October 4, 2008 | In: Culture of Life, Euthanasia, Human Dignity, Medical Ethics, Suffering
The Language of the Culture of Death
Too often we allow the Culture of Death to frame the cultural dialogue for us. Acceptance or refusal of life sustaining or curative treatment is a valid moral discussion. The problem comes with the language we use to describe people’s condition.
A woman close to my wife’s family is dying of cancer. She is incoherent and has stopped eating or drinking. One of her sons wants to keep her alive for another month. He wants to reduce her pain medication so she is more coherent and have her go through another round of chemotherapy. The question of whether or not to give such treatment is very valid. At this point, the burden of such treatment and the suffering caused by reducing her pain medication would probably outweigh any benefit. It would be morally acceptable in this case to cease all treatment and to allow her to die. Unfortunately, the arguments in favor of doing so have all been couched in the Culture of Death. While the conclusions may be valid, the language used to argue for those conclusions are horribly wrong.
- “That’s no way to live” – the assumption with this argument is that the present value of a person’s life is measured by the person’s ability to do the things the person used to love doing. An ethics worksheet promoted by our Catholic hospital system even goes so far as to ask what things you enjoy doing and to decide if you’d want to go on living being unable to do those things. Life has value no matter what we are able or unable to do. In fact, in our success-obsessed world, life may finally take on its true meaning when we are unable to do anything.
- “Just put her out of her misery” – the assumption in this statement is that suffering is always bad. This assumption is found everywhere in the medical community. Compassionate people do not wish to see others suffer. Suffering is not something that Christians seek out (mortification and self-denial are not quite the same thing as the kind of suffering we are talking about here). However, we must also realize that suffering can have great value. Suffering can make us more compassionate, can atone for our sins and the sins of others, can draw us closer to God, and can teach us how to receive the love and care of others. Loved ones who watch a family member or a friend suffer learn what it means to truly love through the most difficult times. It is OK to feel relief when someone dies – gladness that they are no longer suffering. However, it is not OK to hasten their death so that they will not have to suffer.
- “Let her die with some dignity” – this statement misunderstands what dignity is. Dignity does not come from our abilities or from our self-determination. Dignity comes from the fact that we are made in the image and likeness of God, and especially that we are created with the ability to give and to receive love. Someone who is suffering, who is incoherent, and who is at death’s door dies with dignity when she is surrounded by people she loves and who has loved her. Whether she is aware of their presence or not, the love that she has built in her lifetime comes to bear on her moment of death. This is what it means to die with dignity.
It is difficult to watch someone we love deteriorate and suffer before they die. Moral discernment during these difficult times is complicated by our compassion, concern and personal suffering. That is why the Church gives us moral guidance through the principle of ordinary and extraordinary means of treatment.
The problem with the statements above is that they are often made by faithful Catholics. We have adopted the language of the Culture of Death. The teachings of Christ’s Church help us to take solace not only in a life well lived, but in a death suffered in integrity, hope and love. The Culture of Death treats human life in a utilitarian way, giving it value only as much as it is productive. It adds burden to death by making us guilty for any suffering experienced by the dying and by making us think that we have an obligation to control a person’s death. Catholics need to frame arguments about end-of-life issues in the Culture of Life and the hope given to us by Jesus Christ.
[ad#seasonal]
Related Links:
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
3 Responses to The Language of the Culture of Death
Maria Smith
October 4th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Hi Jeff-
Thank you for this important information. I have end-stage lung disease – am hoping the stage will last for a long time
I was wondering how to go about in a simple way to explain this to my sister, who cries anytime I bring it up. I’ve told her not to allow them to perform heroics to save me because mine is a progressive, terminal disease. Instead, to allow food, water and meds until the Lord calls.
Is this correct? I have filled out a form with the hospital that I usually go to but what if I die at home or elsewhere? Is there a legal form that I must fill out with an attorney? I have been trying to get all things in order, even though it still may be a few years away (with God’s grace) I have all my funeral arrangements done and paid for as well as my funeral program (place a line for the date to be filled in)
This is the only area that is really not taken care of. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you and God bless you and yours!
Maria
Jeff (admin)
October 4th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Dear Maria,
Thank you so much for your comment. As a moral theology teacher, I am well aware that it is easy to speak about subjects such as end of life decisions and so much more difficult to live through such decisions.
You asked if your decision to refuse heroic life saving measures but to accept food, water and meds is a correct decision. Without knowing your specific circumstances, I would say you have chosen correctly. Unfortunately, in our Culture of Death, you have to really be sure to specify what treatments you want in addition to what you don’t want. You can get an endurable power of attorney for healthcare, which would be honored by any hospital (and which also names someone to enforce your wishes if you are not able to). Pro-life Wisconsin recommends a Protective Power of Attorney for Healthcare, which explicitly states ordinary means of treatment that should not be omitted (http://www.prolifewisconsin.org/pdf/PAHC.pdf). There might be something similar from pro-life groups in your state.
As for what to tell your sister, perhaps a good starting point is St. Paul’s statement, “To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). This is not a flippant, “I don’t care if I live or die.” It is rather a realization that life is a precious gift, but to die means to be forever united to the gift Giver. We are called to do what is reasonable to protect the gift, but we also believe that our true life begins after this life ends. We are not called to do everything we possibly can, beyond reason, to prolong our lives.
Does that help?
You are in my prayers – and I pray that we will meet each other in person in the Kingdom!
The Undead or Unresponsive Persons to be Loved? | Gaudium Veritatis
October 6th, 2008 at 9:01 am
[...] state causes suffering for the patient and for the family. However, as I explored most recently in “The Language of the Culture of Death,”, suffering can have great value. The quote above shows how much a patient’s suffering can [...]