All her life, she was appalled by the thought that one day old age, infirmity or sickness might make her a burden on others.
Like many of her generation she did not like to make a fuss. Quiet fortitude was her style. So during her final illness she did not protest when she was treated with a level of dismissive contempt that amounted to cruelty.
When she was quarantined in a bleak and windowless hospital room, Mama — who had been diagnosed with terminal leukaemia — was accorded neither compassion nor care.
And there is no other reason that the euthanasia movement has taken such hold. Frankly, people are terrified, and with good reason. They have seen how their relatives and friends have been treated by this Godless, heathen, human-hating "autonomist" philosophy.
The English can thank heartless Protestantism for creating this cultural paranoia of "being a burden to others" that really does have the whole country in its icy grip. There is almost no religion left in this sad realm, and the Protestant revolution can be thanked for most of their current cultural woes.
Every day I thank God (and, incidentally, St. Philip, who as good as "told" me to come here) and my friends who convinced me, for bringing me to Italy and delivering me from this horror, so much worse than the simple frustrations of Italian secretaries.
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I always had this dream that I'd retire somewhere in Italy or Rome (currently in TO, Canada). But I think I'll want to learn the language first before migrating there.
ReplyDeleteHaving recently had a minor operation in a British NHS hospital, I cannot speak too highly of the standard of care. If I had paid privately, I would have thought I had got excellent value for money. Though there were boxes to tick, I never felt like one myself.
ReplyDeleteThree days ago I was with my sister as she died in an NHS hospital. Again, I could not fault the care nor the attentive sympathy of doctor and nurses.
There are horror stories. A friend of mine absolutely dreads having to go near his local hospital where he and his family have had appalling treatment from arrogant staff who scarcely speak the language and any complaint is likely to be attributed to "racism".
So the NHS is rather like the curate's egg. Parts of it are excellent.
Would you be willing to give me more information to explore on the effects Protestantism has had on healthcare? I have not heard this perspective and I'm eager to read more. I am a Protestant, not from the anabaptist/radical reformation tradition but the magisterial reformation tradition, and I agree with what you write on these issues. But this particular angle I'm eager to read more about.
ReplyDeleteThank you - and your blog is a treasure on many ways.