Obligatory Schiavo post

[demiurgent]

Let us postulate that a lack of higher brain function does not mean death, in the sense of one's immortal soul, even if it means the end of cognition. Certainly, no one can claim Terry Schiavo is currently thinking or dreaming -- there is no brainwave activity typical of any sort of awareness, whether conscious, subconscious or unconscious.

So. We have a situation where there is life, trapped in a form without thought, without hope of thought. An eternity of meaningless existence.

Let us postulate that immortal soul, unable to move on because it is chained to a broken body incapable of perceiving its world, interacting with its world, or even thinking.

Let us postulate that soul, alone in the dark.

There is no question, to my mind, that Schiavo should be allowed to pass on. If it turns out there is something to souls and the afterlife, it becomes all the more important to let her move on.

It is cruel to cling because one cannot bear to let go.

Comments

[magentamom.livejournal.com]

That's struck me, as well. If people honestly think that somewhere in there the woman is alive, how could they bear to leave her that way? As a Christian, I personally can't believe God is that cruel and believe her soul has long since slipped into His care.

I have the same issue with stem-cell research. Gah, if all those little embryos people create for IVF have little souls trapped in them how could anyone argue that we should freeze them for all eternity? What is the *matter* with people that they fetishize "life" that equals separation from God, humankind and all understanding?

While I can feel some sympathy for her parents they have long since left any sense of the reality of the situation behind them. I find it strange, really, with Easter approaching to think they're desparately clinging to the preservation of the illusion of their daughter's life when they supposedly believe she can have the real thing. It's very sad.

[dvandom.livejournal.com]

Yep. Among the various "things God should be if He exists" musings I've had, leaving souls trapped in husks is not one of them. At worst, Terry's soul would be in some sort of waiting room or getting to work on serving her purgatory term (yes, I know purgatory got cancelled, but it strikes me as useful).

And yes, I know it's a really tacky pun to refer to her as being in purgatory, given that it was bulimia that caused her brain damage. So be it, I'm tacky.