About Me

My photo
Family and Friends is my everyday journal. Captain's Log is where I pontificate on religion and politics.

Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Death With Dignity

Came across this post today on the Brittany Murphy assisted suicide. Reading the comments reinforced Benjamin Corey's arguments on the true horror of the woman's sadly short life, Christian condemnation for her choice.  Some of the commenters still don't understand the woman didn't want to die, but she was faced with the choice of ending he life peacefully or suffering a truly horrible death from her disease. Someone with compassion, someone who is supposed to be known to the world by their LOVE, would weep with her family and grieve with her family, not say or print what they think God will do to her.
Have Christians forgotten the words of Jesus: Matthew 7:1 Do not judge lest you be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your measure it will be measured to you. Or have they forgotten Paul's words: Romans 8:1 There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. Finally the good news in a nutshell: John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave  his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.
The message of Jesus and what he lived and died for was F-O-R-G-I-V-E-N-E-S-S. From what fundamentalist Christians are saying Jesus is only about judgement and condemnation which is totally opposite for what He gave his life and rose from the grave to accomplish.
 I have a friend whose mother was suffering from a painful terminal illness, but she hid her pain and without the family knowing of her illness committed suicide. They were members in a fundamentalist church that I belonged for a time. At the funeral I will never forget this pastor's words: "When she met Jesus I'm sure she said,'I did wrong.' and Jesus said, 'Yes you did, but you're forgiven.'"
My question here is: if we can have love and compassion for fellow Christians why can't we do the same for non-believers? Brittany Murphy will not be judged by God on how she died, but how she lived and what she believed while alive, and no one else has a say or knows God's decision.
Two of my loved ones died of cancer and for understandable reasons one chose to let nature take its course and the other fought to the bitter end. My role was not to judge either one of them, but to understand and be there with help, love, compassion, to grieve with my family during their demise and after their passing.
My father was in his eighties, suffering from type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's. When he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer the doctor tried hard to give him treatment, but it would be chemo-therapy which would make him sick and weak to prolong his life at most six months. His choice six weeks of hospice care where the pain would be managed or six months of dizziness, vomiting and loose stools. Would anyone in their right mind choose to have the treatment?
My sister was in her early forties with a four year old daughter when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. With the best of care and up-to-date treatment she survived for five years. My sister had a good reason to live as long as possible no matter the pain: she wanted to spend all the time she had with her husband and daughter.
Would the judgmental Christians condemn my father for choosing to die without a fight and praise my sister for fighting? Who cares? It's none of their damn business!