The Politics of Death

There is a discussion that we need to start having in our communities, especially our faith community. That discussion is about death. Death is part of life. It's inevitable, it will come to all of us at some point. As a pastor I've been there to witness the last breaths of a person. I've prayed with and wept with parishioners. I've wept over the losses of good friends. Just in the past few months I've watched three friends, all pastors, die. I've had a parishioner die as well. Of course I've dealt with death in the family as well. Death reminds us of our own mortality, which is perhaps one reason why we'd rather not talk about it, but it's something we must talk about, because if we don't problems erupt.
I'm saddened, even angered, that politicians (Sarah Palin being the most recent) have decided to misrepresent and misinform people as to provisions in the health care reform bills under consideration in Congress. Hoping to scare people into opposing the bills they are suggesting that if passed it will lead to euthanasia and eugenics, that the government will deny you health care if they deem you unproductive. These are lies and distortions, but they seem to be working. And the Religious Right claims to be representing values in America.
But, back to the issue of death. The provision in the House Bill that the opponents of reform have misrepresented concerns the bill's allowance for Medicare recipients to meet with their doctors to discuss end of life issues, and have the bill paid by Medicare. Apparently, having Medicare pay for a meeting with a doctor to talk about things like "Do Not Resuscitate" (DNR) orders is equivalent to mandatory executions of the elderly. This is both irresponsible and in my mind immoral.
But, perhaps these scare tactics can have a profitable effect. Maybe, if we can get beyond the politics of death, we as the church can finally open up and talk about death. I've had a number of opportunities to sit down with older people who know that they were dying, and wanted to discuss their deaths. Many of them wanted to have that conversation with their family members and friends, but family and friends simply refused to talk about it. Somehow denial of reality was going to make things go away.
I guess it's like people not wanting to talk about life insurance. Apparently, if you buy life insurance you're acknowleding that death is real, and we don't want to admit this. But, of course you're going to die -- maybe not today, but someday. Isn't it a good thing to provide for your family in case of death?
As a Christian I'm not courting death, but neither do I fear it. I hope to live a long and fruitful life. When the time comes, it comes, but I'm in no hurry. I have a wife and son I love, a job I enjoy, and plans for the future. But, I also take comfort in the promise that God is with me, even in death. At most funerals/memorial services I've participated in we've read or considered Psalm 23. In that beloved Psalm we hear the promise that the Shepherd will be with us, even when we walk through the darkest valley. Then there's this promise from Paul:

For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:53b-57).

If death has lost it's sting, then we shouldn't be afraid to talk about it. Nor do we need to artificially extend life. The whole idea of palliative care is designed to make people comfortable at the end of life. Is it God's desire that people live on endlessly hooked up to machines?
Isn't it time for us to have a conversation, a real conversation about death? And if that's true, then perhaps we can take the sting out of the fear tactics that certain groups want to shamelessly use to scare people into opposing something that could possibly be of help to them and their families. So, let's say no to the politics of death.

Comments

Anonymous said…
If you're poor and uninsured, you have no choice, you are usually denied, or don't seek the care. How nice it would be to learn if the care is even something you would want to consider. Informed decision would be the best way. Some might consider, at a certain age that more treatments would only result in increased suffering and little quality of life. Palliative care shouldn't be considered "evil" or suicide in these cases. David Mc
Anonymous said…
My favorite quote I heard involving "pulling the plug" was a doctor once said.. "If God is calling him home, why do you keep slapping away his hand."

I have also learned that patients on machines are part of the top TWO expenses in the hospital. (pre-mies are the other) I actually agree.. reform needs to address how long we will pay to keep people on the machines. The other issue is you HAVE to have caps on lawsuits. As a Christian, there is no way to support "suing the fool" out of some hospital b/c God called someone home. Its medicine, not computer repair. Just my two cents.

Chuck
John said…
Bob,

I think you need to separate the issue of palliative care into distinct discussions of the attendant spiritual and economic aspects. I agree that one again the Christian Right is engaging in fear mongering among our most vulnerable, citizens - a vicious tactic which it has excelled at and ruthlessly exploited for the last decade. This needs to be addressed head on each time the Christian Right crawls into (out of) that garbage pit - Gehenna?

But I think the spiritual issues and pastoral issues transcend economics and politics. I do think that people need to engage this issue in an atmosphere of safety as they most definitely will at painful moments in their lives.

John
Robert Cornwall said…
The economic and the spiritual side of this issue are distinct, but perhaps the economic conversation can lead to the spiritual one!

Popular Posts