Category Archives: World Events

Terry Schiavo’s Last Days

On the various issues surrounding this case, I’m not well-informed. It’s not something I’ve studied through. I’m still not sure what I believe about eternal security or any number of other issues. Issues involving euthanasia, mercy killing, etc., haven’t ever gotten enough attention from me to have formed convictions that I’m willing to stand behind.

But that doesn’t mean my emotions don’t get pulled. Strongly.

After music practice Thursday night, several of us stayed around talking for quite a while about various things. As a result, on the way home, I realized I was very thirsty. My mouth was dry. And my mind immediately went to Terry Schiavo. I’ve heard that her brain isn’t “connected” well enough to actually feel pain or discomfort, though I suspect there are “experts” who hold varying opinions on that. Regardless, I thought about what it’s like to be terribly thirsty–going days without water. And I wondered about things.

Early on, I remember hearing some reports telling us exactly what was happening with Terry’s physical condition at that moment–how the lack of water and nourishment was affecting here. How her body, her condition, was deteriorating. I haven’t heard such reports in a while, so I assume her husband has cut off access to such knowledge. But we need to know that stuff. We as a society. If we’re going to kill someone in the electric chair, it’s incumbent on us to know exactly what happens–how much pain is felt and where it is felt, what that first jolt of electricity is like, when death occurs, the mental state of the inmate, and everything else. Likewise, if we, as a society, are going to let a helpless person starve to death, just whither away, we should know what exactly–exactly–is happening. I want to know. Whether I think she should be allowed to die, or not, I want to know what is happening to her. If we’re going to allow this, let’s understand precisely what we are allowing.

Courts have wrestled hard with the question, “Is this what Terry wanted?” They’ve decided that it seems she would approve. If that is true, is it still okay to just let her starve to death? That’s where I’m uncertain. I think I’m okay with it. But I have nothing near the defintion of a conviction. I’m just watching, and doing a lot of wondering.

I was also touched by a post on Ed Gebert’s blog, in which he talked about a classmate who had been in a coma for 20 years, and finally died. It added insight to my admitted lack of insight. I recommend that you read it.

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The Tsunami Thru Non-Western Eyes

I discovered a weblog which is simply amazing. It’s called India Uncut. A 31-year-old man in India has been writing about the tsunami relief efforts, and it’s superb reporting. He provides insights into the role and methods of relief work that I hadn’t heard before, plus good reminders of things I already know. It’s extremely valuable to see things through the eyes of a keen non-Western observer.

I’m not a fan of using my weblog to simply quote passages from other people. But I’m going to give a few excerpts from India Uncut, just to whet your appetite.

From January 9, 2005: “Why does it take a disaster like this to evoke compassion in us? After all, the needs that we are helping to fulfill now — for food, housing, medicine and livelihood — have always existed in all the affected countries….When all is “normal” again, and millions of people are back to scrambling for food and jobs and drinking water in sub-human conditions, will we still care?

“For most of us, I think the answer to that is: No. We block out all the misery in the world as we go along our daily lives, building a cocoon around ourselves that excludes the little beggar at the traffic lights, the homeless people strewn across the streets at night, the millions swept away by a vast tsunami of indifference. It takes a tragedy like this to burst that cocoon, and perhaps it gives some of us a chance to assuage the guilt that may have built up inside.”

From January 5: “Over-enthusiastic volunteers, with a desperate, selfish need of their own to fulfill, the need to give, can actually make things worse in disaster areas. Of course, there are plenty of volunteers who work selflessly and untiringly, and those guys are the reason that India is limping towards recovery. The rest of us should not get in their way.”

From January 4: “Many of the relief organizations that drive down don’t bother to actually spend time in a village and assess its needs — they simply thrust things into the hands that reach out into their truck, and then they drive off. The consequence of this is that the strongest people end up getting all the goodies, and this happens time and again, as truck after relief truck passes by. The irony in all this is that often the people who are most affected don’t even go to the relief trucks to get help. They just sit in what is left of their huts, often in a state of shock. They think of what has passed, and not the truck that passes.”

Don’t just read the most recent posts. Dig down, all the way back to December 26. It’s worth it.

He also links to an essay written in InfoChangeIndia which gives all kinds of food for thought. Among other things, the writer talks about the “greed of giving,” which is a fascinating phrase. From the vantage point of a denominational headquarters with its own missions agency, I’ve seen this–people in churches who go on work trips to other countries, see needs, and rush in with what they perceive as “help.” But it’s not always helpful.

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Phantom, Newsboys, and the Tsunami

Phantom of the Opera. The movie “Phantom of the Opera” was very good, but could have been outstanding except for two things:

  • The lip-synching was off, and it was very distracting. I’m glad that the actors did their own singing, rather than having other person’s voices dubbed over them. But they just did a poor job of dubbing in their own voices after the acting was done.
  • I wasn’t all that crazy about the guy who played the Phantom. His voice was nothing special. Or maybe I just had Michael Crawford’s voice too firmly in my head.

Newsboys. Pam got me the Newsboys “Adoration” worship CD for Christmas. I love it. The song “Presence” is especially outstanding. It’s been playing on the local Christian radio stations for quite a while now. The Newsboys may just be my favorite Christian group at this point, narrowly edging out Third Day (whose last album was very poor). Our worship team does “He Reigns,” and the congregation loves it. I’m hoping we can do “It is You” and “Presence” in the months ahead. The Newsboys are putting out some really great stuff.

Tsunami. ABC and CNN had superb specials last night on the tsunami, which is probably the worst natural disaster of my lifetime. Amazing stuff. I’m fascinated by some of the video which is coming now of the waves actually approaching. I always assumed a tsunami featured a tidal wave. I guess it can include a tidal wave, but not necessarily. In this case, it looked like a regular wave breaking on the beach…except that it didn’t break and recede, but just kept going inland, pushed by masses of water behind it.

At work today, I sent out two emails to our church constituency reporting on the tsunami. Our missionary couple in India live in a town back from the coast, so they are fine. But about 5000 people from coastal villages, which were struck hard, descended on their town, and they were able to provide help.

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Arafat’s Gone

I watched Arafat’s funeral this morning. What a mess. Total chaos, with people swarming all over that big open courtyard. The two helicopters landed, and it took a long time for them to even be able to get the coffin out of the helicopter.

The world is now, officially, better off. I’ve been conflicted over the years about Arafat. At times, he has genuinely seemed like a reasonable, peace-seeking man. But the past few years have shown that, bottom line, he’s just a terrorist. He obviously fooled a lot of people, people who really wanted to believe he was sincere.

Now we’ll see what the Palestinians come up with to replace him. More of the same, I suspect.

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