Saxon Road Church

Terri Schiavo

With every advance in science and technology comes the responsibility to do what is morally right. Our responsibility to let everyone know when to end life support falls on each and every one of us. It cannot rest comfortably upon anyone else - neither spouses nor parents. It should not be left to the courts and it rests most unseemly of all upon Congress and the President.

Many of the religious leaders who now wield a strong influence on our government speak of life as a legal right, and they look to lawmakers to enforce their views upon all. They would take such matters as when to end life support out of our hands and rule according to their interpretations of the letter of the Law of Moses. Terri Schiavo, hopefully, has opened the eyes of many to see just how much this form of religion has gained political power in America since September 11.

When it comes to what is morally right in the eyes of God, the Bible contrasts legalistic religion with compassion. In parables, Jesus illustrated how the Pharisees were all about taking rigid theological positions and enforcing them with laws backed up with severe punishments. To them, righteousness is what is written in stone cold tablets.

Jesus, on the other hand, showed that compassion is true righteousness and love is our only guide. Most people, given the choice, would probably not want their lives perpetuated in the state that Terri Schiavo was in, even if there were a chance that some degree of recovery may come some day. We love our family and friends too much to want to make them spend the rest of their lives caring for us in that condition.

Every person of legal age should have a living will. The greatest gift we can give to those we love is to give them their lives and help them let go of ours when the time comes.