[GCFL-discuss] discussion topic

[Discussion of the Good, Clean Funnies List]

Frank
Allow me to present an opinion from the the perspective of an Orthodox
Jew.  (I speak only for myself, but I think that my opinions on the
subject represent the rulings of the great rabbis of this generation.)

Despite what anyone else says, our bodies do not belong to us.  They are
on loan from G-d for however long He sees fit to entrust them to us.  We
are given the responsibility to care for it and to keep it in good
repair.  We do not have the right to throw up our hands and stop taking
care of it.

Under Torah Law, we are required to do anything and everything to keep a
person alive -- regardless of the so-called quality of that life -- even
for a few minutes.  This includes violating the Shabbos or Kosher laws.

That said, when a course of treatment involves considerable risk and/or
great pain, a person has the right to choose which path to take.  With
chemotherapy, in particular, you cannot know, beforehand, whether the
chemo will extend life or cut it short.  It is a race -- will the poison
kill the cancer, or the person, first.  The person has to decide,
together with his family, and in consultation with his rabbi, which way
to go.


greenBubble




________________________________

From: gcfl-discuss-bounces_milton.freund=siemens.com at gcfl.net
[mailto:gcfl-discuss-
 Subject: [GCFL-discuss] discussion topic


Things have been rather quiet lately.  I have a few thoughts that maybe
would get a discussion going.
In the last little while we have had two neighbors die after long
illnesses and many and long hospital stays and doctors visits.  I now
have a brother in law who is fighting a losing battle with prostate
cancer.  In each case there was no chance of recovery to full health.
The question I have is this:  Should we run up huge hospital/doctor
bills in and effort to stay alive when the illnesses are terminal?  What
would be appropriate or not appropriate?  Who should make the
decision--the person or the family or both?
I am struggling with this somewhat and would like to know your thoughts
and maybe get some new insight.
Frank

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