"I am so frustrated that our culture continues to promote the premise that if you love somebody, you're free to kill them, all in the name of compassion. That is detestable and hateful. Our adversary is the devil, and he is a liar, who tries to convince us that our life is not worth living; and he is a murderer, in that he promotes euthanasia...and he is a deceiver, in that he tries to change the meaning of the word 'compassion' to mean three grams of phenobarbitol in the veins."--Joni Eareckson Tada
That's an excerpt of my interview with Joni, which I hope to have transcripted and on the blog shortly.
Most people in the Christian community are familiar with Joni's story. As a teen-ager, she injured her head in a diving accident, leaving her paralyzed from the neck down.
Joni tells me that the depression and despondency following her accident prompted her to plead with her friends to help her end her life. Thankfully, that didn't happen, and this remarkable woman has triumphed over incredible odds to become a voice for the disabled (with her Joni and Friends ministry), an artist and a prolific writer of inspiring books.
Heads up: Movie spoiler:
The movie Million Dollar Baby, starring Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank is in the running for Oscar gold, having already been adored by critics and lauded by the Golden Globes.
But many moviegoers are sucker-punched (forgive the boxing pun) when they find out that the inspiring, heartwarming "Rocky-in-a-sports-bra" story they were expecting, turns into a hope-less treatise on assisted suicide.
Joni had some things to say about "Million Dollar Baby" and why she thinks Hollywood's take on euthanasia is so damaging. I ended the interview with even more respect and admiration for this lovely and amazing woman.
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