There has been some intense discussions on this topic before in the media and with church friends…etc
I belong to the school of thought that says that it depends on the state of the person. If they’re brain dead then man is keeping them artificially alive. In that case, we should let them die, or let God miraculously revive them. If they, however, are alive and their brain supports their organs, but they are unable to regain awareness, movement and/or speech (i.e. vegies) then they have the right to live like anyone else, and should be taken care of.
I will stop here to say that I have never been in the situation where I’ve known somebody personally who has had either conditions, and hence I am not in any position to say what you should and should not do. As mentioned by some of the others, when it’s some one you know, emotions are involved and hence it makes the decision quite difficult.
On the point of advance of technology; it’s because God gave us the intelligence that we are able to invent such life support machines. The credit is given to God, but regarding how and what extent we use these machines, that’s purely our own decisions, not God’s. So because God allowed for such things to be invented to help humanity, it doesn’t mean that we should extend their use to unnaturally support people who otherwise have no way of supporting their own organs. Needing a feeding tube is quite different to needing machines to keep your organs going, it’s shouldn’t be. But then again, who am I to make a decision on people’s lives. I guess in such cases where their organs cannot function at all because their brain is dead, they are not alive, and it’s up to God to revive them if that’s His will, which brings me to the next point.
Some say that it’s against faith in God’s ability to “Give up” on people. Well, my answer is: we a not giving up on people, we are simply leaving the decision to God by taking out the human factor. God allowed us to make such machines to benefit people who need temporary life support, so we use it because it’s God’s method of helping us, but if we are unable to help them except by extending the use of those machines indefinably, then we can’t rely on science forever and must let God take over.
There is a story of a monk who used to live in the wilderness for many years, and whenever he got sick, he prayed to God and He healed him. Then he went to the city for a while, and got sick there, and then the people requested of him that he may see a physician and take the medicine, but he refused and instead prayed to God to heal him. God relied to his prayers by saying “I used to heal you in the wilderness, and here I sent you the physicians”.
As for the quarrel that’s going on, I think as Christians we should try and act with more love and prudence. I don’t say this because I’m perfect, but for the benefit of all. It’s not appropriate for us to be finger pointing and making personal attacks.
But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. (2Timothy 2:16)
Comments
There has been some intense discussions on this topic before in the media and with church friends…etc
I belong to the school of thought that says that it depends on the state of the person. If they’re brain dead then man is keeping them artificially alive. In that case, we should let them die, or let God miraculously revive them. If they, however, are alive and their brain supports their organs, but they are unable to regain awareness, movement and/or speech (i.e. vegies) then they have the right to live like anyone else, and should be taken care of.
I will stop here to say that I have never been in the situation where I’ve known somebody personally who has had either conditions, and hence I am not in any position to say what you should and should not do. As mentioned by some of the others, when it’s some one you know, emotions are involved and hence it makes the decision quite difficult.
On the point of advance of technology; it’s because God gave us the intelligence that we are able to invent such life support machines. The credit is given to God, but regarding how and what extent we use these machines, that’s purely our own decisions, not God’s. So because God allowed for such things to be invented to help humanity, it doesn’t mean that we should extend their use to unnaturally support people who otherwise have no way of supporting their own organs. Needing a feeding tube is quite different to needing machines to keep your organs going, it’s shouldn’t be. But then again, who am I to make a decision on people’s lives. I guess in such cases where their organs cannot function at all because their brain is dead, they are not alive, and it’s up to God to revive them if that’s His will, which brings me to the next point.
Some say that it’s against faith in God’s ability to “Give up” on people. Well, my answer is: we a not giving up on people, we are simply leaving the decision to God by taking out the human factor. God allowed us to make such machines to benefit people who need temporary life support, so we use it because it’s God’s method of helping us, but if we are unable to help them except by extending the use of those machines indefinably, then we can’t rely on science forever and must let God take over.
There is a story of a monk who used to live in the wilderness for many years, and whenever he got sick, he prayed to God and He healed him. Then he went to the city for a while, and got sick there, and then the people requested of him that he may see a physician and take the medicine, but he refused and instead prayed to God to heal him. God relied to his prayers by saying “I used to heal you in the wilderness, and here I sent you the physicians”.
As for the quarrel that’s going on, I think as Christians we should try and act with more love and prudence. I don’t say this because I’m perfect, but for the benefit of all. It’s not appropriate for us to be finger pointing and making personal attacks.
But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.
(2Timothy 2:16)
Pray for me.