A Right To Live - Terri Schiavo

The Terri Schiavo case has been in the news lately. For those who do not know who she is I refer you here:

Terri Schiavo

Terri's case admittedly is a difficult one but I cannot help but view her as "disabled" and therefore deserves the protection and intervention of the U.S. government in her behalf. Every disabled person in the country should have risen to her aide. Federal Judge Whittemore's decision today was just unconscionable. He has shown himself devoid of moral judgment.

Worse than Judge Whittemore is Terri's husband Michael who is "suspected" by Terri's parents to have been the one responsible for Terri's current condition in a botched murder attempt. However, in his defense no evidence has been found to prove these suspicions. You do have to wonder though about a man who won a malpractice lawsuit and promised to use the money for therapy for Terri and then requested a "do not resuscitate" order, refused therapy and barred stimulation and treatment for infections. He now lives with another woman, who he has had two children with, and when Terri dies I am sure that he will get whatever is left of all that settlement money (and probably insurance), after he pays all the attorney and doctor fees. A caregiver for Terri testifies that he "wants her to die; he doesn't want the truth to be known,". She also states that:

"when Terri Schiavo was having a urinary tract infection, Michael Schiavo "would be excited, thrilled, even hoping that she would die soon."

"What makes you say that?" Iyer was asked.

"He would blurt out 'When is she gonna die? When is that B-I-T-C-H gonna die? Hasn't she died yet?'"

Michael Schiavo is a very sick and deceived man. I have rarely seen such evil manifested. We must pray for Michael that God will open his eyes to see how wrong what he is doing is, in God's eyes, by demanding that Terri be taken off the feeding tube. Doctors have said that they believed that Terri could be able to communicate on a basic level with some speech therapy. Michael of course has banned all access to any therapy that could "improve" Terri's condition. It makes you wonder if he wants to make absolutely sure that she can never talk and tell what really happened that day that put her in this condition?

Granted, Terri is not normal. She has brain damage, which makes her "disabled". She will never live a quality of life that the most of us enjoy but does that make her life any less valuable? It's valuable to God! He has given men knowledge and she is able to be sustained by one simple thing...a feeding tube. She is not on a respirator. She responds to people and even makes basic sounds. She recognizes her relatives when they visit. Does this sound like a "vegetable"?

What happened to Terri is terrible enough but even criminals have been executed in a more humane manner. Not starved to death! Animals are treated more humanely than Terri is being! In fact animals have more rights that protect them against this type of abuse then humans do! What a topsy turvy world we live in!

The media has also purposely withheld information on this case or has distorted the facts leading the public to believe that Terri is a vegetable and has the "right" to die. But Terri is NOT a vegetable!

No judge on her case has ever come to see her. Terri's husband, Michael, has refused anyone permission to visit the nursing home where she is cared for except her immediate relatives unaccompanied. The only other people he will allow visitation is her parents attorney and her priest. Nobody else! What has he been afraid of? Possibly that persons could be used to testify that she is NOT a vegetable as he would have you believe?

The judges that have stood by and made decisions that will lead to Terri's death will one day have to stand before a greater Judge and answer for their actions (or should I say inactions) should Terri die. They will have set a precedent that will start this country down a road that is not good. We will soon see any person who is no longer valuable and contributing to our society as just another burden to get rid of. Persons born mentally challenged or severely defective in some way will just be put to death. Why should we value a non-contributing member of society?

God is the only one who has the right to take a life. If it is within our power to preserve a life, even if the quality of that life is not normal, we have the moral responsibility to do so, and to care for that individual. This whole issue has shown me even more than ever how morally bankrupt our country and society has become.

We know NOT what God may be doing in a persons spirit and the formation that he is accomplishing in the inner man. The Bible says in Phillipians 1:6b that "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ". Our personhood consists of more than just a body and more than just a mind also. In I Thessalonians 5: 23 Paul reveals that man is tripartite in nature. He is a spirit first of all, and he has a soul, and he lives in a body! Spirit, soul and body comprises man. Constantly the scriptures refer to the inner man. That is the "real" you where the real work of God is taking place. We may be surprised to find when we get to heaven that all the suffering Terri has been going through these years has actually been forming a saint!

I cannot think of anything more corrupt than a society that no longer values life. No matter how weak that life may be. God uses the weak things of the world to confound the wise. Let's all pray that he does so in Terri's case and pray for Terri's husband that he will repent of his evil deeds and seek mercy from Christ before it's too late!

Peace be with Terri!

Philololgus