Random Thought
I really have no business weighing in on this whole Schiavo mess. I'm not an expert, I barely know the details of her situation, and other than thinking Congress REALLY overstepped it's bounds earlier this week I, like Reynolds, don't have an opinion on the matter. But I recently read this Neal Boortz column after seeing a link to it on RealClear Politics. And his premise reminded me of a point Andrew Sullivan made last month when the Pope was in the hospital for the umpteenth time and seemingly drastic measures were being taken to save his life:
We have been informed that the pontiff's current suffering and persistence against multiple illnesses and debilities is sending a message about the dignity of suffering and the importance of life. There is indeed a great truth to that. But there is also a point at which clinging to life itself becomes a little odd for a Christian, no? Isn't the fundamental point about Christianity that our life on earth is but a blink in the eye of our real existence, which begins at death and lasts for eternity in God's loving presence? Why is the Pope sending a signal that we should cling to life at all costs - and that this clinging represents some kind of moral achievement? Isn't there a moment at which the proper Christian approach to death is to let it come and be glad? Or put it another way: if the Pope is this desperate to stay alive, what hope is there for the rest of us?
If you are a religious conservative, a true believer in Christ, salvation, and eternal life, the people like Randall Terry who are getting arrested trying to break into a hospice to give bread and water to a woman that is incapable of swallowing; how can you justify not wanting her to end her earthly suffering and to be with God?
I'm not saying I'm not afraid of death here. Far from it, death scares me shitless. All I'm saying is if you base your theological, personal, and moral belief system on death being a step into something better, into being one with God, why fight the death of someone you don't even know so hard from happening when it's what would occur under natural circumstances?
I'm more than aware that there's about three people that read this blog, but if any regular readers can explain this, please do.
We have been informed that the pontiff's current suffering and persistence against multiple illnesses and debilities is sending a message about the dignity of suffering and the importance of life. There is indeed a great truth to that. But there is also a point at which clinging to life itself becomes a little odd for a Christian, no? Isn't the fundamental point about Christianity that our life on earth is but a blink in the eye of our real existence, which begins at death and lasts for eternity in God's loving presence? Why is the Pope sending a signal that we should cling to life at all costs - and that this clinging represents some kind of moral achievement? Isn't there a moment at which the proper Christian approach to death is to let it come and be glad? Or put it another way: if the Pope is this desperate to stay alive, what hope is there for the rest of us?
If you are a religious conservative, a true believer in Christ, salvation, and eternal life, the people like Randall Terry who are getting arrested trying to break into a hospice to give bread and water to a woman that is incapable of swallowing; how can you justify not wanting her to end her earthly suffering and to be with God?
I'm not saying I'm not afraid of death here. Far from it, death scares me shitless. All I'm saying is if you base your theological, personal, and moral belief system on death being a step into something better, into being one with God, why fight the death of someone you don't even know so hard from happening when it's what would occur under natural circumstances?
I'm more than aware that there's about three people that read this blog, but if any regular readers can explain this, please do.
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