Let them die?

[pira114]

Here’s a question:

If we should not do anything to instigate a person’s death, why should we then prevent it?

I’m talking about if a person dies and is recussitated by means of CPR or one of those shock paddle things. If they died, who are we to say “not yet?”

Are we trying to decide if God was correct in taking this person’s life? Why bring people back from the dead?

I know it may sound harsh to some, especially those who almost lost someone who was saved by medical advances. I don’t know if I believe this or not. I’m trying to sort it out. If we say it’s not our place to help someone along in their death process, then why help them out of it?

 

[Fred_1]

Just because the heart stops beating, does not neccesarily mean that person is truly dead. The brain cells will continue working as long as there is oxygen being fed to them, and it takes a certain amount of time before all the blood is drained of oxygen and then the person begins to die. But there is a certain amount of time before the person is actualy dead. And so resuscitation (not the same as resurrection) the not really bring a person back from the dead, but rather bringing them back from the brink of death.

And resuscitation does not work every time either! If it is God’s will that the person passes away, I beleive that the person will pass away. If God wishes for the person to be saved, then the person can be saved!

 

[pira114]

Whatever your definition of death is, it still stands that if no one interviened, death would be the result. It’s still a person changing what would have happened naturally.

And if God sent someone to “save” the person, why is it inconceivable that he wouldn’t send someone to end someone’s suffering?

Again, these are not necessarily my beliefs, just questions I have.

 

[coyote]

This question opens up the whole can of worms about medical intervention. In the same vein, should we use antibiotics for infection, antidepressants for the suicidal, surgery for gunshot?

Where is the demarkation between intervention and interference?

Are Christian Scientists correct, should we pray rather than seek the skills of a physician? Is infirmity and death from disease and injury God’s will?

 

[pira114]

I’m not sure I would put medical treatment in the same catagory as interviening with God’s will. For some reason, I see absolutely nothing wrong with treating a disease or even making someone comfortable with drugs as they progress through a disease, but I can see an arguement for not interviening when they actually die (or start to). This would be kind of the same thing as the “Do Not Resuscitate” (DNR) orders. People who get those are saying that if they die, they don’t want anyone to try and bring them back. They want to die naturally, or at least don’t want to keep going through the pain of whatever is killing them.

It’s a stretch, maybe, but is bringing them back unnatural? Is it too much interviening? And if not, do people with DNR orders have a right to say “I don’t want to live anymore?”

 

[geezerbob]

If you’ll take the time to dig through the old Terry Schiavo threads, I think you’ll find the Church’s position stated there several times.

 

[Eileen_T]

A resident in the Rest Home where I work makes a point of telling new staff that if they find him unconscious he does not want to be resuscitated and has signed an order to that effect.

Recently he had a little scare where he thought he was having a heart attack (he wasn’t). Ironically, he wanted to live.

He is a man who has no time for Christianity. How many people who have near-death experiences have experienced a conversion and turned to God when resuscitated.

I think Fired has it right " If God wishes for the person to be saved, then the person can be saved!"

 

[kaymart]

As the wife of a man who was “brought back” many times that I can count in 1998, I would most definately say we must use the technology that we have to preserve life. I was told following his Open heart surgery (to put in a mechanical value and a triple bypass), that he coded many times during the surgery and did not expect him to live. His body “blew up” (only term I can think of to describe it) they drug-induced a coma and left his chest opened (unable to close it) I was told he would die within the hour and they let me stay with him, make a long story short, Right now he’s sitting in the chair right here in the livingroom watching TV after a hard day at work.He was able to walk his daughter down the aisle 10 months later and watching so far 3 grandchildren come into the world. Until there is absolutely no life, brain activity you are alive. My husband is LIVING proof! I like to add Deborah Heart and Lung in Browns Mills NJ are the greatest. Thank you!