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It is no coincidence that
when the Pharisees wanted to trip up Jesus in public they sent their
disciples to ask him a question about politics. Government is a
necessary evil which evokes an immediate gut-level response in most
people. In our own nation the expectations of government involvement
have grown immensely from the days of the founding fathers. Today we
expect the federal government to insure individual rights, minority
rights, states' rights, group and individual retirement, national
security, even world peace. It is a tall order for any one nation.
Our federal government continues to become more involved in health care
issues. While this cause is certainly worthwhile, there are many
moral problems involved. For over 30 years our nation has been embroiled
in a bitter controversy regarding abortion. While the Supreme Court has
upheld the value of individual freedom of choice, many of our citizens
object to the use of their tax dollars to fund abortions. Two important
values are at odds in this controversy: individual freedom of choice
versus the right to life of the unborn. While individual freedom
is important, it pales in comparison to another person’s right to life
itself.
As scientific and medical knowledge advance there are more and more
ethical and religious considerations involved in medical technology. In
addition to the question of when life begins, we are now faced with the
question of when life ends. Does an individual's life end when the heart
stops beating, or when the brain ceases to function, or at some other
point? To what extent should medical technology be used to prolong life?
How should we distribute sparse medical resources needed to save lives?
Who makes these life and death decisions -- the patient, the family, the
doctors, the government? Looking back on the last 30 years in this
country, I cannot help but speculate on how much our inability to deal
with the abortion issue has fueled the growing lack of respect for the
value of human life at all stages. If some lives are dispensable, are
not all lives dispensable?
As government attempts to provide medical coverage for everyone, it will
confront important medical-ethical questions. These questions cannot and
should not be addressed without the input of our religious traditions.
If we expect government to provide these needed services, then we must
in turn provide government with the moral and ethical guidelines to
apply to them.
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