from
reno, of all places...
Clergy group outraged over unprecedented act of Congress
BY CLERGY UNITED FOR MORAL DIALOGUE
4/8/2005
We remember Terri Schiavo and express our heartfelt sympathies and prayers for her family and friends. We affirm that God is Creator, life is sacred and death a part of life as we transition beyond the grave. We advocate for the rights of the "least" in our society -- especially the poor, the homeless, the sick and people with disabilities. Schiavo's legacy has stirred us to a national examination of our beliefs, morals, choices and access to health care in the most powerful nation in the world.
We also believe that the unprecedented act of Congress on the Schiavo legislation was irresponsible, and we express outrage especially toward those who took advantage of Schiavo for political gain. While a vigorous debate of the complex issues raised is certainly needed, rhetoric that fuels animosity, violence and even death threats is deplorable and in no way helpful.
Within Schiavo's Roman Catholic tradition -- as within many of our religious traditions -- authorities differ as to whether it is morally obligatory to continue artificial feeding for those in a persistent vegetative state. Generally, a person may forgo extraordinary means of preserving life when those means do not offer a reasonable hope of benefit and/or place excessive hardship on the individual, family or community. Many religious ethicists affirm that withdrawal of artificial feeding to terminally ill patients is not killing but rather allowing death.
In Schiavo's case, the courts had determined that she was indeed in a persistent vegetative state and that Michael Schiavo was the legal guardian who could make health care decisions for her. She was afforded the best palliative care through hospice (a word which originally meant "shelter for pilgrims and the sick").
We pledge to support further conversations, debates and dialogue on advance health care planning (such as ethical wills, living wills, and durable power of attorney for health care) in our community. We hope to see the day when discussions about the boundaries and quality of life and the reality of death and dying would occur around kitchen tables, in offices and in classrooms.
But we hope never again to see the life of a person in a persistent vegetative state considered as a political issue. Family members, the patient's family and religious advisers are appropriately involved in the decisions regarding end of life care. These are not decisions that are made by an act of Congress. We owe such clarity to those who exist in circumstances similar to Schiavo's.
Clergy United for Moral Dialogue is a group of religious leaders in Northern Nevada addressing relevant issues on religion and society.
Members include:
The Rev. Jim Jeffery, Trinity Episcopal Church
Pastor Tom Butler, Sparks United Methodist Church
Rabbi Myra Soifer, Temple Sinai
The Rev. Noel Tiano, congregational minister
The Rev. Richard Dalton, Metropolitan Community Church of the Sierras
Pastor Bruce Taylor, Spanish Springs Presbyterian Church
The Rev. William Bartlett, St. Mary's Health Network
The Rev. John Auer, Reno First United Methodist Church
The Rev. Carl Wilfrid, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd
we need a LOT more people like this who are willing to speak up... thanks to this group and to the reno gazette-journal for carrying it on pg. 3...
