I was up later than usual last night. Did I want to get up at 5:42 this morning? No. But, a little girl whose name starts with an “M” decided that was a very good time to start her day.
I’ve discovered that I really can’t think very coherently after about 8 o’clock at night. (Whether or not I can think coherently at any other given time is also debatable.)
Last night I had a conversation with someone about euthanasia, in the context of Million Dollar Baby. There were some things that I couldn’t articulate last night – but I happened to have some spare time to mull them over again at 5:42 this morning.
What happened in Million Dollar Baby, no matter how sorry people felt for Maggie or how much they could rationalize the actions of Frankie, is murder. (There was an active participation in death as opposed to a mere refusal of treatment.)
It should also be noted that people who experience a sudden disability often go through a prolonged period of depression.
According to the National Council on Disability:
“When a person is not born with a disability, the onset of a substantially impairing condition and the awareness of one's new physical or mental limitations usually come as a blow to a person's self-image and psychological balance. Disabilities that are the result of violence, accident, or illness usually are accompanied by additional emotional repercussions. The inception of disabilities is often associated with a period of hospitalization or other intense medical intervention that adds additional disorientation. Pain and medication may take an additional toll on emotional equilibrium. Family members and friends may be devastated by what has happened and find it hard to relate to the individual in ways they normally did in the past. Neither the individual with the new disability nor friends and family members may have any idea how people adapt to such a condition, any concept of rehabilitation possibilities, nor a clue that many people are living fulfilling and joyful lives with the same or even more severe conditions. To a person newly confronted with the realization that he or she has a disability, it may appear that the ‘whole world has been turned upside down.’ Strong feelings of fear, helplessness, anger, sadness, shame, and confusion are common.
“It is typical, therefore, for people who have recently been confronted with a disability to experience a period of disorientation and depression. … Most people with disabilities gradually come to accept and live constructively with their disabilities.”
On a policy level, I don’t think it’s ever appropriate for society to permit people to kill other people. Depressed people need help – not friends and doctors who will kill them when they are experiencing an emotional low.
On a personal level, I would hope that, should someone I know and love become disabled, they would allow me (and others in their life) to show them how much I love them and how valuable I think their life is, despite the disability. I would hope that person in my life would, over time, find reasons to live and learn to adapt and love life again despite the hardships.
God has numbered our days. He is in control of all things. He gives grace to endure all things. He is the one who gives life and takes it.
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8 comments:
"On a policy level, I don’t think it’s ever appropriate for society to permit people to kill other people."
Do you extend this to capital punishment? Does this mean you are against the war in Iraq?
Not trying to be snarky - just wondering if you'd thought out the ramifications of your statement.
--DJ
Yeah! Take that!
5:42! Ug a mug...my brain would not have been functioning at such a thoughtful level until at least 9!
"Ug a mug" must be the codeword for "homeschoolers are the best ever."
Even by most religious groups, Christian or otherwise, wars are outside the boundaries of the normal societal definition of 'people killing people'. No one prefers war to peace, of course, but the whole issue of justification comes into play with military conflict. I guess what we as Christians are forced to decide is whether or not we feel the war in Iraq is justified. To me, freeing and liberating millions of people IS worth it- all of us Americans would not be who we are if people hundreds of years ago had chosen differently, and many more Jews would have been exterminated had the world not stepped in to defend them. Plus, if you think about it, Christians especially have a lot more at stake in this current war; we are fighting to protect our society against Islamic fundamentalists who want nothing more than to eradicate portions of life as we know it, including our belief in Jesus.
Ug a Mug!!!!!
Darren - My post was stricly in the context of permitting private citizens to lawfully kill other private citizens.
I have thought deeply about capital punishment and believe it is justified in certain circumstances (the bible supports this too).
As far as the Iraq war, I've had my doubts about it but don't think that we can immediately pull out.
As far as war in general, I've always thought it illogical to be "against all war" because that would mean that evil dictators who refuse to sit down at a U.N. table to negotiate would be able to control the world.
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