Go to The Reverend Kooka Speaks About Religious Bulls#!t
- Add a comment
- Go to ACCEPTING DEATH, SOME QUESTIONS FOR BELIEVERS
OK, I have to do this....
Is my grandfather committing suicide? NO
If so, then do you believe he is going to Hell? NO
If he is going to Hell, where is the justice in that? N/A
Could you be happy living with the belief that someone you cared about made such a choice and is now damned to Hell because of it? NO, nor would I burden myself or others with such a stupid thought. Hell and damnation are dangerous concepts for believers to be throwing around as liberally as we all see done so often.
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on
July 25, 2008
at
12:23 PM
| |
reply
Kooka, I don't know the whole extent of your Grandfather's
physical condition. Is he purely just tired of living? Is he in pain hence the morphine? Is he depressed? Or is he just tired of living? Who knows -- I don't, but that said I would not call what he's doing assisted suicide. Rather, he is being kept comfortable, and his wishes are being honored. Does this send him straight to hell? No. Frankly, I believe there are many who have commited suicide who are in Heaven w/ God. I will always maintain that it is God who knows the heart of each person, and who judges the thoughts and intents of each of us.
You had another comment or question for us religious folk you wanted answered, but I'm forgetting what it is. Chalk it up to a fever addled brain at the moment. :o) I should add, however, that I am a huge proponent of Hospice and pain control as one nears death. I don't care for the whole "assisted suicide" option, whereby a physician or layperson starts an IV and helps the person inject a lethal dose of medication. But to keep someone comfortable during the dying process? That's what I would want for myself!
I am very sorry for your pending loss. From what you've written in the past, he has had a great impact on your life.
posted by
JanesOpinion
on
July 21, 2008
at
6:23 PM
| |
reply
It is after all Life that kills us in the end and it sounds like your Grandpa has had quite a life. I would also prefer to go when this here life becomes unbearable. I do believe that whatever his stream of consciousness experiences after the body falls apart, will be determined by his mental and emotional tendencies in life and not by a person who inspects and judges him according to a set of rules written down by someone. The rules of life are self evident in life itself, if we care to seek it. I also believe that those people who believe that he will end up in hell would go through hell themselves when their time comes, if they are still judgemental to that degree at the time. Good luck with your wording at the funeral service. Judging from your blog and the way you go about using words here, I think you'll do just fine.
posted by
AardigeAfrikaner
on
July 21, 2008
at
5:43 AM
| |
reply
just the same I am sorry for yours and or his suffering.
posted by
spinner
on
July 18, 2008
at
12:02 PM
| |
reply
spinner, he does believe in God
He is just not religious. My understanding is that
most of the issues have been with him since childhood and he has often put on a big
show that he was happy to please others. I know he never liked holidays or family gatherings and
avoided such things as much as possible. Basically he shut himself off from a
lot of what most people see as reasons for living. He could have tried harder to make more of life, but didn't.
posted by
kooka_lives
on
July 18, 2008
at
8:59 AM
| |
reply
perhaps if he did believe in a God he would not feel that way at all. In my religion I believe in holding on to life for christ said choose life. I believe also that a person comes to a point in their lives when it is time to just let go. I do not believe my God would kick him or any other out of an eternal promise just because they choose to die when life is not longer worth living, the sin is not in the wanting to just die. The sin is in never wanting to live.
posted by
spinner
on
July 18, 2008
at
8:33 AM
| |
reply
Not suicide, it's called Embracing Death and all do it eventually, if given
time and a choice....
posted by
benzinha
on
July 17, 2008
at
4:03 PM
| |
reply
Copy (or write down) this comment's web address (URL), which is:
Next, go to the email or web page where you want to link to this comment, and paste
(or type) the web address.
