[lonevoice]

To another point, I was wondering on the other thread about the Pope issuing a statement recently that removing feeding tubes from people in a PVS state is euthanasia by omission

I've been thinking about that, too. In the early history of the case, the Schindlers made the argument that Terri was a Catholic, and that as a Catholic she would be against euthanasia for herself or anyone else. What I'm wondering is this. Now that the Pope has made this declaration specifically about dehydration/starvation, doesn't it deprive Terri of her constitutional right of freedom to practice her religion? Can the state of Florida order the dehydration/starvation of a patient with no advance healthcare directives when that order directly opposes the tenets of the patient's religion?

[TOUGH STOUGH]

Interesting point. I think the Schiavo case is one of the reasons the pope publicly remarked about feeding tubes. It is something good to come out of the publicity surrounding this case.