No faith in faith? Doctors vs. God

Euthanasia has been a hot topic in the news lately, with parliament debating the issue once again. I also watched this week's QandA, the topic of which was also euthanasia. And I noticed something interesting ... the religious ethic in relation to euthanasia no longer seems important. When making the decision of whether to euthanize, we seem to put a lot of stock in what health professionals say, in what politicians say, in what kin and loved ones say, but not a lot on what the religious standpoint is. Now, I'm sure we've all heard the "we shouldn't play God" argument, and that's not really the point of this post. My point is more, does a religious view hold as much sway as it used to? Do we give any credence to a person's religious viewpoint? Have we lost all faith in faith?

The Shroud of Turin has been carbon-dated, and we now know it can't possibly have been the shroud Jesus reputedly was covered in. As more and more of the Judea-Christian myths are proven to be (surprise, surprise) myths, is it possible that we will soon reach a point where a religious belief will have no credibility whatsoever, to be sneered at and laughed off as ridiculous?

I should at this point state that I hold no religious beliefs, be they Christian, Muslim, Hindu or otherwise. Yet I don't refute these religions outright either. I can't prove God exists (or Allah, or Buddha, or Zeus), but I can't prove they don't exist either. I'm what you might call a 'holy fence-sitter'. But I wonder, does a scientific belief outrank a religious belief, just because it's tangible? I can't touch or smell or hear or taste 'beauty', I can't prove scientifically that 'beauty' exists ... yet I know it when I see it. (okay, there's probably some experiment that shows that certain environments affect certain glands that release certain chemicals that give us a sense of beauty, but you know what I mean.)

Take, for instance, blood transfusions. Many religious orders have strong views on the transfusion of blood, and may refuse this treatment for themselves or their children in the name of their faith. Do they have the right? Does a doctor have the right to gainsay that choice? The same with euthanasia; does a politician or a health professional have the right to overule a person's faith when it comes to making a decision to euthanize? If I was a doctor, I might believe I am able to make a better judgement call. If I was a priest, I might believe I am better able to make a moral judgement call.

Guess it comes down to what you believe.

My Stills

Okay, so i've been under the scholastic pump lately, so all my written work is focused there at the mo, but i've got some great photos that I took whilst out on a walk with the boy.

 

AND REMEMBER, PEOPLE ... DON'T DRINK AND SHOP!!

NatashaJacqueline: Deeelightful

NatashaJacqueline: Deeelightful: "I thought I would post some of my band photography work. These are a few of my favourite pictures because of the energy captured, the bright..."