Dr. Death Has Died

Kevorkian has died naturally....no assisted suicide in his case. Kevorkian relished the renegade role of Dr. Death and it is quite easy to demonize him as an an end of life assassin.

I think that too often Christians can paint individuals in the darkest light imaginable in a way that distorts their humanity and makes them monsters. Monsters are easy to hate and doing so resolves the tension of dealing with such grave issues of life and death in an in-depth and thoughtful manner.

Although I disagree with any notion of suicide being acceptable (more than once growing up, I wanted to end it all and the only thing that kept me from doing it was the conviction of suicide's inherent wrongness). Yet, we really need to be much more realistic about trying to prolong life when it is clear that we should step out of the way and let nature take its course. Extraordinary efforts to prolong life in the face of indisputable degeneration is cruel in a different manner. Both premature ending and extensive prolonging of life are wrong-headed and wrong-hearted.

People should spell out clearly and in writing what they want done in life and death decision-making for them in the case, which happens far too often, they are unable to articulate it when the time comes. If a family wants to spend the inheritance on an extending of a life, it is their decision. It is wrong for society to have to pay the cost. Estimates show that about 27% of Medicare's annual $327 billion budget goes to care for patients in their final year of life. I know that I would rather die than lay in bed unconscious and brain-dead for months with a medically irreversible and terminal condition that a panel of doctors conclude is sure to prevail (and my appointed guardian concurs with).

As long as my brain is functioning, I plan to stick around. If I am flat-lining take me out by unplugging the machines. If I have cancer or some other body-wasting disease, load me up on morphine and other pain killers....and I will make the decision when enough is enough. I will ask for care to be withheld. An active decision to be passive in light of the current prognosis. That is quite different than an active taking of my own life. It is my decision and mine alone.

Behind our debate of end-of-life issues is our culture's profound and pervasive fear of death. Christians first and foremost should stare down death, face it squarely, and die resolutely with a hope that does not die when our bodies do. I AM the Resurrection and the Life.