THE SCRIPTURES BEHIND THE STORIES # 3
The Value Of Life
Yeow Chin Kiong
On February 25, 1996, 26-years-old Terri Schindler
Schiavo collapsed when her heart stopped beating
momentarily, depriving her brain of oxygen for precious
minutes, thereby leaving her severely brain damaged. In
November of 1992, her husband Michael won a medical
malpractice lawsuit by claiming that Terri had the heart
attack because her doctors had failed to diagnose the
chemical imbalance that brought it about. Michael
himself was awarded US$300,000 for his loss of a
supportive spouse and US$700,000 for Terri’s continued
guardianship and care. In May 1998, Michael petitioned
the court to have her feeding tubes removed, claiming
that such was consistent with her wish that she not be
dependent on life-sustaining intervention should she
ever be incapacitated. Nobody other than Michael was
privy to such a wish, there being in any case no “Living
Will” (or “Advance Medical Directive”). Almost all of
the money given to Michael to keep his wife alive has
been spent by him getting the courts to take her off
artificial feeding, which is certain to kill her by
starvation.
Breathing unaided, Terri is not on any life-supporting
breathing apparatus (such as a ventilator). She only
needs help to get liquids and nourishment to her stomach
via a feeding tube. She has retained some ability of swallowing. Many experts argue that Terri is not in a “persistent vegetative
state”.
From February 2000 to October 2003, the courts of Florida had twice removed
her feeding tubes, before the Florida State legislature passed a law allowing
Governor Jeb Bush to order re-insertion of Terri’s feeding tubes,- which he did
after she was off the tubes for six days. From May 2004 to January 2005 the
Florida Supreme Court struck down that law as unconstitutional. The US
Supreme Court’s decision is pending. In the mean time, Michael has found time
to father two children by his live-in girlfriend while still being legally married to
Terri. Her parents have all the while been going to the courts to plea that she be
kept alive and under their care.
Whatever the US Supreme Court decision, this is a sad commentary on the value
of life as perceived by the very institution established to uphold it. Terri is
defenseless, but nowhere near brain-dead, the diagnosis now used in many
American jurisdictions enabling “pulling the plug” to bring about physical death.
The Bible everywhere upholds the value of life, giving dignity to it. God made
all things, with mankind as the crown of creation (Genesis 1-2; Psalm 8; 19:1-6;
147; 148). The creative 'breath' of God (Psalm 33:6) gave life to mankind
(Genesis 2:7) in a special sense. Human beings alone bear the image of God
(Genesis 1:26-27), which speaks of likeness and relationship (as seen in Seth
being in the likeness and image of Adam, Genesis 5:1-3). By the Incarnation
when God became man, humanity gained extra dignity (John 1:14)
Mankind everywhere depend totally on God for existence (Acts 17:28). Hence, it
is only right that the godly person commit matters of birth and death into God's
hands (Job 1:21) instead of taking it into his own hands.. To destroy another
human being intentionally is forbidden, for thereby we destroy one who bears
God's image - a terrible offence for which the killer's life is forfeit (Genesis 9:6;
Exodus 20:13). Innocent life is sacred. God says, "All who hate Me love
death." (Proverbs 8:36b), implying that those who love Him love life also.
Human life is valuable (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 8:4-5). There is a serious
punishment for anyone who takes an innocent human life (Exodus 20:13; 21:12).
Homicide is "an implicit attempt to murder God." (Genesis 9:5-6). None not in
her shoes can ever imagine what Terri is feeling, being totally dependent on
feeding tubes. This makes making a decision to remove her only source of food,
liquid and nutrient (to bring about her starvation and death) difficult, to say the
least. But we know for sure not to think ahead of God, Who alone appoints
man’s death (Hebrews 9:27). |
