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I am a pastor and a clinical psychotherapist. My life's passion is defining healthiness from a human perspective and paralleling it to the holiness of God, divine perspective. Shifting perspectives creates a paradigm that is alongside of rather than over and against. The parakalein of God and the paradoxes of humanity are redefined. Humanity is all about winning and yet we are losing ground everywhere. Divinity is all about letting go of the desire to win and the fear of loss. The Divine embraces the world with loving care regardless of anything.

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Death with Dignity

Posted by Don Paine

Massachusetts will be considering a referendum in 2012 on allowing people in certain justifiable cases to elect an "end of life" agreement with a physician.

Already people are emotionally reacting to the control of this issue.  Freedom of choice is an essential right of all humanity.  We only limit choices when our choice imposes or affects someone else's right to choose.

I understand that if I am depressed and feel hopeless to allow me in that state of hopelessness to end my life just because I no longer want to live, is arguably to let emotions rule.  However, if I am terminal with no hope of recovery from illness, is it not inhumane and arguably letting emotions rule to force me against my will to lay for days weeks or months in a bed waiting for death.

I believe God gives life.  Humanity has come to a place that we see it as humane to keep life going no matter what.  That can at times be inhumane.

Agathanasia is the concept of a "good death".  It comes from the couplet of two Greek words: "Thanatos" or death and "agathos" or good.  Euthanasia much more well known is merciful death that people have translated into mercy killing.  Emotionally reactions will be present during the debate but in the end I hope reason, thoughtfulness, and mindfulness will overcome the emotions that have us react in a way that wants to control others rather than control our emotions.

In the end freedom of choice is the issue.  Allowing people to have the freedom of choice is inherent in the creator's fiat.  It does not direct or control it just steps aside from the role of controlling and embraces the right of a person to chose to die in a way that for that person brings dignity to the final sentence of life.
To withhold that freed is to impose cruelty and suffering that is neither necessary or redemptive.

When Jesus said, "into your hands I commend my spirit", he chose to die.  Thank God he had the right to choose to die because in fact no amount of pain or suffering would have resulted in his death for he is God.

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