Friday, March 25, 2005

Do We Have the Right To Kill?

Many have seen or heard something about the case of Terri Schaivo. To my understanding this woman suffered something similar to a heart attack more than 15 years ago which deprived her brain of oxygen for a time long enough to cause permanent brain damage. The most recent issue is that her husband has decided to remove the feeding tube that is keeping her alive. he has been reported saying tha his wife would not want to live artificially. The parents of Terri are fighting this decision, without much luck. There is more specifics on this story, I have read an article in catholic news website. I admit I may not know all of the story. But of what I know I feel that this is a terrible injustice. I can understand the removal of medical devices that sustain life. But as far as what I understand is that her body is keeping itself alive, she just needs basic care and food and water. This is something that even those with fully functioning brains need. I do not understand why it is even a question. How can it be legal to starve someone to death. I understand that she may not want to live in a comma or whatever the state is that she is in, but many people do not want to have to cope with their disabilities. But with out knowing what she currently wants or a living will that applies in this situation, how can she be allowed to starve to death? Is there really no value in her life? Is she not capable of affecting others even though she cannot communicate? Shouldn't God decide when she dies, it doesn't seem to He is doing that yet.....

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Reflections from 2 Timothy 2:22

Looking at the uses of the word "youth" it is easily seen that foolishness, temptation, and lack of understanding are very prevalent in youth. What is it about youth that causes this? I say, inexperience, lack of vision, true knowledge of consequences. This leads me to think that if one is to teach, truely teach a youth to avoid these pitfalls of youth then you need to give them an opportunity to experience the consequences of life. This is not to say that the best deterrent is a taste of a sinful life, or of certain sins. But experience in the heart of vision can substitute real experience. Witnessing the acts of sin in a way that dispels the myths that lead to sins attractiveness; encounter and witness of those presently living out certain consequences of sins. Experiences such as these can give a 'youth' vision of these biblical principles of caution. Our role is not only to bring the Gospel and scriptures to 'youth' but to use the Gospel and scriptures to ignite the imagination. It is imagination that is lacking in tea resources of 'youth'. Youth need to be able to see it in their own life not just cognitively comprehend, but spiritually, personally, pragmatically connect God's message to their lives, their context, their understanding of the world. Is it a surprise that in the progression of our human depravity and consumerism in this country that at the same developmental stage that the brain is becoming alive and major cognitive building blocks are being formed is the same age that the realm of adulthood is impatient with wandering attentions and dreaming 'youth' that the response is to drug them and find any way possible to 'get them to pay attention and behave'? May be one of the best things that we, as post youths, could do is to create a space where 'youths' can exercise their imagination. Yes, 'youth' needs to take advantage of the wisdom of thoe that have gone before them. But it will invariably fall of deaf ears if it does not become apart of their concept of reality. [I do not intend to imply that in this age we need to have any certain tolerance of post-modernism or subjectivity, just that each person is created individually and we need to be mindful of that difference and uniqueness.]2Timothy 2:22 & Proverbs 7:7