Who Is the Neighbor? Go and Do Likewise

"The Church of England has broken with tradition dogma by calling for doctors to be allowed to let sick newborn babies die."  So begins this piece in the Daily Mail.  What a very troubling, and stupid, position for any church to take.  It is now left to a secular group, advocating for disabled children, to explain to England the morality of not killing infants.  Why they would not have the backing of the Church of England in their effort is beyond me.  Unbelievable.

As the group's spokeswoman asked: 

"How can the Church of England say that Christian compassion includes killing of disabled babies either through the withdrawing or withholding of treatment or by active euthanasia?"

How can the C of E say that?  It certainly does not come from an (apparently) little-known parable "The Good Samaritan" in Luke 10.  There we see a man stopping his journey to care for the "half dead", lending his donkey, bandaging, pouring out his wine and oil, getting care at the inn, paying the medical expenses, and more.   The Good Samaritan, one is led to believe, is "loving his neighbor"--unlike the religious leaders who walked on by.  The Samaritan was not concerned about how injured the man was, nor the money it would cost to help him--of which, Luke gives us explicit detail.  As with 2,000 years ago, it seems religious leaders are willing to walk on by once again.

Sadly, the C of E is looking at the cost of treatments and the severity of the condition.  The Church of England position is exactly opposite what the Samaritan looked at:  "The bishop's submission continued: 'There may be occasions where, for a Christian, compassion will override the 'rule' that life should inevitably be preserved.'"  That would've been a terrible answer to Jesus' question:  who is the neighbor?  "Ah, Rabbi, it is the one who considered the cost of treating the beaten man, and his probability of recovery, and knowing the high cost, 'compassionately' kept on walking and let nature run it's course overriding the presumption that life should be preserved..."  "Go and do likewise."

This stuff really should not be that hard to figure out, especially for a church.  Even the expert in the Law questioning Jesus knew that caring for the injured is merciful:  "'Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?'  The expert in the law replied, 'The one who had mercy on him.'  Jesus told him, 'Go and do likewise.'" 

Sometimes, it seems, we can just over think issues.  We have now taken the simple, caring for those in need, and so analyzed all the costs and difficulties that church leaders would ignore one of the most famous passages in all of Scripture.  As the advocate's spokeswoman noted:  "It appears that the whole debate on whether disabled babies are worth keeping alive is being dominated by professionals and religious people without any consultation with disabled people."  Why do these people think death is better than life?  That is a troubling position for a church leader to espouse.  Especially when it is even remotely tied to the economics of the decision.  What else would be better to spend money on than the preserving of life?  And what if the very disabled people you'd be allowing to die DISAGREE with your arrogant position that their death is better than their disabled life?

I wish they'd all spend some time reviewing Lucy's thoughts on blessings in disguise:  "we have had our eyes opened to the beauty, the joy, and the love that people -- all people, regardless of their health or lack thereof -- can bring to this world."  Everything is not always as it seems, and those in the Church should know this better than most.

Let us go and do likewise,

Thomas More

allthesemore@yahoo.com

Comments

[lucy pevensie]

Unbelievable. I'm in shock reading your piece, Thomas. All I can do is shake my head in disbelief and disgust.

Joni Eareckson Tada, perhaps the world's most famous paraplegic, wrote a stirring memoir, The God I Love,which I highly recommend. In it, she recounts a conversation she had with a young friend named Steve soon after her diving accident in her teens which left her paralyzed. Steve said, "Think of what your wheelchair is doing. It's like, well -- a jackhammer, breaking apart all your rocks of resistance. It's sandblasting you to the core, obliterating all the pride and independence. It's like a sheepdog snapping at your heels and driving you to the cross. Joni, this wheelchair is getting you ready for heaven."
If you know of Joni, you know that she went on to found the largest ministry to the disabled community in the world. Her life has been a winsome and profound testimony to the joy that Christ brings, regardless of circumstances. Rather, in the most bleak of circumstances, HE SHOWS UP.
Joni is the spectacular human being that she is precisely BECAUSE her body stopped being "perfect." When it did, she didn't give up. Shame on the church for giving up on people like her.

Pretty darned peeved,
Lucy

[Thomas More]

Lucy,

I concur, and thanks for the tip to Joni's book. I'll post it on our book list.

It always saddens me when the Church buys into the world's view that only sees things through a lense of materialism and effeciency.

Blessed are the poor in spirit.

TM

P.S. I trust your disbelief and disgust is directed at the C of E and not my post!

[lucy pevensie]

Yes, TM. Hate the blog topic, not the blogger.

Your application of the Good Samaritan story was very fascinating and helpful. As always, you keep us informed and enlightened!

[Thomas More]

Thanks L! (I'm rarely both fascinating and helpful--usually an either/or deal!)

TM

[Philomena]

The church of England lost it's distinctiveness a long time ago. It's now trying to make Christianity more attractive by latching on to selected worldly values it thinks will increase its popularity-like politicians moving towards the center purely to get the most votes. So, Lucy and Thomas, I am as disgusted as you at their response to childhood disability, but sadly not as surprised.

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