible scientific alternative to the generally accepted Darwinian evolution. He also interviews the great champions of evolution like Dawkins, the author of "The God Delusion." It was a very interesting movie. We talked about the secular post-Christian cultural climate in Australia. One of the things Ben Stein investigates is the connection of Darwinian thought and the erosion of the value of life.
I am far from being an animal rights activist, but I think the animal rights movement is further eroding the value of human life. I'm not sure what that particular climate is like in AU, but here it gets a little more ridiculous every year. I certainly don't advocate drowning puppies or anything like that, but animal life is not special. Human life is.
Human life is special because God put something very special within us--His image and likeness. We do not have the right to take someone's life because God built into that person similarities to Himself, and only He has the right to take life.
Great Post Chris. :)
ps. how do you follow someone on here?
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