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The first year
of the third millennium has not brought with it anything new except
the usual flood of talk and greater confusion on social issues, to the
extent that a state of paradox has almost been achieved.
Consider any topic
whatsoever and what I have said stands out straight away.
For instance, let
us take what The Minister of Health, Veronesi said - one day the Minister
presents a decree that quite rightfully should forbid smoking in public
premises (smoking as we all know causes invalidating and often fatal
illnesses).
A few days later,
this same Minister states, “I am in favour of the liberalisation of
drugs”. From this, it would appear that drugs are not harmful to the
health and so, while cigarettes cannot be smoked in public premises,
hasish can. Contradiction? No, a paradox, because it has been scientifically
proven that both are harmful for the health.
One more example.
The pope sanctifies a Catholic who lived strictly according to the faith,
and to do so obtained the approval of the special court that deals with
canonisation proceedings.
The atheists, those
who do not believe, are scandalised and shout their disapproval; their
protests are not restricted to expressing an opinion but are real and
true interferences in the considerations of the judging Church. Paradoxical
protests: if they do not believe and are not Catholics, what does it
matter to them whether the Church considers a faithful practising Catholic
to be a saint.
A euthanasia campaign
has started. Well-known figures have taken the field in support of the
need to sanction the practice of “sweet death” and uphold the right
of freedom of choice as to how and when to die with dignity and without
suffering. This escalation does not astonish us particularly.
After abortion,
it was only natural and logical that its should come about. It is already
contemplated that someone else decide the problem when the individual
is not able to do so by him/herself. What will the next step be? To
kill off all the disabled, deformed babies and, why not, those that
do not come up to aesthetic standard....according to Hitler’s line of
thought? The paradox is that the people who support euthanasia are obviously
scared of dying; their arguments aim at convincing themselves more than
others. In the name of their own freedom, they do not think that they
are encroaching on the freedom of others, of those who have to actually
perform the act and they expect a doctor to do it for them.
A thousand considerations
can be formulated on this topic and not all of an ethical nature; some
more modestly are pragmatic. We shall talk about this in more detail
in a forthcoming issue. Christmas is almost here, so let us set aside
the thought of death and dedicate our attention to life. Catholics think
of the birth of Christ, others of Father Christmas. People free themselves
of evil spirits by exchanging ritual greetings and see you soon in 2001.
(traduzione Interpres sas-Giussano)
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