Terri’s Ordeal and the Schindlers’ Example

Concerned Women for America ^ | 3/31/10 | Wendy Wright

[wagglebee]

Some say there is no greater pain than a parent losing a child. So imagine watching for weeks as your disabled child is deliberately and slowly killed. Her excruciating death is by neglect — failing to feed or give her water. Any parent who stood by and allowed that to happen would be criminally charged and excoriated by the media and every decent person.

But what if you were forbidden to help her? And what if a judge even ordered police to arrest anyone who put even a drop of water on her lips?

March 31st marks the anniversary of Terri Schindler Schiavo’s excruciating death by dehydration. Despite the vote of every U.S. senator, passionate pleas by congressmen, and President Bush flying halfway across the country to sign a law to help Terri, judges ordered that this innocent woman be killed.

Throughout it all, as the world watched, Terri’s family — who deserved to be angry at this cruelty and injustice — exhibited profound faith. Less than an hour after Terri’s heart stopped beating, in an extraordinary display of Christ-like humility, her brother Bobby faced the TV cameras and spoke to all who had clamored for her death.

Did he lash out at them, calling them to account for the suffering they had caused? No.

Did he, out of mercy, state that he had forgiven them? No.

In one of the most breath-taking — and nearly inconceivable — displays of Christian submission, he asked for forgiveness. He asked forgiveness if he or his family had caused offense to anyone.

Jesus taught us to pray “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12).

Few of us have faced the pain and injustice that Terri’s family faced. Even so, we can be dearly tempted to nurse grudges as we confront unrighteousness.

The Schindlers, however, lived out the key trait for a pure heart. Forgiveness freed them from the stranglehold of bitterness and despair. It gave them strength to continue on to help others, which they have done through the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation.

Sadly, the cruelty continues. Just days before the fifth anniversary of Terri’s death, the FOX TV show “The Family Guy” aired a vulgar episode mocking Terri and others with cognitive disabilities. This reaching-down-to-the-depths-of-depravity was met with an outpouring of support for the Schindler family.

Terri and her family have touched many lives. We won’t forget her. And her story is not complete without remembering the Schindlers’ powerful example of Christ’s love.

[wagglebee]

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[wagglebee]

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[My hearts in London - Everett]

I still grieve for this poor woman and her parents. This story still makes me so angry. I think it always will.

[wagglebee]

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[incredulous joe]

I believe most of the problems that have originated in our nation are a result of a moral change in our culture, a change for the worse.

If I had to pick one moment in recent history to illustrate this point I would have to select the day that our nation stood back and watched while this woman was starved to death as being a tipping point.

This is the "compassion" that the state has for the individual:

[70th Division]

I hope that judge rots in HELL! I will never forget.

[70th Division]

To all Democrats. If you remember Terri Schiavo you are going to love Obama care.

[wagglebee]

Excellent post! I agree completely.

[maica]

Any parent who stood by and allowed that to happen would be criminally charged and excoriated by the media and every decent person.

@@@@@@

An ongoing trial for this very crime has been on the news in Baltimore for months. Every time I hear a report about it, I think of Terri Schiavo and her family.

I also recall that she died at the same time as Pope John Paul II, just before Divine Mercy Sunday.

[SonnyBubba]

I agree. This was a travesty. I never understood why they just didn’t let her loving parents take care of her.

[My hearts in London - Everett]

I believe her husband was a hateful, abusing ba****d who hated her and her parents. I believe this whole thing was about hurting them as much as parents can possibly be hurt and also putting himself into the limelight with a history making court fight and decision.

[wagglebee]

Here's what the POS wrote in his book:

That evening the hospice ordered pizza and salad for us and the police, and for several hours, Brian [Schiavo], Debbie [Bushnell], George [Felos] and I camped in the room with Terri whose breathing was becoming more labored. George and Brian pulled some chairs together and kind of put their feet up, and we waited. (Terri: The Truth, pg. 314)

It sounds like the type of gloating one would expect from the ghouls at Auschwitz.

[Lesforlife]

Justice in our lifetimes, Lord!!!!!!!!!!!

[floriduh voter]

bttt and Happy Easter.

[proudofthesouth]

I agree with you. But Terri's situation changed my mind about euthanasia. I had been in favor of it for more than 2 decades prior to Terri's murder. Because of what happened to her I'm no longer in favor of euthanasia. I now see it for what it really is - MURDER.

[floriduh voter]

Happy Easter, EV.

[floriduh voter]

There is no statute of limitations on murder. At some point, Terri’s murder by judicial fiat (judicial homicide) won’t be settled law.

[EternalVigilance]

You too, FV.

[incredulous joe]

He is an evil man.

Terri has won many for our Savior, as have her parents and family in their behavior and how they have courageously conducted themselves throughout this ordeal.