Big Questions: Are We Free to Choose?

 

Are we really the Masters of our Fates – the Captains of our Souls?

 

Whether or not we have this Free Will (as it’s often referred to) has been the subject of debates among philosophers, scientists, theologians, and more – at least since words have been written down – and most likely for before then.  And folks, like many of the Big Questions we’ve explored, there doesn’t seem to be agreement on the answer – even in the 21^st century.  The possibilities seem to fall on a continuum – or perhaps it’s more complicated than something linear – but for this sermon, we’ll proceed as if that’s the case.  Most of our proceedings on any subject matter are done “as if” some assumptions are so, aren’t they?

I looked to several resources to examine this topic including the Encyclopedia of Philosophy, that Twenty Questions book that has been at my bedside for months, and internet sources – including Wikipedia and more.  I’m not going to interrupt this sermon to share which source my information came from.  So, here’s a little of what folks, including me, have been thinking about this subject.

According to David Hume, the question of the nature of free will is “the most contentious question of metaphysics.” If this is correct, then figuring out what free will is - may be difficult. But, basically, to say that humans have free will is to say that they have the capacity to choose their actions. 

Now, let me attempt to take you down this continuum road to Free Will.

On the side furthest away from Free Will is what many might refer to as hard determinism or scientific determinism. the view that all events (including mental events) have a cause. In other words, all states of affairs, both physical and mental, are conditioned by their causes and are describable by scientific law. In a deterministic universe, there is no free will, no miracles, and no chance events.

The reason some refer to this as scientific determinism is that it seemed for a long time that science backed up this view.  There was a cause for everything – even if we didn’t understand it yet.  And for things we still don’t understand – well, maybe science hasn’t figured it out yet.  At one time there were magical explanations for rainbows.  But now we understand what causes them. Similarly, we know a lot more about evolution and DNA, etc.  Some of you are old enough to remember the twin studies done back in the 60’s.  They found these identical twins that had been separated at birth for adoption (from back when they used to do that) and studied them as we as fraternal twins separated at birth and found that the identical twins were significantly more likely to have made the same or similar life choices.  Some of these twins got together and went on talk shows.  I can remember that some had married spouses with the same names and smoked the same brand of cigarettes and more.  Of course, they emphasized how they were alike – not how they were different.  But it did lead to some credence that perhaps we are hard wired to lean toward certain choices.  Of course, evolution has hard wired us to eat lots of sugar because our hunter gatherer ancestors had to get as many of those good calories as they could to survive.  That doesn’t mean that we can’t CHOOSE to do differently.  It is hard to turn down that chocolate though.  These deterministic views were adopted by psychologists like BF Skinner who saw all our behaviors as the results of rewards and punishments.  He could predict what those mice were going to do very well.  But now there is NEW science – Quantum Physics – which seems to weigh in against determinism.  And who knows what may be next. So, let’s continue on our this road I have us on.

Also, at that end of the road is something called Predeterminism.  It’s more of a theological viewpoint.  On this doctrine events throughout eternity have been foreordained by God or some other supernatural power in a causal sequence. The metaphor of God constructing and winding up a clock (the universe) and letting it run until the end of time is often used.

Moving on down the road we come to: Soft Determinism.

This is the philosophical view that all physical events are caused but mental processes are uncaused. Choices have only to do with mental processes and have no actual effect in the external world. On this view, what we can control is not what happens in the external would but how we think about what happens in the external world. Our choices are often restricted to "willing the next moment in spite of its inevitability" or simply to be willing to "let it be."  I have some folks share with me that things that have happened were “meant to be,” and I just have to think more positively about it.

A little further down the road is Fatalism.  The big things – like birth and death – are determined.  There is a TIME you are going to DIE.  But some choice still exists. Here’s a quote from one of the internet encyclopedias that provides a good example:

Suppose, for example, by means of some kind of revelation I learn that I will die from burns at 10:02 AM in the local Mercy Hospital on Saturday morning. On the one hand, suppose as soon as I learn this, I get in my car to get to the airport to get as far away as possible, but on the way to the airport, my car is hit by a tanker and I suffer intense heat. After being transported to the hospital, I linger on and then die at the appointed time. On the other hand, suppose I did not take the risk of traveling to the airport and go home and intend to stay under the bed until Sunday. Unknown to me, however, there was a wiring fault in the house, and the house catches fire and so on. I would have choices in such a situation, but the fated event would occur anyway.

Another kind of determination along this road that includes free will is predestination. Many persons who hold this doctrine is compatible with free will in the sense that God knows in advance what will happen, but we freely choose and, by coincidence, choose according to God's plan.

Then we come to Indeterminism: The philosophical doctrine that denies determinism is true. More specifically, not all events (either mental or physical) are determined by past events. There is a certain amount of free play between events, possibly due to chance, free choice, or chaos. Some events are caused, and some events are not caused.

We have not made it all the way to Free Will yet folks.  Next on this imaginary roadway is CHANCE – like tossing a coin – which some say can be predicted to some degree of accuracy by calculation – but for the most part – it’s that part of life where most of us say, “Shhh – It Happens.”

Then, at last, we make it to the philosophical (and sometimes theological) view of Free Will:  the doctrine that some of our choices are uncaused.  Free will results from the absence of causes, conditions, or other necessary determinations of choice or behavior.  Now most of us who proclaim free will – do acknowledge limitations.  I cannot flap my arms like a bird flaps its wings and fly.  I am bound by the laws of nature.  However, some folks did figure out how to work within the laws of nature so that Greg and I will be able to fly to London. We are also sometimes constrained by others who have imprisoned us or oppressed us and we are constrained by resources and more.  But within some limitations that we accept, we choose to believe that we can make choices.

Now that continuum is one way to explain the spectrum of possibilities.  There are other words that are also used – but this is sermon, not a textbook.

Regardless of the terminology used, usually when Free Will is discussed, you will also find a discussion of responsibility.  My 20 Questions book provided this example:

Take the case of a criminal who was raised in a slum, surrounded by poverty, crime, and drugs. He went to school in which the most academic activity was writing graffiti on walls.  He was abused as a child, beaten up as a teenager, and harassed as a young adult.  His acts of violence, his defense attorney argues, was nothing but the product of his environment and his upbringing.  It is society’s fault; he is not to blame.  The prosecutor is incensed. Thousands of children grow up in similar circumstances, she argues, and they do not turn to crime.  A person is free and responsible for what he or she does, she concludes, and crime must by paid for.  There are many other similar court cases.

Which lawyer is right? Certainly, we are heavily influenced by our culture and environment, especially in our developing years.  And a world that allows children to grow up in these circumstances may bear some responsibility, too.  But most of us sitting on a jury would probably not let this man go free if the prosecution provided strong evidence that he committed the crime.  We may ask the judge for leniency in the kind of sentence that he was given and attempt to encourage programming in criminal justice institutions which might lead to rehabilitation. 

We also see children that are given too much in their early years. No one ever says “no” to them. They have all the choices they can possibly make granted. The outcomes for these children in the real world are not good either.  They have learned no responsibility.

If we choose to adopt a free will philosophy, then for a healthy life for ourselves and others, we have to adopt a philosophy of responsibility as well. 

Now, here is another caveat to that statement, though.  What if a person has some neurosis or mental illness  -- and though the conscious part of the individual wants to always make the right choice, the unconscious neurosis seems to make that a negative choice.  Is this person responsible? Our legal system does have the possibility of “non-guilty by reason of insanity.”  But aren’t most murderers mentally ill? Or are they just evil?

You know – I didn’t watch all the trial of Alec Murdaugh.  I did see highlights. And I know the jury came back with a guilty verdict – although I’m not sure the evidence was all there to prove guilt.  But even thinking that – I was glad to see him go to prison.  Because he seemed to be an evil man – whether or not he killed his wife and son. 

In reality, this whole discussion, though – of “Free Will” is one for people of privilege.  For those who live under suppression or who live in extreme poverty and are trying to figure out where they will sleep on a cold night or whether they will say the wrong thing and be beaten up by those who have power over them and more – those folks aren’t thinking about philosophical questions like this.  They don’t have the time or energy.  They must think about survival.  I just want to lift that up as we sit here and contemplate all of this – because I realize how privileged I am to be able to write a sermon on something like this. 

I became much more interested in choice back in the 80’s when I was attending an educational conference in New Orleans with my then husband Fred Page, where we were presenting some of our research.  The main speaker for this event was Dr. William Glasser, who was famous for writing a book on Reality Therapy.  His newer research had broad implications for education and that’s why they had him at this conference.  He explained it so well – that I knew I had to buy the book to learn more.  At the time his book was called “Control Theory.”  He later changed it to “Choice Theory”.  Our library did not have it and the little bookstore in the Mall that Teresa Winn’s parents owned did not have it either – but they ordered it for me. 

As I read through this big book, it was like being in therapy – which I desperately needed because of the difficulties in my marriage at the time.  Although I did not plan to ever leave my marriage, it did help me understand that I had choices – especially in how I thought about some things.  There were things going on in my husband’s life that I desperately wanted to change.  I wanted him to love ME – not be enamored with his young graduate assistant.  This book helped me to choose to let go of that desire and focus on other things that would help me have a good life – like my other family members, my research, my teaching, my department chair responsibilities, my social justice work and more.  I do not remember the specifics of the book – but I remember one passage well.  Dr. Glasser was sharing about what he told a patient – let’s call her Sue.  I don’t remember her name.  He said that she needed to tell herself often this message.  “Sue can only control her own life. Her happiness depends not on what others do, but on what she does.  And the sooner she learns this, the happier she will be.”  Well – I changed Sue to Jane and wrote those words on lots of slips of paper and taped them on my mirror, the refrigerator, the steering wheel of my car, and on my office wall.

I sometimes still recite them.  Jane can only control her own life.  Her happiness depends not on what others do, but on what she does.  And the sooner she learns this, the happier she will be.

I learned them and I lived them. And I got so much better. Sadly, as I took more control of my happiness in these ways, my husband just got more and more depressed that he was in a marriage with someone like me – but didn’t believe he should end it.  So finally, I was so worried about him and his well-being, that I ended it and told him he should be with her.  She was married – so it took a bit for him to get there, but he did, and we were both better off. 

Are we the masters of our fates? Are we the captains of our soul?

Not completely. – But we can all get up every day and ask for the Serenity – to what? – to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things that I can

And the wisdom to know the difference!

May it be so!

Big Questions: And What of Death?

 

Now I lay me down to sleep

I pray the Lord my soul to keep

If I should die before I wake

I pray the Lord my soul to take. 

 

According to Wikipedia, that prayer – in that form –

was first published in the old New England Primer

that our Puritan ancestors used to learn to read. 

And from there it was passed down somehow to my Mama,

because it was the prayer she would say

with my brother Johnny and me at bedtime.

 I didn’t take any special comfort from that prayer. 

And I’m still not sure that it’s a good idea to place in the minds of toddlers that they may die during the night. 

But – in my preparation for this sermon

(which is not the first one I’ve done on death) –

I found out that there is an old Bhutanise folk saying

that encourages us to think of that possibility. 

In fact, the saying is that to be a happy person,

one must contemplate death 5 times daily.  And guess what? 

There’s an app for that.  It’s called WeCroak. 

I now have it on my phone and watch and 5 times a day –

at random times and at any moment, just like death –

I’m sent a reminder.

When my watch vibrates and I’m reminded that I’m going to die,

it gives me the option to open the app to reveal a quote about life and death from a poet, philosopher, or notable thinker. 

They are pretty good –

like Mary Oliver’s words that came up for me this week saying,

To live in this world you must be able to do three things:

to love what is mortal; to hold it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it;

and, when the time comes to let it go, to let it go.

Forrest Church said that “Religion is the human response to being alive and having to die.” 

That one hasn’t come up on my WeCroak app yet –

but I’m sure it probably will. 

Most of us here today have had to deal with loved ones dying. 

Many of us have had parents that have died, some have had siblings that have died, some have had to grieve the death of their spouses or partners, close friends, and for some of us –

even our children. 

And let us not forget those precious furry and feathery creatures that give us so much love. 

So, we know we, too, are going to die. 

You may not need an app to remind you. 

I just got it because I was working on this sermon

and wanted to check it out and see if it did make me happier. 

And I must say – for me – yeah,

 it does work to contemplate the life that I do have,

knowing it is fragile and will not last.  I savor it more. 

In my last sermon, I shared with you that there are some transitions in life that come suddenly –

and that we can’t prepare for – but others we know about –

and we can prepare for. 

And one thing we ALL know for sure is that we ALL are going to die. 

They used to say there are only two sure things in this world – death and taxes.  But I’ve found out that there are folks who don’t pay taxes. 

But they are still going to die.  It’s the one thing we can be sure of. 

There is a lot of good information for you to read and study about death. 

It’s interesting that there is so much – when in reality –

we have to admit that we know so little. 

But if you want to learn a whole lot – I’d recommend this book. 

Farewell:  Vital End-of-Life Questions with Candid Answers from a Leading Palliative and Hospice Physician. 

Dr. Edward Creagon, a renowned specialist in oncology, palliative care and hospice care, has dedicated his life to death. 

For more than forty years, he has been at the bedside with patients at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, addressing the end-of-life questions patients and their families ask. 

His book is about navigating those final days

and saying farewell with hope, love, and compassion. 

It’s a comprehensive book, full of both some science, but mainly great stories as examples. 

And yes, I read it all. 

Of course, there are also the classics like Elizabeth Kubler Ross’

On Death and Dying. 

And there are books for grief support groups

like we had here several years ago and more. 

Much too much to cover in one sermon.

So, I decided that it might help me with this sermon

if I could see what you were thinking

about death and what preparations you had made.

 I made a google survey and tried to get it out to as many of folks in my congregations as possible. 

As I was drafting this sermon, I had 34 responses.

The first thing I asked was “Do you have a will?” 

We’ve all been told that everyone needs one, right? 

(Slide) And I’m happy to report that 67.6 percent of the respondents

reported that they, indeed, do have a will. 

But that means that 42.4% don’t have one – and that’s a pretty big number –especially for Unitarian Universalists –

who are pretty smart folks. 

Now some say you are working on it –

one of those things where you are trying to get around to it. 

But 23.5% just said no. 

Often folks think they are too poor or too young to have a will. 

But their loved ones will usually tell you they sure wish they did –

if they do die without one. 

Now, if you intend to leave something to this beloved congregation in you will, (and we hope you will consider that as part of your legacy)

We would appreciate your sending the church the page in your will indicating your intentions, and we will keep that in our lock box.

If you want it to go to our building fund – used to pay off our mortgage and for other brick and mortar possibilities, write that in your will. 

We will recognize you as part of our Legacy Society.

I also asked you if you had an Advanced Directive –

also known as a Living Will? 

Most of us who regularly go to a healthcare provider have had those folks

insist that we complete one of these.

 I already had done my own – but when my healthcare provider offered,

 I had her do one as well

so that she would be fully informed of my wishes

and have that on file in their office – and I put it on file in the Statesboro hospital as well.  I need to do that in Brunswick.

It’s ALSO on my refrigerator – under a magnet. 

I realized the need to do that when one of my congregants died at home – and the emergency personnel insisted that they had to try to resuscitate him

unless his spouse showed them that he had declared that he did not want resuscitation. 

So she had to do a quick hunt for that document. 

As you can imagine, that was kind of distressing. 

So – mine is on my refrigerator.  Someone told me I should also have a copy in my glove compartment of my car.  Good idea. 

Now at this time – I do not have a DNR –

 but I do have other important things I would want them to know –

 and if I do decide on a DNR in the future, I’ll check that box as well. 

When I was accompanying Jim and Peter Crandall (members in Statesboro) near the end of Jim’s life journey recently,

 I carefully read over all of the hospice information

since Jim was under home hospice care. 

Peter and I both thought that he would probably have to call Emergency Services when Jim died –

 but then I read that you do NOT have to call EMS if the patient is under hospice care.

 You just call the hospice folks. 

They send the healthcare person over with a stethoscope to listen for a heartbeat and declare that your loved one has died.

 And the funeral home that you have selected comes to pick them up. 

No Sirens and hunts for directives, etc.  Just call hospice. 

And when the time came, that’s what Peter did. 

 On my little survey, I asked about your views of hospice.

This slide shows some of the choices I found that you have in Glynn County. 

Most of you have the same positive views of hospice that I do. 

Almost all of the responses were glowing,

especially if folks had experienced hospice care for loved ones. 

A couple mentioned that there were sometimes problems

and one person said it would not be their first choice–

but did not say what that first choice would be ---

perhaps something like assisted suicide,

which I’ll talk more about near the end of this sermon. 

  I did not think to ask about palliative care when I did the survey,

but if folks are favorable about hospice care,

I would assume they would be about the broader category of palliative care.

 Palliative care is providing as much comfort for the patient as possible –

while still treating symptoms and providing curative care as well. 

You can’t have hospice care as a Medicare benefit,

unless physicians estimate that you have 6 months or less to live.

 But you can have palliative care. 

They provide pain relief as well – perhaps not as much as hospice.

And I say – Bring them on!

I’m so glad that we had hospice care with my dad. 

I wish we had had it with my first father-in-law, Fred Page, Sr. 

He lived for several months after my mother-in-law died,

but had so many health problems, including congestive heart failure. 

I can remember being at the old Bulloch Memorial hospital with my then husband Fred and his two brothers as we watched him in agony. 

And the nurse explained to us that he was actively dying

and she shared with us – bless her heart – what we should expect

as his organs shut down and his breathing became more labored. 

But for some reason, the Page boys did not listen to her

and insisted that more be done to help him recover. 

The hospital made the decision to send him in an ambulance

to a hospital in Savannah. 

I guess they didn’t want him to die on their clock

with these three men so upset. 

When we got there we went into the room he was in

and my husband began to tell his dad that he just needed to fight harder. 

“You can do this dad,” he said.  “You have to fight.”

 I let him know that we needed to talk in the hallway. 

“Did you not hear that nurse in Statesboro, Fred?  Your dad is dying. 

You are not helping by telling him to fight.  He needs your permission to go in peace.  Please, go let him know it’s okay.” 

So. Fred went back in and told him he didn’t need to fight any longer. 

And he recited by heart the King James version of the 23^rd Psalm. 

If you know it, say it with me.

 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul:

he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;

thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

 thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Amen

My father-in-law relaxed, went to sleep,

and was gone within a couple of hours.  Amen.

May we all have folks around us who will give us permission to go. 

And thank goodness, those hospice angels encourage us to do just that.

Now -- The last sermon I shared with you was one related to identity – who you are. 

And if you missed it, you can go back to my sermon page and read it.

 So, this next question in the survey is kind of a follow-up.

I asked you,

“What do you think happens to the “person” at death? 

I read over these and tried to categorize the responses. 

Almost half of you said basically that you did not know. 

Many of you seemed to be fine with letting it be a mystery. 

But a couple of you said you worried about it –

and it kept you up some nights. 

A dozen of the respondents believe that when you die, that personhood 

-      that consciousness – is gone as well. 

Many followed up with the idea that you live on as memories

and the good works you did and more –

or that your energy merged or dissolved into the Universe

or some similar words. 

But there were 5 folks who believed in some kind of afterlife

where you would still be you

or that you would be reborn in some other form.

I also asked if there is such a thing as a good death? 

And if so, to describe an example. 

I think I thought of this because of a movie that I saw way back when called, “Legends of the Fall.” 

And in that movie the main character played by Brad Pitt has his death described by an old Indian who said he lived a good, long life – and was out enjoying the woods by himself – and did not come back. 

Some say that he was attacked and fought a bear –

and was killed by the bear – perhaps eaten by the bear.

(And the movie showed that horrific event in a hazy light.)

Then the old Indian narrator said, “It was a good death.” 

And the movie ended. 

Somehow that stayed with me –

because I didn’t think of it as a good death.

But maybe – if I grew up in that culture,

I would honor that as a good death. 

By the responses you all gave me,

I don’t think you would view that as a good way to go either. 

Several of you described a peaceful death in old age without pain. 

One of you felt that your death could be deemed as “good”

if you lived your life in such a way that people would mourn the loss.   

Several of you mentioned having family members present. 

Although many thought that in your sleep was a good way to depart,

one mentioned that their 93 year old dad was singing and laughing when he suddenly died – and that changed their view of a good death. 

Many shared something like the person’s acceptance of death

and their being ready to go. 

One person thought I might be asking the wrong question. 

This person said:

“I am not sure good and bad are the right adjectives… perhaps it is more complicated than that.  A more complicated way to think may be to ask questions about death as a part of life, or to ask the same questions about death that we ask about life:  what do I want our of my death”  what are the most important things to me about my death?  What do I want to achieve with my death – or with the death of a loved one?”

And one person noted that death is necessary and should be under the terms of the person who is dying if possible.

And that leads to the question I put off till the end – because it’s probably the one that is most controversial

and we may have more differences of opinions here. 

And remember, that’s okay – because we are Unitarian Universalists – and we do not have to think alike to love alike.   

So - I did ask about views of assisted suicide for terminal patients who desired this and whether or not it should be legal. 

Of the 33 folks who responded to this question,

26 or 78.8% felt that it should be legal. 

Seven were not sure or had caveats like

“only if the patient is in extreme pain that medication can not control.”  

 There were two people who thought it should not be an option.   

One person who thought it should be legal included the caveat 

that it should never be used in the case of mental illness –

rather than physical illness (although, I didn’t ask about that).

As you might guess, I agree with the large majority of you who see

assisted suicide as an option for folks with a terminal illness,

and think it should be legal. 

But I may go a step further than some of you.

 And since someone brought up mental illness – I’ll go there.

Although the National Center for Health Statistics shares all kinds of data 

about suicides, including attempts and successes by age, gender,

whether or not a firearm was used, etc. 

they do not provide data on what might have led to the decision –

whether related to a terminal physical illness, mental illness,

financial stress, or more. 

So, I don’t have hard data to share with you. 

But a whole lot of the suicides that I hear about

happen because folks are SO seriously miserable

and have been so for so long,

usually due to some mental illnesses like severe depression

or perhaps other reasons,

like having physical illnesses that they can live with

but with no quality of life

that they just want the pain and misery to be over. 

And they have to go to all kinds of efforts to make this happen

and put their family through even more hell by finding them

hanging in the back yard or shot with that gun bought “for protection.”

Now I’m not saying that anyone who feels that they want to be dead

should be allowed to have assisted suicide.

 There should be some kinds of requirements (like age requirements)

and processes that they must go through –

perhaps trying different medicines and therapies over a period of time

to be sure that nothing can make their life worth living. 

But it is THEIR life.  I am pro-choice – for both BIRTH and DEATH. 

A mature adult should be able to make that decision

and have some assistance in doing it the best way possible. 

My dad died of Alzheimer’s. 

It was very difficult for my mom as his caregiver. 

My dad was not my dad when he died. 

He had become a very different person. 

Not only did his memories go, his personality was not the same. 

Thankfully – he became sweeter rather than meaner

as happens with some folks. 

He loved everybody – but he didn’t know who any of us were. 

And he was miserable –

especially when it came to being able to pee when he wanted to –

even if he had a catheter. 

I mean – this man was in so much agony for so long. 

He was in a lot of misery because he could not do the things

he liked to do

or even the things to keep himself clean.

He should have been under hospice care a long time before he was –

but no doctor offered that as an alternative

and I guess my Mama didn’t feel right bringing it up. 

Finally – when their doctor moved out of town

and they had to go to someone new –

 that doctor asked her what her goals were for my dad –

and she said – I just want him to be comfortable –

and the doctor advised hospice care. 

Now my Mama is 96 and has a good mind –

and is still able to take care of herself. 

I’m hoping I got my mom’s genes.  But what if I got my dad’s genes.

 Beloveds, I do not want to live like that. 

And I don’t want my family to have to take care of me like that –

EVEN if they say they want to do so.

Now I shared with you in my last sermon that there are some transitions we can prepare for.

 So, beloveds, I have a plan that I may have to carry out alone, I guess.  But I will. 

Of course, I may change my mind. 

But it will be ME changing my mind if I do. 

I do not believe suicide is a sin.  I believe it’s a choice. 

I’m not saying it’s something you should consider.

 I’m just saying it’s a choice we should have.

Now the only legal thing that is allowed in our state

is something called VSED –

which has been upheld by the Supreme Court if one is mentally capable of making the decision. 

VSED stands for Voluntary Stopping Eating and Drinking. 

It’s sad that this is the only option – because it takes a while. 

You can live a very long time without eating –

so you have to quit your intake of liquids as well –

which can be uncomfortable – to say the least. 

Now if you are lucky enough to be under hospice care –

you can get the good drugs –

 but if you are not – then you tough it out for a while

with no food or water

till you just start to mainly sleep because everything is shutting down –

OR you make your own plans for speeding up the process. 

It’s helpful if you can find someone to assist you –

but if not – it can still be done. 

It’s your life.  It’s your death.  You should get to make those decisions.

Forrest Church said, “Unitarian Universalists are neither a chosen people

nor a people whose choices are made for them by theological authorities - ancient or otherwise.

We are a people who choose.”  

Georgia is one of the states that has at least considered physician assisted suicide – though it did not pass through our legislature. 

Who knows – maybe if we can get more progressive folks in office,

this will be a right that we all have as well.  (pause)

I did ask one further question on my survey – and that was an opportunity for you to share other thoughts. 

All were interesting to read.  But I’m going to close with a quote someone shared from a poem by Williams Cullens Bryant.  Here is that quote.

(SLIDE) So live, that when thy summons comes to join

The innumerable caravan, that moves

To that mysterious realm, where each shall take

His chamber in the silent halls of death,

Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night,

Scourged to his dungeon, but sustained and soothed

By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave,

Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch

About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.

 May it be!