| Topic: |
Religions > Bible |
| User: |
"Rev. Donald Spitz" |
| Date: |
29 Mar 2005 11:21:11 PM |
| Object: |
Terri Schiavo should matter to us |
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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charset="iso-8859-1"
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Terri Schiavo 'should matter to us,'
By Pastor William E. Rice
Her name is Sharon. You don't know her, but God does. She matters to =
God, she matters to me, and how she is treated should matter to you. She =
will never engage in stimulating conversation or ponder political =
debates. She will never read a book or write a paragraph. She will never =
marry or raise children or even earn her own keep. But she matters.=20
Sharon is my handicapped sister, she is mentally impaired, severely so, =
and has been from birth. My brother and I watched our parents care for =
her and somehow we learned an intuitive almost unspoken lesson. Her life =
is valuable, as valuable as that of her two brothers, both active in =
ministry. Whatever difference exists between her IQ and mine, imagine =
the gap between mine and God's! Yet he loved me and valued me so much =
that He would send the jewel of heaven to buy me back. He made me and =
redeemed me and that is the heart of our conviction about human =
life-everyone matters to God. Which brings us to Terri Schiavo.=20
The facts of the case are well known and few have done as admirable a =
job of reporting them as has the Florida Baptist Witness. It is a matter =
of record that the judge in the case, Judge Greer, is an inactive member =
of Calvary Baptist Church, where I have pastored for 5 months. Though I =
have been Calvary's pastor for only a short time I have loved this =
church for nearly 30 years, since I spent my teenage years growing in =
this community of faith. Some have wondered about the commitment of our =
church to the Sanctity of Human Life. There is no need to wonder. Our =
convictions have been clear and consistent. In this cultural =
battleground our church arrived early, has fought hard and stayed =
faithful. For over 30 years Calvary has sounded a clear trumpet about =
the sanctity of human life. Our beloved former pastor Dr. Bill Anderson =
was an early champion in the cause and his frequent prophetic appeals to =
oppose abortion and stand for life will never be forgotten by those of =
us fortunate enough to have grown under his pastoral care. Our church =
was instrumental in the founding of the Bay Area Crisis Pregnancy Center =
that for over 20 years has served to help women in difficult =
circumstances choose life.=20
Like many of you we have tried to articulate and uphold an ethic of life =
consistent with a Christian worldview. We have tried to speak the truth =
in love to a culture bent of selfishness and hedonistic pursuits. Like =
our Florida Baptist family, and our larger Southern Baptist family, we =
have taken our stand for life. That stand articulated in many ways, one =
of which is our enthusiastic support of this publication, has become one =
of the reasons that Judge Greer has disassociated himself from Calvary =
and has publicly criticized us in the St. Petersburg Times.=20
Like evangelicals across the world we are horrified at the thought that =
a handicapped woman could be in effect starved to death before a =
watching world. Like many pastors I am not an expert in the law. I =
cannot debate the variances of custody rights, or even debate the =
medical analysis of a Persistent Vegetative State versus a Minimally =
Conscious State. But I know right from wrong. I know what God thinks =
about human life. I know there is only one way to describe the prospect =
of starving a woman to death because she cannot feed herself. It is =
wrong.=20
Clearly this is a tortuous case. But it is precisely such moments when =
morality and truth must serve as our guide. Terri Schaivo is not on life =
support. She is not dying. Good evidence exists to suggest that she is =
responsive. All she receives is food and water, the same as you and me. =
Are we to conclude that she is less than human because she cannot feed =
herself? Can a month old child feed himself? Is an elderly patient =
stricken with some debilitating disease and not unable to feed themself =
suddenly less human? Do we now use an IQ test to determine if someone =
possesses the right to live? Isn't that God's choice? Only God can give =
life, and only He should take it away.=20
Tread carefully if you think this is simply about a dying woman being =
allowed to die peacefully. Remember when were told that Roe versus Wade =
was simply about helping women who had been raped or whose lives were =
imminently threatened? Today few abortions fall into that category, but =
millions of human lives have been sacrificed upon the altars of =
selfishness. And the slide down the slippery slope continues.=20
This case seems complex but it is as simple as four words: Thou shalt =
not kill. If you need a compass for this complex case, you'll find it =
there. If I were the nurse in that hospice center and the directive were =
given to me to discontinue feeding a living human being and watch as =
they starved to death, I couldn't do it. I'd rather get fired, resign, =
or do something else. This isn't about letting someone die; this is =
about causing someone's death. There is a huge difference.=20
Her name is Terri. She can open her eyes. She watches a balloon as it =
crosses the room. She listens to music. She responds to her mother's =
loving attention. She has something very precious, she has life, =
something only God can give. Her name is Terri and she matters to God. =
She should matter to us.=20
--=20
=20
SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner and am headed to eternal hell =
because of my sins. I believe you died on the cross to take away my sins =
and to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask you now to come into my heart and =
take away my sins and give me eternal life. http://www.ArmyofGod.com
------=_NextPart_000_0037_01C534BE.60847050
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>
<P align=3Dcenter><B><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif" color=3D#000080 =
size=3D5>Terri Schiavo=20
=91should matter to us,=92</FONT></B></P>
<P align=3Dcenter></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>By Pastor William E. Rice</FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>Her name is Sharon. You don=92t know her, =
but God does.=20
She matters to God, she matters to me, and how she is treated should =
matter to=20
you. She will never engage in stimulating conversation or ponder =
political=20
debates. She will never read a book or write a paragraph. She will never =
marry=20
or raise children or even earn her own keep. But she matters. =
</FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>Sharon is my handicapped sister, she is =
mentally=20
impaired, severely so, and has been from birth. My brother and I watched =
our=20
parents care for her and somehow we learned an intuitive almost unspoken =
lesson.=20
Her life is valuable, as valuable as that of her two brothers, both =
active in=20
ministry. Whatever difference exists between her IQ and mine, imagine =
the gap=20
between mine and God=92s! Yet he loved me and valued me so much that He =
would send=20
the jewel of heaven to buy me back. He made me and redeemed me and that =
is the=20
heart of our conviction about human life=97everyone matters to God. =
Which brings=20
us to Terri Schiavo. </FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>The facts of the case are well known and few =
have done=20
as admirable a job of reporting them as has the Florida Baptist Witness. =
It is a=20
matter of record that the judge in the case, Judge Greer, is an inactive =
member=20
of Calvary Baptist Church, where I have pastored for 5 months. Though I =
have=20
been Calvary=92s pastor for only a short time I have loved this church =
for nearly=20
30 years, since I spent my teenage years growing in this community of =
faith.=20
Some have wondered about the commitment of our church to the Sanctity of =
Human=20
Life. There is no need to wonder. Our convictions have been clear and=20
consistent. In this cultural battleground our church arrived early, has =
fought=20
hard and stayed faithful. For over 30 years Calvary has sounded a clear =
trumpet=20
about the sanctity of human life. Our beloved former pastor Dr. Bill =
Anderson=20
was an early champion in the cause and his frequent prophetic appeals to =
oppose=20
abortion and stand for life will never be forgotten by those of us =
fortunate=20
enough to have grown under his pastoral care. Our church was =
instrumental in the=20
founding of the Bay Area Crisis Pregnancy Center that for over 20 years =
has=20
served to help women in difficult circumstances choose life. =
</FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>Like many of you we have tried to articulate =
and=20
uphold an ethic of life consistent with a Christian worldview. We have =
tried to=20
speak the truth in love to a culture bent of selfishness and hedonistic=20
pursuits. Like our Florida Baptist family, and our larger Southern =
Baptist=20
family, we have taken our stand for life. That stand articulated in many =
ways,=20
one of which is our enthusiastic support of this publication, has become =
one of=20
the reasons that Judge Greer has disassociated himself from Calvary and =
has=20
publicly criticized us in the St. Petersburg Times. </FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>Like evangelicals across the world we are =
horrified at=20
the thought that a handicapped woman could be in effect starved to death =
before=20
a watching world. Like many pastors I am not an expert in the law. I =
cannot=20
debate the variances of custody rights, or even debate the medical =
analysis of a=20
Persistent Vegetative State versus a Minimally Conscious State. But I =
know right=20
from wrong. I know what God thinks about human life. I know there is =
only one=20
way to describe the prospect of starving a woman to death because she =
cannot=20
feed herself. It is wrong. </FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>Clearly this is a tortuous case. But it is =
precisely=20
such moments when morality and truth must serve as our guide. Terri =
Schaivo is=20
not on life support. She is not dying. Good evidence exists to suggest =
that she=20
is responsive. All she receives is food and water, the same as you and =
me. Are=20
we to conclude that she is less than human because she cannot feed =
herself? Can=20
a month old child feed himself? Is an elderly patient stricken with some =
debilitating disease and not unable to feed themself suddenly less =
human? Do we=20
now use an IQ test to determine if someone possesses the right to live? =
Isn=92t=20
that God=92s choice? Only God can give life, and only He should take it =
away.=20
</FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>Tread carefully if you think this is simply =
about a=20
dying woman being allowed to die peacefully. Remember when were told =
that Roe=20
versus Wade was simply about helping women who had been raped or whose =
lives=20
were imminently threatened? Today few abortions fall into that category, =
but=20
millions of human lives have been sacrificed upon the altars of =
selfishness. And=20
the slide down the slippery slope continues. </FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>This case seems complex but it is as simple =
as four=20
words: Thou shalt not kill. If you need a compass for this complex case, =
you=92ll=20
find it there. If I were the nurse in that hospice center and the =
directive were=20
given to me to discontinue feeding a living human being and watch as =
they=20
starved to death, I couldn=92t do it. I=92d rather get fired, resign, or =
do=20
something else. This isn=92t about letting someone die; this is about =
causing=20
someone=92s death. There is a huge difference. </FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>Her name is Terri. She can open her eyes. =
She watches=20
a balloon as it crosses the room. She listens to music. She responds to =
her=20
mother=92s loving attention. She has something very precious, she has =
life,=20
something only God can give. Her name is Terri and she matters to God. =
She=20
should matter to us. </FONT></I></P></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><BR>-- <BR> <BR>SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear =
Jesus, I am a=20
sinner and am headed to eternal hell because of my sins. I believe you =
died on=20
the cross to take away my sins and to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask =
you now to=20
come into my heart and take away my sins and give me eternal life. <A=20
href=3D"http://www.ArmyofGod.com">http://www.ArmyofGod.com</A>=20
</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
------=_NextPart_000_0037_01C534BE.60847050--
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| User: "Mitchell Holman" |
|
| Title: Re: Terri Schiavo should matter to us |
30 Mar 2005 06:26:23 AM |
|
|
"Rev. Donald Spitz" <Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com> wrote in
news:aHq2e.89781$755.19210@lakeread05:
Terri Schiavo 'should matter to us,'
By Pastor William E. Rice
This case seems complex but it is as simple as four words:
Thou shalt not kill. If you need a compass for this complex
case, you'll find it there. If I were the nurse in that
hospice center and the directive were given to me to discontinue
feeding a living human being and watch as they starved to death,
I couldn't do it. I'd rather get fired, resign, or do something
else. This isn't about letting someone die; this is
about causing someone's death. There is a huge difference.
So what you are saying is that even if someone
signs a physicians directive saying they DON'T want
to be kept alive you would disobey it. Where does your
religion say that life should be forced on people who
clearly don't want it?
.
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| User: "Attila" |
|
| Title: Re: Terri Schiavo should matter to us |
30 Mar 2005 07:05:05 AM |
|
|
On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 06:26:23 -0600, Mitchell Holman
<ta2eneNo*Email@comcast.com> in alt.abortion with message-id
<Xns962941AECD78ta2eene2@216.196.97.131> wrote:
"Rev. Donald Spitz" <Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com> wrote in
news:aHq2e.89781$755.19210@lakeread05:
Terri Schiavo 'should matter to us,'
By Pastor William E. Rice
This case seems complex but it is as simple as four words:
Thou shalt not kill. If you need a compass for this complex
case, you'll find it there. If I were the nurse in that
hospice center and the directive were given to me to discontinue
feeding a living human being and watch as they starved to death,
I couldn't do it. I'd rather get fired, resign, or do something
else. This isn't about letting someone die; this is
about causing someone's death. There is a huge difference.
So what you are saying is that even if someone
signs a physicians directive saying they DON'T want
to be kept alive you would disobey it. Where does your
religion say that life should be forced on people who
clearly don't want it?
That is one of the advantages of his religion - it can support
anything with the proper 'interpretation' and out of context
quotations.
Ain 't god wonderful? Or perhaps I should say 'useful'.
As far as the Spitzer is concerned:
http://www.usd.edu/dmhi/gr/Army_God.html
.
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| User: "Mitchell Holman" |
|
| Title: Re: Terri Schiavo should matter to us |
30 Mar 2005 07:30:37 AM |
|
|
Attila <prochoice@here.now> wrote in
news:1g8l41h0r3u2lo8pokbjdcddr01vu4op51@4ax.com:
On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 06:26:23 -0600, Mitchell Holman
<ta2eneNo*Email@comcast.com> in alt.abortion with message-id
<Xns962941AECD78ta2eene2@216.196.97.131> wrote:
"Rev. Donald Spitz" <Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com> wrote in
news:aHq2e.89781$755.19210@lakeread05:
Terri Schiavo 'should matter to us,'
By Pastor William E. Rice
This case seems complex but it is as simple as four words:
Thou shalt not kill. If you need a compass for this complex
case, you'll find it there. If I were the nurse in that
hospice center and the directive were given to me to discontinue
feeding a living human being and watch as they starved to death,
I couldn't do it. I'd rather get fired, resign, or do something
else. This isn't about letting someone die; this is
about causing someone's death. There is a huge difference.
So what you are saying is that even if someone
signs a physicians directive saying they DON'T want
to be kept alive you would disobey it. Where does your
religion say that life should be forced on people who
clearly don't want it?
That is one of the advantages of his religion - it can support
anything with the proper 'interpretation' and out of context
quotations.
As long as he is demanding that we enforce
the Ten Commandments, should he insist that we
enforce them all?
Mitchell Holman
"For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day
shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD .
Whoever does any work on it must be put to death."
Exodus 35:2.
.
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| User: "Attila" |
|
| Title: Re: Terri Schiavo should matter to us |
30 Mar 2005 08:28:38 AM |
|
|
On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 07:30:37 -0600, Mitchell Holman
<ta2eneNo*Email@comcast.com> in alt.abortion with message-id
<Xns96294C92935A3ta2eene2@216.196.97.131> wrote:
Attila <prochoice@here.now> wrote in
news:1g8l41h0r3u2lo8pokbjdcddr01vu4op51@4ax.com:
On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 06:26:23 -0600, Mitchell Holman
<ta2eneNo*Email@comcast.com> in alt.abortion with message-id
<Xns962941AECD78ta2eene2@216.196.97.131> wrote:
"Rev. Donald Spitz" <Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com> wrote in
news:aHq2e.89781$755.19210@lakeread05:
Terri Schiavo 'should matter to us,'
By Pastor William E. Rice
This case seems complex but it is as simple as four words:
Thou shalt not kill. If you need a compass for this complex
case, you'll find it there. If I were the nurse in that
hospice center and the directive were given to me to discontinue
feeding a living human being and watch as they starved to death,
I couldn't do it. I'd rather get fired, resign, or do something
else. This isn't about letting someone die; this is
about causing someone's death. There is a huge difference.
So what you are saying is that even if someone
signs a physicians directive saying they DON'T want
to be kept alive you would disobey it. Where does your
religion say that life should be forced on people who
clearly don't want it?
That is one of the advantages of his religion - it can support
anything with the proper 'interpretation' and out of context
quotations.
As long as he is demanding that we enforce
the Ten Commandments, should he insist that we
enforce them all?
Irrelevant. He has no basis for demanding enforcement of even one of
them. They are not law.
.
|
|
|
| User: "Rightard Whitey" |
|
| Title: Re: Terri Schiavo should matter to us |
30 Mar 2005 09:03:08 AM |
|
|
Attila wrote:
On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 07:30:37 -0600, Mitchell Holman
<ta2eneNo*Email@comcast.com> in alt.abortion with message-id
<Xns96294C92935A3ta2eene2@216.196.97.131> wrote:
Attila <prochoice@here.now> wrote in
news:1g8l41h0r3u2lo8pokbjdcddr01vu4op51@4ax.com:
On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 06:26:23 -0600, Mitchell Holman
<ta2eneNo*Email@comcast.com> in alt.abortion with message-id
<Xns962941AECD78ta2eene2@216.196.97.131> wrote:
"Rev. Donald Spitz" <Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com> wrote in
news:aHq2e.89781$755.19210@lakeread05:
Terri Schiavo 'should matter to us,'
By Pastor William E. Rice
This case seems complex but it is as simple as four words:
Thou shalt not kill. If you need a compass for this complex
case, you'll find it there. If I were the nurse in that
hospice center and the directive were given to me to discontinue
feeding a living human being and watch as they starved to death,
I couldn't do it. I'd rather get fired, resign, or do something
else. This isn't about letting someone die; this is
about causing someone's death. There is a huge difference.
So what you are saying is that even if someone
signs a physicians directive saying they DON'T want
to be kept alive you would disobey it. Where does your
religion say that life should be forced on people who
clearly don't want it?
That is one of the advantages of his religion - it can support
anything with the proper 'interpretation' and out of context
quotations.
As long as he is demanding that we enforce
the Ten Commandments, should he insist that we
enforce them all?
Irrelevant. He has no basis for demanding enforcement of even one of
them. They are not law.
The irony of this case is the Republicans would have heart failure if
the Medicaid budget was increased so that every person in a persistent
vegetative state was kept alive until they naturally expired. Orthodox
Jews and Islamic people believe medical procedures such as feeding tubes
are interfering with the natural process of death.
I could sum up this case in nine words. The Schindlers fought the law
and the law won. The Ten Commandments have no bearing on this case at
all because US laws are derived from the US Constitution and English
Common Law.
.
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| User: "gaffo" |
|
| Title: Re: Terri Schiavo should matter to us |
31 Mar 2005 10:04:44 PM |
|
|
Rightard Whitey wrote:
The Ten Commandments have no bearing on this case at
all because US laws are derived from the US Constitution and English
Common Law.
And Jury Powers - derived originally from Dane Law, via Britain.
.
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| User: "Glenn \Christian Mystic" |
|
| Title: Re: Terri Schiavo should matter to us |
01 Apr 2005 06:34:27 AM |
|
|
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
------=_NextPart_000_053E_01C53684.DA4A90F0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
If only you left abortion out of it, I wouldn't have been able to agree =
with you more.
"Rev. Donald Spitz" <Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com> wrote in message =
news:aHq2e.89781$755.19210@lakeread05...
Terri Schiavo 'should matter to us,'
By Pastor William E. Rice
Her name is Sharon. You don't know her, but God does. She matters to =
God, she matters to me, and how she is treated should matter to you. She =
will never engage in stimulating conversation or ponder political =
debates. She will never read a book or write a paragraph. She will never =
marry or raise children or even earn her own keep. But she matters.=20
Sharon is my handicapped sister, she is mentally impaired, severely =
so, and has been from birth. My brother and I watched our parents care =
for her and somehow we learned an intuitive almost unspoken lesson. Her =
life is valuable, as valuable as that of her two brothers, both active =
in ministry. Whatever difference exists between her IQ and mine, imagine =
the gap between mine and God's! Yet he loved me and valued me so much =
that He would send the jewel of heaven to buy me back. He made me and =
redeemed me and that is the heart of our conviction about human =
life-everyone matters to God. Which brings us to Terri Schiavo.=20
The facts of the case are well known and few have done as admirable a =
job of reporting them as has the Florida Baptist Witness. It is a matter =
of record that the judge in the case, Judge Greer, is an inactive member =
of Calvary Baptist Church, where I have pastored for 5 months. Though I =
have been Calvary's pastor for only a short time I have loved this =
church for nearly 30 years, since I spent my teenage years growing in =
this community of faith. Some have wondered about the commitment of our =
church to the Sanctity of Human Life. There is no need to wonder. Our =
convictions have been clear and consistent. In this cultural =
battleground our church arrived early, has fought hard and stayed =
faithful. For over 30 years Calvary has sounded a clear trumpet about =
the sanctity of human life. Our beloved former pastor Dr. Bill Anderson =
was an early champion in the cause and his frequent prophetic appeals to =
oppose abortion and stand for life will never be forgotten by those of =
us fortunate enough to have grown under his pastoral care. Our church =
was instrumental in the founding of the Bay Area Crisis Pregnancy Center =
that for over 20 years has served to help women in difficult =
circumstances choose life.=20
Like many of you we have tried to articulate and uphold an ethic of =
life consistent with a Christian worldview. We have tried to speak the =
truth in love to a culture bent of selfishness and hedonistic pursuits. =
Like our Florida Baptist family, and our larger Southern Baptist family, =
we have taken our stand for life. That stand articulated in many ways, =
one of which is our enthusiastic support of this publication, has become =
one of the reasons that Judge Greer has disassociated himself from =
Calvary and has publicly criticized us in the St. Petersburg Times.=20
Like evangelicals across the world we are horrified at the thought =
that a handicapped woman could be in effect starved to death before a =
watching world. Like many pastors I am not an expert in the law. I =
cannot debate the variances of custody rights, or even debate the =
medical analysis of a Persistent Vegetative State versus a Minimally =
Conscious State. But I know right from wrong. I know what God thinks =
about human life. I know there is only one way to describe the prospect =
of starving a woman to death because she cannot feed herself. It is =
wrong.=20
Clearly this is a tortuous case. But it is precisely such moments when =
morality and truth must serve as our guide. Terri Schaivo is not on life =
support. She is not dying. Good evidence exists to suggest that she is =
responsive. All she receives is food and water, the same as you and me. =
Are we to conclude that she is less than human because she cannot feed =
herself? Can a month old child feed himself? Is an elderly patient =
stricken with some debilitating disease and not unable to feed themself =
suddenly less human? Do we now use an IQ test to determine if someone =
possesses the right to live? Isn't that God's choice? Only God can give =
life, and only He should take it away.=20
Tread carefully if you think this is simply about a dying woman being =
allowed to die peacefully. Remember when were told that Roe versus Wade =
was simply about helping women who had been raped or whose lives were =
imminently threatened? Today few abortions fall into that category, but =
millions of human lives have been sacrificed upon the altars of =
selfishness. And the slide down the slippery slope continues.=20
This case seems complex but it is as simple as four words: Thou shalt =
not kill. If you need a compass for this complex case, you'll find it =
there. If I were the nurse in that hospice center and the directive were =
given to me to discontinue feeding a living human being and watch as =
they starved to death, I couldn't do it. I'd rather get fired, resign, =
or do something else. This isn't about letting someone die; this is =
about causing someone's death. There is a huge difference.=20
Her name is Terri. She can open her eyes. She watches a balloon as it =
crosses the room. She listens to music. She responds to her mother's =
loving attention. She has something very precious, she has life, =
something only God can give. Her name is Terri and she matters to God. =
She should matter to us.=20
--=20
=20
SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner and am headed to eternal =
hell because of my sins. I believe you died on the cross to take away my =
sins and to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask you now to come into my =
heart and take away my sins and give me eternal life. =
http://www.ArmyofGod.com
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<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" color=3D#008000 size=3D2>If only you =
left abortion=20
out of it, I wouldn't have been able to agree with you =
more.</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #008000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV>"Rev. Donald Spitz" <<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com">Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com</A>&g=
t;=20
wrote in message <A=20
=
href=3D"news:aHq2e.89781$755.19210@lakeread05">news:aHq2e.89781$755.19210=
@lakeread05</A>...</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>
<P align=3Dcenter><B><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif" color=3D#000080 =
size=3D5>Terri=20
Schiavo =91should matter to us,=92</FONT></B></P>
<P align=3Dcenter></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>By Pastor William E. Rice</FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>Her name is Sharon. You don=92t know her, =
but God=20
does. She matters to God, she matters to me, and how she is treated =
should=20
matter to you. She will never engage in stimulating conversation or =
ponder=20
political debates. She will never read a book or write a paragraph. =
She will=20
never marry or raise children or even earn her own keep. But she =
matters.=20
</FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>Sharon is my handicapped sister, she is =
mentally=20
impaired, severely so, and has been from birth. My brother and I =
watched our=20
parents care for her and somehow we learned an intuitive almost =
unspoken=20
lesson. Her life is valuable, as valuable as that of her two brothers, =
both=20
active in ministry. Whatever difference exists between her IQ and =
mine,=20
imagine the gap between mine and God=92s! Yet he loved me and valued =
me so much=20
that He would send the jewel of heaven to buy me back. He made me and =
redeemed=20
me and that is the heart of our conviction about human life=97everyone =
matters=20
to God. Which brings us to Terri Schiavo. </FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>The facts of the case are well known and =
few have=20
done as admirable a job of reporting them as has the Florida Baptist =
Witness.=20
It is a matter of record that the judge in the case, Judge Greer, is =
an=20
inactive member of Calvary Baptist Church, where I have pastored for 5 =
months.=20
Though I have been Calvary=92s pastor for only a short time I have =
loved this=20
church for nearly 30 years, since I spent my teenage years growing in =
this=20
community of faith. Some have wondered about the commitment of our =
church to=20
the Sanctity of Human Life. There is no need to wonder. Our =
convictions have=20
been clear and consistent. In this cultural battleground our church =
arrived=20
early, has fought hard and stayed faithful. For over 30 years Calvary =
has=20
sounded a clear trumpet about the sanctity of human life. Our beloved =
former=20
pastor Dr. Bill Anderson was an early champion in the cause and his =
frequent=20
prophetic appeals to oppose abortion and stand for life will never be=20
forgotten by those of us fortunate enough to have grown under his =
pastoral=20
care. Our church was instrumental in the founding of the Bay Area =
Crisis=20
Pregnancy Center that for over 20 years has served to help women in =
difficult=20
circumstances choose life. </FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>Like many of you we have tried to =
articulate and=20
uphold an ethic of life consistent with a Christian worldview. We have =
tried=20
to speak the truth in love to a culture bent of selfishness and =
hedonistic=20
pursuits. Like our Florida Baptist family, and our larger Southern =
Baptist=20
family, we have taken our stand for life. That stand articulated in =
many ways,=20
one of which is our enthusiastic support of this publication, has =
become one=20
of the reasons that Judge Greer has disassociated himself from Calvary =
and has=20
publicly criticized us in the St. Petersburg Times. </FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>Like evangelicals across the world we are =
horrified=20
at the thought that a handicapped woman could be in effect starved to =
death=20
before a watching world. Like many pastors I am not an expert in the =
law. I=20
cannot debate the variances of custody rights, or even debate the =
medical=20
analysis of a Persistent Vegetative State versus a Minimally Conscious =
State.=20
But I know right from wrong. I know what God thinks about human life. =
I know=20
there is only one way to describe the prospect of starving a woman to =
death=20
because she cannot feed herself. It is wrong. </FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>Clearly this is a tortuous case. But it is =
precisely=20
such moments when morality and truth must serve as our guide. Terri =
Schaivo is=20
not on life support. She is not dying. Good evidence exists to suggest =
that=20
she is responsive. All she receives is food and water, the same as you =
and me.=20
Are we to conclude that she is less than human because she cannot feed =
herself? Can a month old child feed himself? Is an elderly patient =
stricken=20
with some debilitating disease and not unable to feed themself =
suddenly less=20
human? Do we now use an IQ test to determine if someone possesses the =
right to=20
live? Isn=92t that God=92s choice? Only God can give life, and only He =
should take=20
it away. </FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>Tread carefully if you think this is =
simply about a=20
dying woman being allowed to die peacefully. Remember when were told =
that Roe=20
versus Wade was simply about helping women who had been raped or whose =
lives=20
were imminently threatened? Today few abortions fall into that =
category, but=20
millions of human lives have been sacrificed upon the altars of =
selfishness.=20
And the slide down the slippery slope continues. </FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>This case seems complex but it is as =
simple as four=20
words: Thou shalt not kill. If you need a compass for this complex =
case,=20
you=92ll find it there. If I were the nurse in that hospice center and =
the=20
directive were given to me to discontinue feeding a living human being =
and=20
watch as they starved to death, I couldn=92t do it. I=92d rather get =
fired,=20
resign, or do something else. This isn=92t about letting someone die; =
this is=20
about causing someone=92s death. There is a huge difference. =
</FONT></I></P>
<P><I><FONT color=3D#000080>Her name is Terri. She can open her eyes. =
She=20
watches a balloon as it crosses the room. She listens to music. She =
responds=20
to her mother=92s loving attention. She has something very precious, =
she has=20
life, something only God can give. Her name is Terri and she matters =
to God.=20
She should matter to us. </FONT></I></P></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><BR>-- <BR> <BR>SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear =
Jesus, I am a=20
sinner and am headed to eternal hell because of my sins. I believe you =
died on=20
the cross to take away my sins and to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask =
you now=20
to come into my heart and take away my sins and give me eternal life. =
<A=20
href=3D"http://www.ArmyofGod.com">http://www.ArmyofGod.com</A>=20
</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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| User: "basilod" |
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| Title: Re: Terri Schiavo should matter to us |
30 Mar 2005 01:09:54 AM |
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Why do conservatives/believers of all shades so ardently defend Terri's
right to "live" (in this case to live means: forceful continuation of
metabolism - no more, no less)? - There seems to be one feature in common
between Terri and all the defenders of her right to "live": they are all
severely mentally impaired. With Terri this is the result of unfortunate
physical malfunction and of subsequent trauma to the brain, with all of the
conservative/believers it is the result of conscious ideological choice.
Conservatives are just too scared to adjust their mental braces - they are
afraid that once adjusted, those new braces will never fit their narrow
minds. They are too afraid to adjust their rigid multi-centuries-old values
to the ever-faster changing realities of today's dynamic world
Human life cannot be reduced to metabolism alone (even if a "living" object
is able to "watch a balloon"!). Such a state can be acceptable in a
new-born baby as a short transient stage, but if it is the end state,
sustaining it is totally senseless.
Also, think wider, think economically: If we create a precedent of
artificially sustaining indefinitely vegetative states, tomorrow the
Medicaid, Medicare and all the insurances will crash under the weight of the
costs of such a humanitarian but senseless sustaining of mere metabolism in
millions of patients.
_______________________________________________________
"Rev. Donald Spitz" <Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com> wrote in message
news:aHq2e.89781$755.19210@lakeread05...
Terri Schiavo 'should matter to us,'
Her name is Terri. She can open her eyes. She watches a balloon as it
crosses the room. She listens to music. She responds to her mother's loving
attention. She has something very precious, she has life, something only God
can give. Her name is Terri and she matters to God. She should matter to us.
--
SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner and am headed to eternal hell
because of my sins. I believe you died on the cross to take away my sins and
to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask you now to come into my heart and take
away my sins and give me eternal life. http://www.ArmyofGod.com
.
|
|
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| User: "Glenn \Christian Mystic" |
|
| Title: Re: Terri Schiavo should matter to us |
18 Apr 2005 11:12:42 AM |
|
|
Sad, that people can actually now measure life on the bases of $$$$ alone...
I am very sorrowful.
"basilod" <basilod@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:6hs2e.633$44.454@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net...
Why do conservatives/believers of all shades so ardently defend Terri's
right to "live" (in this case to live means: forceful continuation of
metabolism - no more, no less)? - There seems to be one feature in common
between Terri and all the defenders of her right to "live": they are all
severely mentally impaired. With Terri this is the result of unfortunate
physical malfunction and of subsequent trauma to the brain, with all of
the conservative/believers it is the result of conscious ideological
choice. Conservatives are just too scared to adjust their mental braces -
they are afraid that once adjusted, those new braces will never fit their
narrow minds. They are too afraid to adjust their rigid
multi-centuries-old values to the ever-faster changing realities of
today's dynamic world
Human life cannot be reduced to metabolism alone (even if a "living"
object is able to "watch a balloon"!). Such a state can be acceptable in
a new-born baby as a short transient stage, but if it is the end state,
sustaining it is totally senseless.
Also, think wider, think economically: If we create a precedent of
artificially sustaining indefinitely vegetative states, tomorrow the
Medicaid, Medicare and all the insurances will crash under the weight of
the costs of such a humanitarian but senseless sustaining of mere
metabolism in millions of patients.
_______________________________________________________
"Rev. Donald Spitz" <Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com> wrote in message
news:aHq2e.89781$755.19210@lakeread05...
Terri Schiavo 'should matter to us,'
Her name is Terri. She can open her eyes. She watches a balloon as it
crosses the room. She listens to music. She responds to her mother's
loving attention. She has something very precious, she has life, something
only God can give. Her name is Terri and she matters to God. She should
matter to us.
--
SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner and am headed to eternal hell
because of my sins. I believe you died on the cross to take away my sins
and to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask you now to come into my heart and
take away my sins and give me eternal life. http://www.ArmyofGod.com
.
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| User: "Ray Fischer" |
|
| Title: Re: Terri Schiavo should matter to us |
18 Apr 2005 10:19:48 PM |
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|
Glenn \(Christian Mystic\) <christianmystic@ev1.net> wrote:
Sad, that people can actually now measure life on the bases of $$$$ alone...
I am very sorrowful.
Do you think it has ever been otherwise?
--
Ray Fischer
rfischer@sonic.net
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