Terri Schiavo pt. 2

There have been comments made by supporters of Michael Schiavo’s efforts to end his wife’s life that are a bit disingenuous, I would argue. It goes something like this. If you are a Christian you should support Michael’s husbandly authority in the marriage to make the decision. I have no idea where that is coming from. I suppose it is a misguided effort to connect these submission texts to the situation.

Ephes. 5:21-22 (NLT)
And further, you will submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. [22] You wives will submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord.

First, notice the Bible is calling for a mutual submission for all Christians. Listening deeply and responding carefully in placing the needs of others ahead of your own, when appropriate. This is a far cry from, “I am the husband, and so I can order for you to be starved to death.”

Second, it’s not as if Terri has a choice of “submission” in all of this in the first place. She cannot communicate clearly, remember? And while we are on this subject, if husband’s have marital authority than where are these same people when we pass laws that say abortion can be carried out without the husband’s consent? Where is the outcry?

So what is a husband’s duty to his wife? In many Christian marriage services these words provide a haunting backdrop to this case.

“…to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part.”

Michael Schiavo is engaged to another woman and has two children with her. Why didn’t he divorce Terri in the first place? I am not saying I agree with him doing that, but in his circumstance if he was going to marry again why not do it in an honorable fashion? The whole “husbandly” argument as it relates to Terri kind of breaks down here, don’t you think?