Life, Death and Persistent Vegitative States...

I'm sure everyone has heard about Terri Schiavo and the absolute insanity that has played out in the Florida courts recently. For those of you who don't know, check out the 100,000+ websites and blogs that are buzzing about it. In as much as I am completely and utterly disgusted and sick to my stomach at how the judicial system is allowing a handicaped person to starve to death at the request of a husband who's decided to abandon his marriage vows (sickness and health, right?), I must actually say that I'm definitely not shocked. I mean, hasn't North America been headed this way for years? The courts are using evolutionary terminiology and autonomous moral reasoning to re-define 'human' in order to portray Terri Schiavo as no longer really human. I understand their reasoning, and in their worldview it actually makes sense:

1. If Humanity is based on a condition (like cognitive function), then humanity can be lost.

2. If truth is socially constructed and the mass agrees to change truth (about anything, not just the definition of 'human') or language (thereby attacking the underlying truth), then the mass wins and whatever they say goes.

Funny thing is that I can argue that loads of people I know are not really human...I meet cognitively malfunctional people everyday. Not tremendously malfunctional, but malfunctional none the less. Should any of them be deemed not human? What about the handicapped? I know plenty of handicapped people who would be in danger of not being human either. In the end, any condition that makes one 'human' can be lost or legally overridden. 'Humanity' must be intrinsic in being a human being. Sum Ergo Sum.

As for the relativity and social construction of truth, the critique falls into two questions:

1. Is the statement that truth is relative and socially constructed itself a relative and socially constructed statement or is that statement and absolute? (The statement of 'all truth is relative' is such obvious circular reasoning that it shouldn't surprise anyone)

2. Can you explain how language is relativistic and not correspondent to any ultimate reality without using words to do so? (This idea again is absurdly circular reasoning...somehow people think you can communicate propositions without using propositional statements that are meaningful. Didn't G.K. Chesterton mention something about how we 'educate ourselves into idiocy'?)

Truth is not that which corresponds to reality, nor is it that which corresponds to the whims of the masses. Truth is that which correponds to God and his self revelation, specifically in the scriptures (through nature too, though nature is neither propositional nor articulate).

Is Terri Shiavo alive biblically? Well, she's breathing and thereby meets the requirements of being nephesh. Also, seeing that God is utterly and meticulously sovereign, she wouldn't be here if he didn't want her here. Does Terri appear alive? Check out the videos at this page:

http://www.blogsforterri.com/video.php

Also, check out Al Mohler's Blog. That dude is so much smarter than me...from now on, don't read my blog. Just read Al Mohler's blog at:

http://www.crosswalk.com/news/weblogs/mohler/

Still, we should pray for our nation(s), that God would grant us grace to return to our sense and return to himself. Also, we should support encourage expository preaching and teaching, forgetting the whims of the masses for entertainment and disctraction. We've gotta teach our children to think biblically, not just selfishly. Also, everyone should support the up and coming pastors and teachers by giving them money for seminary...especially those with blogs that you're currently reading. HA! Okay. I'm on my day off today and I've gotta go get some things done....well, eat New York Fries. Until next time,

The Armchair Theologian