Analysis of Dying
Question 1
The fallenness of the world is a problem in Christian where believers have difficulty in understanding God. This is a result of the evil caused by human beings as a result of the wrong actions that they undertake. The wrong includes both wrong actions that humans do to others and themselves. As a result, there is pain and suffering that is associated as a matter of natural effects (Dickinson, 2019). This is an issue that is problematic because it casts doubt on the ability of God to be perfect and connecting Him to the suffering or fallenness of the world. As such, the world may appear to be without God such as the case for George. With a quickly degenerative disease – ALS – George has a limited time to live alongside the immense pain and suffering that is associated with the disease.
The purpose of God was not to create an infinitely pleasurable world that would go beyond the human eyesight. This is especially the case after the fall of man through Adam and Eve in the Garden. After the fall, God’s focus is on redeeming man rather than creating a world that is full of pleasure for man. After all, after man’s fall in the Garden, there was the revelation of the great possibility of darkness in man. As a result, the condition that George is going through is a way by which God seeks to teach, reveal experiences, and get to know God in a close and more intimate way than he probably does at the current moment.
Question 2
God is a perfect body in the Christian worldview. God is so perfect that the human being cannot fathom of his greatness or purity. As a result, God sent Jesus Christ in the form of a human being to bring redemption to the world. Through Jesus Christ, death was defeated after the resurrection from the dead. Jesus did not want to face death but he did it as a result of obedience to the father’s will. As such, George’s condition is God’s will for his life as he has no control over the precipice or development of the disease. As such, the disease is a way by which God is directing him towards the plans that he has purposed for him.
Since this is God’s plan for him, he must have a higher purpose for him. In this higher purpose, George will be resurrected to live an unending life. In the new life, there is no mourning and suffering. There is no pain. As such, there is hope for a better future. This hope is one that is attached to holding on to steadfast faith and belief through suffering and pain in the current world. As such, George can interpret his suffering as a way by which God is bringing him closer to his purpose and eventual reward as a faithful servant in enjoying a life that is eternal, with no pain and suffering, and with the glory of God.
Question 3
Christianity holds life to be highly precious. One of the important teachings in Christianity is the value of life regardless of the worth or quality. The bible teaches this, “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again (2 Corinthians 5:15, New International Version).” This emphasizes that all human life is valuable and that there is a need to live for a higher purpose. The higher purpose is to fulfill God’s will. Due to this immense value that the Christian worldview holds for human life, there is a need to maintain a positive outlook on life for George. The experience of living with ALS is one that looks torturous and has various aspects to consider including the effect on the people that are living with George.
This outlook on a life with ALS can bring lots of mixed reactions to the individual. For George, there is deep contemplation on early voluntary euthanasia. This reduces the value of human life. God created man in His likeness. As a result, there is God-like life in the existence of man. As such, there is a greater value to life. Moreover, there is the possibility of God making anything possible even what is impossible. As a result, there may be the possibility of a cure for George throughout his life while suffering from the illness.
Question 4
There are various values that support a life against the use of Euthanasia. To begin with, there is a strong belief all life is God-given. As a result, all of life’s processes are natural and should be respected from a divine obedience point of view. This means that life and death are also natural processes. There is no person who has the right end life whether of self or another person even in circumstances where the other person willfully wants to die. There is an intrinsic value that is attached to human life. This value comes from the creation in God’s image and likeness for the purpose of sharing a distinct sharing in God’s own life. As such, to propose euthanasia means that the person’s life has been judged not to be worthwhile.
Asking for euthanasia for self purposes is not worthwhile and is wrong since no one has the right to take value. Moreover, there is a strong belief that the period just before death is highly crucial and has a profound effect on the spirituality of an individual. The value of life does not diminish due to old age or sickness. Moreover, there is a higher purpose that God has for everyone that should not be interfered with. The choice to end life an early point also degrades the value of God in the human being since man is created in God’s image.
Question 5
From the above values, there is no justification for George to opt for Euthanasia. As argued it is immoral for George to take his life. There is support for George to have a good life towards his last days which is aimed at creating a better quality of life. As such, there is the allowance of using various techniques in medicine that are within the moral realm to ease pain and create more comfort for George. The values also mean that George has to live the rest of his days with the condition but still hold on to the belief and praise of God. This because the purpose of man is to serve God and this should be done in a humble, repentant, and joyful manner. With this then, there is a need to have an increased connection to a prayerful life without cursing or blaming God for any of the unfortunate events. There is a need to accept the pain and suffering as a way of accepting God’s will for man.
Through undergoing suffering, God is preparing George for ministry. This is where God becomes the comforter of man in their time of affliction for the purpose of enabling the people suffering to comfort others who are suffering through the same comfort that we receive from God (2 Corinthians 1:4). As such, George should accept the suffering with an outlook of being focused on the purpose of being able to encourage other people who are undergoing different kinds of suffering. This will offer hope and a higher meaning to the suffering that George is preparing to meet. Therefore, George should morally undergo the treatment and allow for the natural cause of life to take place.
Question 6
From my stand, I would stick to the Christian worldview. As such, the decision to take own life is not viable. The decision, therefore, is to allow the illness to take its cause of life. Additionally, there is the allowance of suffering and pain but to allow the doctors to use their professional help to ease pain and probably try a cure. There is also the understanding that God is the ultimate creator of all things on earth. In the same aspect, God is the provider, and humans are made in the likeness of God. As such, there is a need to respect this occurrence by living according to the values that God has instituted for mankind. As such, I would not curse and be bitter with life but instead, I would look to enjoy the last of the good life that I have and to live encouraging other people that are suffering from similar or other conditions.
Additionally, there is a need to have encouragement for the loved ones. One of the most affected people by the illness is family and close friends. As such, there is a choice to have a reduced burden on them by encouraging them and looking for options that are flexible and agreeable by all members. As such, the journey takes a team-based approach where the medical decisions and the course of medication or treatment engage the family. This is a process that can help develop close relationships among the family members making suffering and pain have a positive outcome.
References
Dickinson, T. (2019). Christianity’s Extraordinary Solution to Believing in God in a World of Evil and Pain. Retrieved from https://stream.org/christianitys-extraordinary-solution-to-believing-in-god-in-a-world-of-evil-and-pain/