I work, most weeks, with people who have mood disorders and psychosis. A fair number of them, from time to time, want to ehdn their lives. My job is to engender hope. To remind them that this storm will pass. And it is my duty to discourage suicide when possible: the fact that a person … Continue reading The betrayal of the mad.
euthanasia
Hubris.
I disagree with Great Ormond Street. If a family want to try alternative therapy and there is no evidence based treatment, or no cure, they should be allowed to do so. To assume that we, as medicos, have a monopoly on cure is arrogance. It is hubris. We are not God, and we are not … Continue reading Hubris.
May there not be Assisted Dying in New Zealand.
This is from the NZ Medical Journal, and is an example of a research article that is polemical. The question, again, is euthanasia, which now seems to have gained the name of assisted dying, because euthanasia is seen as not sufficiently euphemistic. As shown in Figure 1, 37% of doctors and 67% of nurses responding … Continue reading May there not be Assisted Dying in New Zealand.
Trust not the narrative. [John 7]
There is right time and right season for the work of God. In your life and in this world. It is quite legitimate to pray that it is now, but God moves when the time is correct. That time is not that of this world. This world wants miracles. It wants the specatacle. It wants … Continue reading Trust not the narrative. [John 7]
Dogma (against euthanasia) is very good. [II Cor 10]
Bill English is a Papist, but a highly intelligent bloke. I think he is a bit too liberal when it comes to social issues, but I note he was a good minister of health when my kids were very small and he now is a very good treasurer and deputy PM. His wife, Mary, I … Continue reading Dogma (against euthanasia) is very good. [II Cor 10]
In love with easeful death.
The modern state considers the removal of its existence, and reducing the land to waste: to some fantasy where humanity have left but noble ruins, as a good thing. For they know that they cannot continue as they are. When you have the dynamic -- of continually subsidizing the official victims -- continuing (and I … Continue reading In love with easeful death.
The church is united in Christ, not structure.
Psalm 104 31 May the glory of the LORD endure for ever; may the LORD rejoice in his works — 32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke. 33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God … Continue reading The church is united in Christ, not structure.
Against Euthanasia,
Overnight, the Belgians have passed legislation that will allow, as in Holland, Euthanasia to children. There are the usual assurances. They hope the law will never be used. It is there to allow for an easeful death. But there is no easeful death. Dying hurts: the brain is starved of oxygen. We may pray to … Continue reading Against Euthanasia,
Reframe as ad hominem (or shift the goalposts)
Overnight, Dalrock wrote a post about the biblical teaching that neither husband nor wife should refuse the other sexually, as Paul taught, and how this is reframed by feminists as something shameful, lustful, perverted: calling what is good sinful (and ignoring, in their hyperspirituality, that it can cause sin) Simply by agreeing to this reframe … Continue reading Reframe as ad hominem (or shift the goalposts)
Despair and doubt do not damn.
Yesterday I laid into wimpy preachers, and went back to Calvin for some old, difficult and challenging teaching. Now, before I go to the text, I want to balance it with a statement about grace and our sovereign God. We love the doctrines of grace because they serve as the foundation on which the gospel … Continue reading Despair and doubt do not damn.