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I recently watched the highly acclaimed Clint Eastwood movie, "Million Dollar Baby," about a woman boxer. The end of the movie deals with the issue of euthanasia in a matter that makes ending a life look compassionate. The question of human intervention in death has recently been played out contentiously in the Terri Schiavo case. In addition, there is currently a brain dead pregnant woman named Susan Torres, who is being kept alive for the birth of her daughter some time in August.
The right to die is a major moral issue in our culture today. The biblical response includes the foundation that God gives life and God chooses the day of our death. Psalm 90:2 says "You (God) turn men back to dust." When Job lost his children, wealth, and health, his wife tempted him with the thought, "Curse God and die!" (Job 2:9) He responded with faith saying, "Should we accept good from God and not trouble?" If anyone ever had an excuse for suicide, Job did. He chose suffering over death and was eventually honored for his integrity and faith.
Where the Bible is not black and white on the right to die issue is in the case when life support systems are maintaining life. Biblical students can all agree that to inject someone with poison is morally wrong because we are playing God. We can also agree that it is pointless to keep someone breathing on a ventilator when they have no brain activity or chance of improvement. Families frequently wrestle with what to do when the choices are not as clear. One positive out of the Terry Schiavo mess is that families have talked more about their end of life wishes. Most of us prefer to not linger
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in a state somewhere between life and death.
The tragedy in both the fictional "Million Dollar Baby" story and the Terry Schiavo case is the breakdown of family relationships. Terry's husband battled her parents for years. A healthier response would have been for the husband to divorce Terry and marry the mother of his children, leaving custody to Terry's parents. The legal and political systems were powerless to bring love to a divided family.
In the Million Dollar Baby story, not one of the three main characters were a part of a loving family. Some family like qualities were developed between them, but there were no marriages, sibling relationships, or even love between a parent and child. The family dynamics of the movie is sadly being lived out by too many Americans today.
In addition the movie painted the Roman Catholic church and its teaching on life issues as irrelevant. It is what we have come to expect from a highly acclaimed Hollywood movie.
By contrast the Susan Torres story is being faced by a loving, supportive family. Even their Catholic priest agrees with the decision to remove life support for the brain dead mother after they deliver the baby in her womb.
Death and medical choices can be very difficult. They are even harder to face in the absence of a relationship with God and the support of a loving family. May we all do our best to build healthy family relationships and a life of faith!
-Pastor Rick
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