Everyone Wants To Go To Heaven...

But Nobody Wants To Die...

Terri Schiavo has died. I don't know if it happened yesterday, or if it happened years ago. Apparently the doctors who examined her thought she was dead long ago. Judges who looked at the evidence of the doctors agreed. Tom DeLay disagreed. But then, Rep. DeLay is a thoroughly disagreeable man, many would say. Bill Frist disagreed. He is (was) of course, a doctor. Sufficiently skilled it seems to diagnose a persons condition from a photograph. Sort of like the shamans of the Phillipine Islands who perform magical cures by passing amulets over a sick persons picture. We selected a true gem when we put Dr. Frist in the U. S. Senate! Also, George W. Bush disagreed. He believes we should always "err on the side of caution when it comes to the life of an American." Not an Iraqi life, or an Afghan life, or, indeed, any Evildoer's life. Americans, of course cannot be Evildoers. "That's not Us; That's not What We Do." Everyone NOT an American appears to be either an Evildoer in George's mind, or at least an Evildoer Suspect. Except of course for his good friends Tony Blair and Vladimir Putin. Also, the Catholic Church disagreed. More about the church later, perhaps.
In what should seem bizarre, but has rather come to be expected, some number among those who favor life-at-any-cost are threatening to kill Michael Schiavo. And his lawyer. And a judge or two as well. With Tom DeLay enabling them with what sounds a lot like a Warning From God, or from God's Enforcer, violence is likely. But then, this is Florida. Remember the to-do about the little Cuban boy, Elian Gonzalez, who was eventually returned to his father in Cuba? How awful it was to allow his father to Abduct Him And Take Him To A Communist Country! Some said at the time that it was a sign of the End Of It All. Probably the same people who are saying that the "murder of Terri Schiavo is The Beginning Of The End."

The Pope is dying. May already be dead by the time I post this.
Aside: A remarkable statement on the TeeVee read "Heart failure: a signal that the cardiac system is failing."
Despite being somewhat retro, Pope John Paul II did affirm church dogma saying that heroic measures to sustain life (see Terri Shiavo, above) are not required. To illustrate, the Pope himself elected not to return to hospital. Perhaps he feared suffering the fate of Terri Shiavo.
Rather than fearing death, though change, especially when one has not seen even a picture of the future (even supposing one has read the Divine Comedy, or any number of religious writings) is always a little fearsome, some would say death should not be feared, but embraced. Seeing it is inevitable, that's probably a reasonable attitude.
Herewith, a quote. No, not Thanatopsis. Also, perhaps not very accurate. Though, since it is from the Greek, perhaps I can just say it's my own translation. Or, it would be, if I could read Greek.
"Do you think I have less divination that the swan? For swans, when they know they are dying, sing then louder than ever, not from fear or in pain, but in joy, knowing that they go to the God (Apollo, I think) they serve." Don't think divining rod here, think Spark Of Divinity, or soul. Attributed to Socrates by Plato.
Now, along with a fear of death, or of any unknown, there is also the fear of loss. There are millions (at least) of catholics and other christians who are feeling considerable fear, or at least a deep sense of loss, at the imminent passing of their personal link to their God. The Pope is thought by some to be the representative of God On Earth. He is believed to somehow have a better connection to the Lord than you or I do. I must confess that I am completely unable to comprehend an Almighty God that exists more in some places less in others. Is more attentive to some of His creatures, less so toward others.
Of course, I Could Be Wrong. God may have long ago adopted a modern management style; delegating some fucntions of His Universe to the Pope, delegating others (killing evildoers, perhaps) to George W. Bush. Still other jobs have been outsourced, I suppose, to various Imams, or to Osama bin Laden. And, of course, much is required of whoever currently occupies Jerusalem, where God is more immediately present than elsewhere in His creation.
As I say, I am completely baffled by the idea that this Almighty God needs people to help him in his labors. Especially, if you look at the efforts of his aides, to make certain that other people do as they are told.
By God, or by those who claim to speak in His Name?
Okay, I'm finished now...