Hard To Draw A Line

There was a guest editorial in today's Spokesman Review about the implementation of Initiative 1000 which legalized physician-assisted suicide in Washington state. I realize this is an emotional issue for many and you can tell it is so for the author. There is one part I have to question.

Now, instead of trusting God to determine the natural course of one’s life, and turning to focusing on better compassionate care for those who have to deal with the challenges of end-of-life issues, Washingtonians can now play God and ask the state to assist them to die earlier than their natural course of life. It is a Faustian bargain I believe voters will come to regret, as folks soon realize the state and insurance companies can and will more and more determine who lives and who dies, with economic issues overriding ethical concerns.

Why is it that when we extend the course of a person's life through research, medication and treatment the argument that we're not trusting God never comes up? Why can we not trust God and allow someone to die without treating them for cancer? When there's a Do Not Resuscitate order on a person are we not not trusting God as well?

Indeed, if we're supposed to trust God, why treat people for any medical need at all? Hmm, that's criminal negligence or worse.

So, yeah, these are things I wonder about.