Update III (3/19): Commenting is closed on this post. For more discussion, visit Evangelical Outpost.
You may also comment at VodkaPundit.
Update II (9:35 p.m.): Don’t forget to check Blogs for Terri and Terri’s Fight for the latest information.
Update (3:33 p.m.): FOX News is reporting that the tube has been removed.
Please pray for a swift and painless death for Terri and that she received Christ as her Savior before falling into this tragic condition. If her husband played a part in it, God will contend with him. But even his sins are forgivable. If God had mercy on me, he can surely have mercy on Michael Schiavo.
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Unbelievable. I accidentally deleted this morning’s Terri Schiavo post! My apologies to commenters and trackbackers. Oh, well. The good news this morning was that Congress called Terri as a witness to keep her alive. The Florida judge on the case has since ruled that she can be starved to death if her husband so desires. He does.
Here’s the latest:
The presiding judge in the case of Terri Schiavo ruled Friday that the feeding tube keeping the brain-damaged woman alive can be removed despite efforts by congressional Republicans to block the move by seeking her appearance at hearings.Pinellas Circuit Judge George Greer refused a request from U.S. House attorneys to delay the removal, which he had previously ordered to take place at 1 p.m. EST. Greer determined that it should go forward about an hour after another judge issued a temporary delay blocking the tube’s removal.
There was no immediate word on when the tube might be removed. (Source)
Also see Michelle Malkin’s post.
The following e-mail is from reader Jara D., posted with her permission:
I am a Christian. I was raised in the church, and after years of struggle and backsliding, I’ve finally come home. While I believe that you and your blog fans have the best of intentions, I believe the only thing this blog and other blogs like it is accomplishing is just a simple voicing of opinion and moral “high-horsing” (for lack of a better term). You can have all the opinions in the world, but not one member of any blog (or blog itself) about Terri Schiavo have either raised money for her parents’ cause, or had someone (or people) step forward and say, “I would be willing to sacrifice all that I have in order to keep Terri on life support.” And by “all that I have,” I mean a person’s emotional, financial, physical, and mental resources. Because simply, that’s what the feeding tube is…just another form of life support.Tell me this. Would God want us to live a life where we couldn’t lift our voice in praise? Where we couldn’t acknowledge the beauty that is all around us? Where we couldn’t even see to our own basic needs to stay alive to be able to do the things mentioned? I’m sorry, but the God I believe in is a God of mercy. Tell me how keeping this poor woman “alive” is merciful? What is life when you can’t live it?
I truly believe that had Michael Schiavo decided not to move on with his life, people who share your viewpoint would be saying, “Oh, poor man,” instead of “He’s a selfish jerk,” which really seems to be the way Conservatives like to deem this man. I personally do not think this man is selfish or a jerk. I believe he has done all that he could to do what is best for Terri. It’s unfortunate that Terri didn’t leave a living will. We don’t think to do things like that until we get older, but maybe we all should have one, because you never know when things like this may happen. And I vow that if, God forbid, something like this would happen to me, I would NOT want to be kept alive by artificial means. I pray that my family would love me enough to let me go to be with my spirit.
I know what it is like to have a loved one who’s in a vegetative state. I know what it is like to hope and pray that some day they will be miraculously cured, or that one day there is a breakthrough that could lead to something good, but the day never comes. I know what it is like to be physically, emotionally, mentally, and financially drained from this. I have nothing but sympathy for Michael Schiavo. Taking care of a loved one like that is HARD, and for all the proselytizing, not one of these blogs or its members, I’ve seen, have experienced what that man is going through. It’s easy to say what you think should be done when you’ve not had to live it.
My point is this: I do not believe that God would want any one of his children to suffer so. How can Terri die a “natural” death when our technology, great as it is, can literally keep her alive indefinitely? AND, who are we to deem what is “natural” and frankly have the audacity to say, “It’s not what God would want?” I am not God. I have no right to say what God would want and what he wouldn’t want in instances like these, where the line is not black or white. I instead ask for his wisdom, and that he lead and guide me to the path I am to take. I hope that Michael Schiavo did the same, though I am not going to assume one way or the other what Michael Schiavo’s relationship is with God. But whatever it may be, I believe that is in OUR best interest to not judge or criticize. Did our Father not say, “Judge NOT lest ye be judged?” God’s will is perfect, right, and it is just. He knows what is going to happen. Whether Terri’s feeding tube stays or goes, I know that it will be what GOD wants.
Again, I think you and blogs like this are well-intentioned. But what I feel is missing is a sense of compassion for Michael Schiavo, not just Terri, and for the situation itself. We are to love all men, as we are all God’s children. Do not hate this man because he’s trying to move on with his life. Don’t pray to God to save Terri. He already has her in his Hand. Pray that we may see and understand what it is He is trying to say to us. Pray that we understand the message behind this struggle. Pray that whatever happens, we THANK HIM for the outcome, and we THANK HIM for all that He has done for the Schiavos and the Schindlers, and for us as well.
