Posted on 03/30/2005 7:06:04 AM PST by apackof2
I am convinced God uses trials like the Terri Schiavo case to test men.
Pinellas County Circuit Court Judge George Greer was tested – and found wanting.
He had seven years to consider this case and got it wrong every time.
I don't know Greer personally, but I know many people like him. They go to church on Sunday and then between Monday and Friday lead lives with no seeming connection to what they hear preached in the pulpit, what they read in the Bible, what they claim to believe of the Christian faith.
This may be the biggest single problem we have in America today – this disconnect between the spiritual lives of Christians and how they practice their faith in the world.
Greer, until recently, was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, Fla. He left at the urging of Pastor William Rice, who counseled him wisely: "You must know that in all likelihood it is this case which will define your career and this case that you will remember in the waning days of life. I hope you can find a way to side with the angels and become an answer to the prayers of thousands."
Rice has my highest regard for that decision. Too many pastors in this country don't require obedience to God as a prerequisite for church membership. They seem to believe in a kind of "cheap" grace that comes with regular attendance or tithing rather than a Christian walk. They seem to have no minimal standards for fellowship and communion with the saints.
There are few heroes in the Terri Schiavo scandal. Her parents and siblings qualify. Terri herself qualifies. Those who braved arrest to bring her cups of water qualify. And, in my book, so does Rev. William Rice.
Do you want to know why the church doesn't have influence and impact in our increasingly secular world today?
Because there are too many so-called Christians like Judge George Greer and not enough like Pastor William Rice.
Greer's friends have attacked the church and defended the judge, saying he was interpreting the law to the best of his ability. However, if that is true, then Greer, as a Christian, had a duty to obey God's laws rather than man's laws. That would require him to leave the bench if he truly saw a conflict. Instead, Greer opted to leave his church – and, presumably, his weak faith.
"Like evangelicals across the world, we are horrified at the thought that a handicapped woman could be, in effect, starved to death before a watching world," Rice wrote. Admitting he was not a legal or medical expert, Rice asserted: "I know right from wrong. I know what God thinks about human life. I know there is only one way to describe the prospect of starving a woman to death because she cannot feed herself. It is wrong."
Rice continued: "Morality and truth must serve as our guide. Terri Schiavo is not on life support. She is not dying. Good evidence exists to suggest that she is responsive. All she receives is food and water, the same as you and me. Are we to conclude that she is less than human because she cannot feed herself? Can a month-old child feed himself? Is an elderly patient stricken with some debilitating disease and unable to feed herself suddenly less human? Do we now use an IQ test to determine if someone possesses the right to live? Isn't that God's choice? Only God can give life, and only He should take it away."
"Tread carefully if you think this is simply about a dying woman being allowed to die peacefully," Rice wrote. "Remember when we were told that Roe v. Wade was simply about helping women who had been raped or whose lives were imminently threatened? Today, few abortions fall into that category, but millions of human lives have been sacrificed upon the altar of selfishness. And the slide down the slippery slope continues."
In case Greer was still confused, his pastor gave him more to think about.
"This case seems complex, but it is as simple as four words: 'Thou shalt not kill.' If you need a compass for this complex case, you'll find it there," he wrote. "As we all know, the Sixth Commandment means it is wrong to murder – to take the life of an innocent person without just cause. If I were the nurse in that hospice center and the directive were given to me to discontinue feeding a living human being and watch as he or she starved to death, I couldn't do it. I'd rather get fired, resign or do something else."
Christians can go on blaming others for the problems we face in this country. Or we can go into the churches and start cleaning up the messes we have in our own houses of worship. It's time to take back the churches. It's time to renew the idea of standards. It's time to make church membership mean something again.
Judge George Greer did the wrong thing. Pastor William Rice did the right thing. If we had more pastors like Rice, we'd have fewer judges like Greer.
some good points, but when joe farah preaches, oy.
I've heard the Judge there is reasonably forgiving but entertains no appeals.
AMEN!
Added to Terri Bookmark Mountain. FReegards....
http://www.freerepublic.com/~arthurwildfiremarch/links?U=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freerepublic.com%2Ffocus%2Ff-news%2F1371774%2Fposts%3Fpage%3D7
Would we accept that from a man who is an islamic fundamentalist?
There are some religions who believe in human sacrifice too.....are we to ask them to enforce their beliefs rather than man's laws?
Most churches these days are nothing more than "community activity centers."
Tis is a very good article and to the point. Many people say that they are Christian, go to church, and still are not willing to obey God, and they do not believe his word. If they really believed in God and his judgements, they would not set out to murder and to wish someone dead.
That wouldn't be God's law.
I have to agree with this.
I left a job once simply because the way in which they started doing business just I was being asked to do things that went against my personal principles and values.
I was not asked to do anything illegal or even unethical, but it went enough against my grain that I felt I just couldn't continue following policy.
"Rice continued: "Morality and truth must serve as our guide. Terri Schiavo is not on life support. She is not dying. Good evidence exists to suggest that she is responsive. All she receives is food and water, the same as you and me. Are we to conclude that she is less than human because she cannot feed herself? Can a month-old child feed himself? Is an elderly patient stricken with some debilitating disease and unable to feed herself suddenly less human? Do we now use an IQ test to determine if someone possesses the right to live? Isn't that God's choice? Only God can give life, and only He should take it away.""
Amen, this says it all. How would the judge rule if the case were different as written above? I know Jeb Bush is doing what he can, but is doing all he can? Sometimes a person has to do what is right, even if the court of law is telling you different. We have to answer to God, not man. May God have mercy on Greer's soul.
And you know this how?
That can only be a concern (or a question) if one believes there's no difference between human sacrifice and self-sacrifice. There will always be those who follow the "law," because they don't have enough "sense" of their own to follow.
Thank you, there is always at least one comment that tries to compare Islam with Christanity
I disagree. We do not live in a theocracy. (And that I am very glad of!!!)
Very good article.....too bad many more Americans aren't seeing it. Thanks for posting it
That's the best case. The worst case is that they are indoctrination centers for the liberal agenda.
Because Mohammed isn't Jesus
According to her husband, it was Terri's wish that she not be kept alive in a PVS. Given the number of physicians who say she's in PVS, her husband is simply carrying out her wishes.
Whatever we might speculate about his motives, we must not lose sight of the fact that she married him.
Christian or not, Judge Greer enjoys his power and fame. How else could he find it easier to leave his church than leave his job on the bench? He deserves every bit of scrutiny he gets and then some. However uncomfortable it is for him, I'd be willing to bet he wouldn't trade places with Terri for the world.
Yes, liberal leftists judges acting outside their constitional right to enact law as opposed to going by it in their rulings
But then you probably have no problem with Roe v Wade
All I can say is.......Wow!!!!!
He hit the bullet on the head.
That reminds me of a story I heard about a church in the Soviet Union. Two KGB agents came in with AK-47s and said, "If anyone wants to leave their faith and save their lives, I suggest they do so now." After several people left the agents laid their weapons down and said, "Now that those jokers are gone, let's have church."
Yes she did however marriage doesn't give the spouse a right to starve to death the other spouse.
We only have his word what she wanted and given the fact that he has compelling reasons to want Terri out of the way (mistress & two illegimate children) it is reasonable to the suspect the "truth" of him speaking for Terri wishes
True story. I had a friend who belonged to a very strict fundamentalist church. She decided to marry outside of the church (not the faith, just that particular church) and was tossed out on her ear.
The atheist regimes of the Soviet Union, Red China, and various Communist satellites were responsible for the deaths of over 100 million human beings in the last century. That record does not speak well for positivist law unguided by the moral principles in Scripture.
Agreed.
However, can you scientifically prove one faith is more "real" than the other? Heck, can you prove one denomination is more "correct" than another?
So it all comes down to faith. Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not advocating the Moslem faith, just pointing out that there is no definitive proof for any faith based system.
This is why I am glad we don't live in a theocracy.
I love your mixing of metaphors!!!! LOL.
That is a bit extreme in the other direction.
Apparently you don't know that there is a difference between true and false religious claims.
-A8
>When I am unable to communicate, my spouse has the authority and duty to communicate for me as best she can. That's because we "are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." Until death do us part. <
They ceased being one flesh when he entered the girlfriend and fathered 2 chidren.
I certainly hope if I am ever in PVS that no one decides to doubt my wife when she speaks for me.
Nope. The third Reich was steeped in mysticism and the communists were bent on suppression of religion. Huge difference.
We don't live in a theocracy now. Where is the extreme oppression, murder, and death you saw from both of those regimes in this country?
First, you will need to specify what counts as "scientific", and then what counts as "prove".
-A8
Chapter and verse, please.
You can't punt the ball to the courts and then complain about the outcome. Frist blew this one big time. He should go.
You forgot the "better or worse,in sickness and in health" part.:D
I am sure your wife wouldn't be living with her new "family" without having divorcing you first
and have stuck you in a dark room for years but just in case there is such a thing as a living will where you can actually decide for yourself
I hope your wife doesn't start a new family and deny you rehabilitation if you are in a PVS. Oh - and deny your parents visitation.
Terri married him, but he now has a common law wife and two children with her. He left Terri long ago. He retains legal authority over her and what's left of her money.
Indeed, but a true story.
This is how it was announced as well. (I am not making this up or exaggerating in any way) She was brought to the front of the church and the pastor said (not exact quotes but close enough) "We would like to congratulate "J" on her engagement and we are sad this is her last day here at the church". She was dumbfounded. She did not even know till the pastor made the announcement in front of the entire congregation.
If it encouraged LIFE rather than DEATH, you betcha !
Easy. I know Him personally.
And that he is still married to her while living with another woman and their two children. Why hasn't he divorced her? Hmmm....?
If she tries the rehabilitation route for seven years, that'll be more than I would have wanted. If it seems that my parents are unwilling to accept my wife's word regarding my wishes, I trust she'll do the right thing.
As for the new family, if we didn't already have children, I wouldn't want to deny her the opportunity.
Name the church please.
With regards to religion, that is a debate that has been raging for centuries.
I personally am glad we don't have a "state religion".
For one thing, if you have followed my posting at all, you will usually see me defending evolution vigorously. In a theocracy, I am not sure I would have that luxury.
I hope we don't have an athiestic state either. Look at what happened in the Soviet Union and China. It makes Iran look like a cake walk.
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