
Several polls released in the past weeks indicate that a majority of Americans were in favor of the removal of Terri Shiavo’s feeding tube and the withholding of hydration. Apparently, many Americans have simply accepted the quality of life argument, and are now ready to decide who should live and who should die. This is a setting a dangerous precedent.
I have discussed the Shiavo case with several different Christians. Some on the message boards, some at church, and some in my living room. I was amazed as I listened to several of these Christians defending the death of Terri. Those defending her death even went so far as supporting the adultery Michael Shiavo was living in. That now is all over, but the precedent set in this case is disturbing.
Had the judge in this case merely suspended Terri’s feeding tube, it would have been one thing, but when he refused to allow her to be fed or given drink, it became euthanasia.
The ridiculous argument against giving her food or drink was that she might choke to death. Gee, they were starving her and hydrating her to death, but were afraid that she might choke to death? That was ignorance gone to bliss. The fact is that some of the Doctors did say that Terri could swallow if given the chance. I digress again, because that doesn’t matter anymore.
I can well remember the early days of arguing for abortion. Of course, that was before it was judicially legislated. The argument was that it will only be very early term abortions performed and that late term abortions would NEVER be allowed. May I bring up the term Partial Birth Abortion now?
Talk about late term abortion, this is the epitome of it. No, we have slowly graduated the length of time in which an abortion can be performed until today a partial birth abortion can be performed at nine months.
Do I dare make a correlation between abortion and the precedent now set for euthanasia? How can we not make the comparison? When the judge ordered that Terri not be given the opportunity to eat and drink on her own, no matter how futile it may have been, he gave the order for euthanasia. How long now before some of our poor aging seniors are taken to court and a judge decides that their life is no longer worth living and he just orders their food and water withheld from them. How long before our handicapped citizens are drug before a judge who sees no value in their life and orders their food and water withheld from them. How long before some judge has compassion on our elderly and handicapped and doesn’t starve them to death, but simply orders a needle, similar to those who are on death row receive, put into their arms and end their lives simply because they are no longer useful to society.
The real scary part about this situation is that it is not just the judge who saw it this way. It was many, many of our fair citizens. Apparently life is no longer sacred in our society. When did we develop into to this type of people? I can tell you when. It was when the abortion seed was planted that took away a portion of our thought process concerning the sacredness of life. Now, with Terri Shiavo, another seed has been planted into our thought process tearing away a little more of our sacredness of life.
Isaiah was describing Israel’s state just before she was judged by God when he says in Isaiah 59:14 and 15; “Our courts oppose people who are righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth falls dead in the streets, and fairness has been outlawed. Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who tries to live a godly life is soon attacked.” (New Living Translation) That scripture describes this Nation to a tee, and one can only wonder how long it will be before God’s judgment reaches America.
May God forgive us as a Nation for where we have gone to. May He forgive us that we no longer consider life precious or sacred. We’ve come a long way baby, but I’m not sure it’s where we really want to be.
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