Posted on 06/29/2006 10:14:07 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o
THE MAN I KILLED did not want to die, but he no longer felt he had much of a choice. He had gone from being tall and strapping, full of appetites and a brilliant manner of speech, to a skeleton, weak and full of messy needs.
He and his wife still loved each other very much, but... he was 60 when he was diagnosed with cancer.
...One day over lunch, I told him that if he ever experienced too much pain or diminishment, I would try to help him die on his own terms, if he wanted.
He was amazed, and so was I. I hadn't particularly planned on offering this. ...All of his old friends who were part of his final months said sternly that we must not play God, that nature must be allowed to take its course — and they were all atheists.
...Mel was sort of surprised that as a Christian I so staunchly agreed with him about assisted suicide: I believed that life was a kind of Earth school, so even though assisted suicide meant you were getting out early, before the term ended, you were going to be leaving anyway, so who said it wasn't OK to take an incomplete in the course?
...I went into the kitchen and crushed the pills ... After a while, Mel looked around, half smiled and fell asleep... He breathed so quietly, for so long, that when he finally stopped, we all strained to hear the sound.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Anne Lamott is a novelist and essayist. Her latest book is "Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith," recently released in paperback.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Astounding when a confession to murder in an op-ed has no legal consequences. And just when the California Legislature is debating legislation on physician-assisted suicide.
All that plus she aborted two babies --- wrote of it, talks about it, defends it vehemently, wildly, ferociously --- and believes it ALL to be copacetic with Jesus Christ Our Lord.
I've read her books, attentively. I like --- most of the time --- her mind.
Her mind? Maybe she's already out of her mind, I don't know. Writes well, though, doesn't she, with her compassionate killer mind? I fear for her bodily well-being. I fear very much for her soul.
In your own mind you can justify ANYTHING if you try hard enough, even MURDER!
Sorrowful ping.
Lamott, that is.
It seems that people like this have already been reprobated. They become more and more spiritually disfigured with time.
The original article at LA Times is well worth reading. She has a tender, affectionate, sensitive and apparently lifelong attraction for solving problems via (others') death.
I figured any man in an alley at that time of death was suicidal so I shot him. I took his wallet to compensate myself for the bullet.
Can't stand Lamott as a writer.
I doubt she can be prosecuted because I doubt that this ever happened. If there's an inquiry, she'll admit it was not a confession, but just her opinion.
She is no Christian.
Is this for real or another piece of fiction?
If I should so choose, I hope I'll have one or two friends who will stand by me in the same way.
Her book on writing, "Bird By Bird" is quite good. I skipped her book on her faith because it had the look of one of those buffet-Christian books: I'll take that, but skip this, thanks.
Yet, if my wife were suffering terribly with terminal cancer and I could not get her relief from pain (all big ifs, for sure), I would consider helping her end it. I'd take my chances at the Judgement for that one.
I mean, okay, maybe they are in their 20's... and healthy.... and maybe they may not want to commit assisted suicide... and yeah, maybe I have to handcuff them and gag them to stop them from running or calling for authorities.....
..... but I still like to help.
I stand ready with a chainsaw and a wood chipper!
Comparing the two, no matter what your opinions on assisted suicide is just dumb, especially the statement about taking the wallet.
For me, I believe it is wrong to kill someone, period, but I do not believe it is wrong for a very ill person to take their own life, when all is hopeless. I do not believe anyone should get a pass, including doctors, for helping them however. This will eventually lead to people being killed simply to free up hospital beds or to save money, it is already trending that way in some countries.
And I was glad to serve as your extra eyes (read: Lookout) and extra legs (read: Getaway driver).
Most of the people I kill, don't.
A few actually plead for their lives.
But they are too sick to know they really need to die.
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