Absolutely, not. If I had my way, everyone's wishes would be enforced for them. I think it is very important that everyone write their specific desires down, so that we don't have any more of these debates about 'true' wishes than we must.
I've written my living will. Have you written yours? If not, please do so. If you want to be maintained indefinitely after your mind is gone, that's absolutely fine with me (provided, of course, you pay the cost of your own care).
Why should documentation that I don't want to be starved to death be required? Why shouldn't the burden rest on those who want to go down to the pit?
I found interesting what you stated:
**If you want to be maintained indefinitely after your mind is gone, that's absolutely fine with me (provided, of course, you pay the cost of your own care).**
Most interesting, I thought, was the idea that the person pay for the cost of their own care. How can one pay for their own care, if they cannot work; or once their insurance runs out?
Should society be expected to bear the costs of the decidedly infirm? Is that a religious belief (hence should not be covered by government, i.e., medicare or medicaid)? or is it truly a governmental responsibility?
Even as a Christian, I am not sure that I believe that the deeply infirm (cannot eat, swallow, drink on their own, cannot "think" to request to eat, swallow or drink, etc.) are *entitled* to life prolonging measures (including resuscitators, feeding tubes, etc.).
I've been searching the Scriptures for information about this, but obviously there were no resuscitators or feeding tubes in those days (perhaps primitive feeding tubes?), but it seems today that Science has preempted God. And so we have the dilemma.
What do you believe would be the
(a) moral answer
(b) legal answer
to the issue of the infirm paying for the cost of their care. Should it be the responsibility of the government, or mandated social responsibility (monies raised through taxes--and essentially socialistic)?
Regarding all the people that believe the infirm should be maintained at all costs,