Sound familiar?
Kind of like the people who can't wait for the baby-boomers to die off, and those who applaud the biological solution in effecting change in the Church.
Nevertheless, the more recent "hurry up and die" PSA was made by a different biological-solution Aso, this one is from Japan.
Japan's new government is barely a month old, and already one of its most senior members has insulted tens of millions of voters by suggesting that the elderly are an unnecessary drain on the country's finances.Those who can't wait for other people to die off will simply have to wait their turn.
Taro Aso, the finance minister, said on Monday that the elderly should be allowed to "hurry up and die" to relieve pressure on the state to pay for their medical care.
"Heaven forbid if you are forced to live on when you want to die. I would wake up feeling increasingly bad knowing that [treatment] was all being paid for by the government," he said during a meeting of the national council on social security reforms. "The problem won't be solved unless you let them hurry up and die." - Source
Whew, this one hits hard, Terry, especially when you bring in those who are waiting for the "biological solution" to the Church's problems. This PSA by the Japanese is basically saying that if you are not productive to the State, then you really don't deserve to live.
ReplyDeleteIs that what we are saying to individuals when we talk about the "biological solution" to the Church's problems? Are we saying that their souls don't matter, and that they should just die and get out of the way because they are hindering us?
As you say in your labels, "So you think you are pro life".
I thought the Japanese valued their elderly for their wisdom? Guess that went by the wayside.
ReplyDeleteYou've been watching too much Karate Kid
DeleteThe first time I took my good and holy pastor's Monday Night Catechism, I recall vividly how he admonished us never to urge anyone to leave the Church. It's a little different, yet similar to wishing folks to die off.
ReplyDeleteHe called it right when he asked us if we would encourage someone to jump off of a 100 story building if they were on a ledge threatening suicide.
His admonishment came at an opportune time. It was before I began blogging, but was active in forums like at Catholic.com. Lots of people would casually tell others to just leave the Church. Back then I would chuckle about it. Now, it makes me cringe.
He went on to explain that if we tell a baptized Catholic to leave the Church, we are encouraging the person to commit a grave sin. He explained that it was not our job to do this (it was about that time that he also taught us that one does not cease being Catholic even if they reject the faith outright and claim no longer to be Catholic, since Baptism leaves a mark on the soul).
I think we sometimes forget that everything we do is "on display" for others to see and observe. I think there are better ways to deal with dissenting Catholics than we sometimes see.
Love has to be manifest and it is love which converts hearts. So many people who promote the most wrong things are often quite ignorant of the truth. Few have been blessed with the right teachers.
I speak from experience. If it weren't for the priests in my life now, I would not know how to respond to the things we see with anything but anger and resentment. Yet, that is not what Christ taught us.
Even the Church doesn't tell people to leave. I don't see an excommunication as being kicked out of the Church. It simply means one is no longer in Communion, but the person will forever be Catholic whether he, or anyone else wants him to be.
Are you dead yet?
ReplyDeleteWhat?