The news has recently reported the tragic death in Afganistan of a young doctor whilst travelling back from treating patients in outlying regions.
Her name was Dr Karen Woo, and she had a blog, which I've just read.
It's good.
She died along with nine other people in what was either a robbery or a vague politico-religious assault, but was definitely an unjustified and deeply stupid attack showing an utter lack of respect for life by the perpetrators.
I have no supernatural faith, no religion, no belief in an afterlife, and I've never seen or read any evidence that humans have a soul or a spirit or any purpose other than that which we have created for ourselves, or that we are anything more or less than beautifully evolved biological mechanisms.
What we do have is a life.
Whatever happens, and for however long that life is, what can never be taken away is the simple fact that we existed, and will always have existed.
Taking life is far easier than preventing someone dying, and Dr Woo lived on the far side of the moral spectrum from her murderers.
Sometimes, I'm not lighthearted.
No apologies.
Theyre saying they were killed as Christian Missionarys...
ReplyDeleteA very poor excuse for disposing of these lifegivers. These people are their own worst enemies
Jules - you are entirely right in every word you say. It's difficult not to feel an overwhelming sense of anger and despair at this news.
ReplyDeleteWell said.
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame that Dr. Woo was killed, it is also sad that she rejected Christianity - I was once a non believer, but have been a Christian, now 30 years.
ReplyDeleteIt does give peace to know that there is everlasting life after this one on earth through Jesus Christ.
I am not preaching, I am saying that to live forever in heaven, you must accept Jesus as the Son of God.
Tempo - Aren't they just.
ReplyDeleteMdme DeF - Sadly, it does. I'm in no way a pessimist, but it does get you down.
livesbythewoods - Thanks
Anon - How is that not preaching? We obviously have very different concepts of "sad".
In my opinion, people kill out of fear. Either fear of being killed (roughly referred to as self defense) or fear of exposure. These killings, I suspect, were for the second reason. It is clear it was not self defense.
ReplyDeleteI imagine the statistics of people who were killed for religious reasons are far higher than any other reason. That alone is enough to have turned me off of any type religion.
ReplyDeletePeople do bad things to one another and it is awfully convenient for them to justify it in the name of religion.
ReplyDeleteArab terrorists sometimes say they want a holy war with the west. It's a good thing I'm not in charge or I'd probably take them up on it, bringing back the population decimating tactics of the Romans. I wonder how long it would take Hezbolah and Syria to change their ways if western armies went town by town leaving no survivors.
Folks should be careful what's wished for or they might get it.
taking the scientific point of view;
ReplyDeleteIt is known, Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only transferred. This being the case is a human not energy, and where would that energy go after death? transfer.....
Douglas - Maybe fear of losing power and control as well.
ReplyDeleteI suppose that's a form of exposure isn't it?
SkylersDad - Does seem that way. Nice to see how we're learning from past mistakes.
Eric - It is very tempting to call them out and get down to their level, but those who suffer the most probably aren't the ones who deserve it. Alhtough that's true of every war.
Greg - True, to fuction the human brain has to use a lot of calories from glucose (mainly) to maintain the electrochemical energy required to function,but there's no extra special energy force that doesn't dissipate as heat and waste products.
It is a tragedy...life givers/life preservers should not die like that...
ReplyDeleteThis post was well said and does her name and achievements honour. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, such an amazing person deserves their memory to be shared and preserved.
ReplyDeleteAw, Jules. Well said, every word of it.
ReplyDeletePearl
Nota Bene - We've all got to go, but not like that.
ReplyDeleteOut of Sync - She really does.
Pearl - Thank you.