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Question on Terri Schiavo

Captain H.Captain H.
edited March 2005 in 'One Who Knows Does Not Think, Speak Or Write...'
yep, working fine so far...

well, long as I got ya on the line,mailed y'all off an order today for a songbook, etc-A's gettin' a geeter for his birthday this month...

Comments

  • Captain H.Captain H.
    edited December 1969
    Hello, I am a lurker, and enjoy reading your Taoist thoughts and reflections. I wanted to know what your views are regarding the Terri Schiavo case, if any? I would like to know what the Taoist belief might be regarding this.
  • Buddy1Buddy1
    edited December 1969
    well, I'll throw my 2 cents worth out first:
    I think they should let the poor woman die-we are so afraid of losing what we have, of giving up any of our 'possessions', people and things...
    -this is just another example of our selfishness-of our fear of death which is reeally fear of life...longer they keep her alive, more money they'll make off her as well...
    the powers that be constantly ignore living wills and people's last wishes-I hope I have friends brave enough to just go in and pull the plug and face the consequences, should it come to that...
  • CarlCarl
    edited March 2005
    The Taoist concept of [chref=56]mysterious sameness[/chref] doesn't lend itself to [chref=79]favoritism[/chref], either in Terri Schiavo's case nor any other. But, Taoist views can help us at least view the situation from another vantage point.

    First, Jesus nailed this situation by his observation, "Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it." The Taoist parallel to this is [chref=15]"...and there are those who value life and as a result move into the realm of death, and these number three in ten. Why is this so? Because they set to much store by life."[/chref].

    This situation is not really about Terri Schiavo. What stands out is the emotional desperation evident in those involved. Our fears and needs drive us to rationalize the righteousness of our emotionally held personal attitudes. Then fear (basically of death) and need (basically to survive) drive the battle between the ensuing disparate partisan views.

    This situation is symptomatic of our ever increasing sense of loss of life meaning . Why this loss? The observations above of Jesus and 'Lao Tzu' are key. Our species has been "seeking to save" itself for countless millennia (but, in real earnest for 50,000 years or so). The more we "seek" maximum comfort and security, the more we "lose" it. We become emotionally uncomfortable and insecure in proportion to the extent we "seek". This is simply how nature works, its complementary co-generating process. This is not only the basis of the Taoist world view, e.g.,[chref=2]Thus Something and Nothing produce each other;[/chref], but it is also reflected in Jesus's world view, e.g., "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth".

    As a species we have 'forgotten' how to live with the noble grace of letting life be. This is due, in part, to the fact that we are consumed by our beliefs of how life should be. We are :? (confused)
  • Captain H.Captain H.
    edited December 1969
    Thank you both for your answers. I know this is a sticky issue, and I appreciate your willingness to share your views.
  • Buddy1Buddy1
    edited December 1969
    On a lighter note, theres enuf people who want me dead now, when i'm healthy, that it shouldnt be a problem finding one to pull the plug should I ever be in a situation like hers...
  • duirtreeduirtree
    edited December 1969
    damn, you too?
    you've got my sympathy on that one...
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