Posted on 03/25/2005 5:21:18 AM PST by mhking
My position on the Schiavo matter has vascilated back and forth over the past few days as I've agonized over the matter.
Should she be given a chance at life? If so, what kind of life are we talking about? Is there a chance at rehabilitation? Is Michael Schiavo an evil S.O.B., or is he simply a heart-broken man?
Conversely, is she truly in a vegetative state? A virtual zombie with eyes open, and nothing inside? Are her parents and family in denial about her pain and suffering? Are the evangelicals coming to her aid getting so worked up that they are looking past the true nature of this situation?
Difficult questions these. Who wins? Who loses?
There is no winner here. This situation is heartbreaking at the core. A vibrant woman struck down in the prime of her life. A myriad of doctors, most of whom have indicated that much of her brain tissue has deteriorated and possibly even liquified inside her skull. CAT scans that support that diagnosis.
Conversely, we see her eyes focusing on a balloon, we see her apparently responding to people entering her limited field of vision.
What do we believe?
After 22 different judges have agonized over this, they all have come to the same decision: that her husband has the right to make that agonizing decision.
Talk show host Neil Boortz has taken the stance that Terri Schiavo has earned her place in heaven, and that we, as a people, should let her go home.
Do you believe in God’s promise of everlasting life? Do you believe that the reward for a life well spent on this earth is a life with God in heaven after you die? If you do, then a few more questions if you will.Jesus awaits Terri Schiavo at the gates of heaven with open arms. He will grant her eternal rest. He loves all, no matter which side of this sad story the people are on.Do you believe that the human soul can make the transition to everlasting life while the human body that carried that soul through life clings to life on this earth? If you do, then you must surely believe that Terri Schiavo has earned and is already enjoying her reward in heaven. That being the case, why is it so important to you that the now-unneeded body of Terri Schiavo is kept alive?
But perhaps you believe, as I do, that the human soul is so connected to and integrated with its earthly body that any transition will not be made until that body ceases functioning -- until death occurs.. That being the case, why do you so ardently desire that the soul of Terri Schiavo spend five, ten, perhaps 30 years or more trapped in a useless and non-functioning body, unable to move on to whatever reward awaits her? Isn’t 15 years enough?
Where do your concerns truly lie, with the eternal soul of Terri Schiavo, or with her earthly body?
Let her go home. We can only commend her spirit among the angels for the journey.
Sadly, those who damn the judges and politicians and those of us who wish her spirit to move on are going to fracture the fragile fabric of the conservative wing of the GOP. In their zeal to ignore the rule of law and the Constitutional process, they are sliding down the slippery slope of anarchy toward mob rule.
This is a land of laws, not men. And the political problems that are surfacing -- on both sides -- point toward the deterioration of our constitutional republic. Are you ready for that? Are you ready for that will mean in the future?
I weep for Terri Schiavo today. But I fear for more tears in our future, thanks to those who would wad up the Constitutional protections and freedoms wrought by the notion of ignoring the rule of law, simply because those in power didn't get their way.
Well, if you're asking God questions, how about this one:
Do you believe that life is a gift from God and is neither ours to take nor judge as to its quality or desirability?
The children thing was good symbolism, but those saying we should start a civil war are over the top. Jeb would do it if he had ducks in a row, but if the legislature and judiicary refused to endorse it, it would be insane to seize her.
I agree, I disagree with that part of the initial post. I think we should be careful not to over the top, but the judicial system in this situation was a otal stacked mess.
their not "letting her go."their making her go
Baloney. You can't earn you way to Heaven, that is stupid. Terri and her family knows she will go to Heaven because she has believed that Jesus Christ died for her sins.
Now Michael, on the other hand, has certainly earned his spot in Hell - along with a lot of politicians, medical persons, lawyers, judges and voters who voted for 8 years of Bill Clinton, who put these murderous judges in power in the first place.
What Christians are those, in favor of this?
This is a land of laws, not men. And the political problems that are surfacing -- on both sides -- point toward the deterioration of our constitutional republic. Are you ready for that? Are you ready for that will mean in the future?
I weep for Terri Schiavo today. But I fear for more tears in our future, thanks to those who would wad up the Constitutional protections and freedoms wrought by the notion of ignoring the rule of law, simply because those in power didn't get their way.
I'm glad I am not the only one alarmed at the flippant way my fellow religious conservatives are willing to discard the Constitution and laws in this country when they don't get their way.
I don't want to live in a country run by a left wing OR right wing dictator!
That is much more frightening to me than poor Terri finally going home to Jesus after 15 years in a PVS.
Well reasoned. Well said.
I agree, Christians being okay with this bugs me to death. I understand not wanting to start a civil war over it, but being okay with it is another thing. Jeb, W, Frist, Delay, etc...are not okay with it. They may not want to start a war, but they are not okay with it.
I just hope we dont forget and don't push changes to laws that allow this in many states. I hope some Law centers really look at each state's laws on this as some are even much worse than FL (see Texas).
No one is saying she should be dehydrated. Michael Schiavo has chosen that option for Terri.
This is a land of judges, who make up "law" as they go, in order to enact a social revolution by fiat. Sometimes issue ultimata to legislatures ordering them to pass the laws they demand, but usually they issue ex cathedra decisions taking the power to legislate away from the representatives of the people.
The technical term for that is "judicial tyranny". Don't pretend it's a rule of law. It's a rule of dictators with law degrees wearing black robes, that's all.
His ways are not our ways His thoughts are not our thoughts. If one person came to know Christ though Terri's suffering was it all worth it? Us not being God cannot stand in His soverienty. He is God alone!
Regards
RB<><
The "let her go to Jesus" is just a sugar coating to hide the horror of what is actual happening. It is not letting nature take its course. It is the premeditated taking away of an innocent human life.
"Wouldn't it be great if Terri woke up and asked for a glass of water?"
Yes, and I wouldn't be surprised if that happened. Such a real miracle on Easter weekend would be too coincidental for any1 to deny.
I've been wondering if this mite happen. If God wills it.
Man, that is a persistent meme, that Michael chose. Anyway, it incorrect. The law decreed that Terri chose this for herself. Read the case, you'll see.
>>Congress passed a law that the Schiavo case had to be heard de nuevo. But a man named Greer decided to ignore that.
No, Congress said the case had to be heard. The federal judge, not Greer, heard the case, and decided not to get involved.
Congress said the judge should listen. They didn't say what he had to rule.
32All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'After this, this nation will be with the goats on the left.
and then there are those that are making the whole thing more palatable by clinging desperately to the belief that this is a peaceful serene, painfree and DIGNIFIED death. i guess they need to believe it, in order to live with themselves condoning it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.