On Friday Hugh Hewitt called on all Christians to hold up Terri Schiavo in prayer, and as well pray for those who can help that they choose to do so. This is indeed the main issue here. Have we as a country been so taken in by a culture of death that we will stand by silently as evil persons torture and kill Terri Schiavo? Has the Christian Church been so taken in by political agendas that we can't oppose the murder of the inconvenient?

Terri Schiavo facts:

Terri Schiavo is not on "life support". She is living and breathing on her own without medical aid, and has lived the last five years in a Hospice not a Hospital. All she requires is food and water delivered by tube, since she can not eat normally.

There is grave doubt that Terri Schiavo is in a Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) since the tests required to determine this have never been performed. Her estranged husband has not allowed them, and a Judge has sided with the husband.

Terri has not been given good care. In fact under normal circumstances the care would be considered criminal neglect since she has had teeth rot due to lack of proper dental care, and has skin ulcers that would be easily prevented though simple basic care. The Judge has refused to remove the estranged husband as her guardian so she can receive proper care.

Terri has not been given therapy or rehabilitation since 1992 since her estranged husband has refused to allow it. It is possible she could eat without the tube if the effort to feed her this way was not too much bother.

The judge's order to starve Terri to death is nothing short of Judicial Murder.

It is shameful that those who call themselves Christian have in many cases acted like the Priest and Levite Jesus spoke of in the parable of the Good Samaritan and "passed by on the other side" rather than get involved. Almost none of the larger Christian denominations in the USA have supported Terri's right to live. Her support has come almost exclusively from the conservative evangelical churches and the Roman Catholic Church.

The lawyer for Terri's estranged husband issued a statement trying to justify her murder and attacking those who are trying to save her life.

Terri's situation needs to be viewed in the broader context of attacks on life such as the infamous Gronigen Protocol under which children in the Netherlands are being murdered because they are inconvenient.

Unfortunately there is a political side to this as well, with congressional Democrats trying to oppose any attempt to help Terri, as they have for days. Peggy Noonan points out that if Terri dies the Republicans will be to blame too since they have the power to do something. Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family points out that shamefully one of the obstructionists in Congress has been a Republican leader.

In this case as with so many others, the Main Stream Media has been lying through their teeth to the American public. Read Pete Winn of Focus on the Family's article "Tell the Truth!".

The best single article on Terri situation I have found was published in National Review Online by Reverend Robert Johansen.

Dr. Dobson urged listeners to Hugh Hewitt's show to check his website Family.org and in particular the CitizenLink page for suggestions for what we can do to help Terri.

I pray that Christians and all who support Life will do everything in their power to help save Terri Schiavo.

UPDATE: President Bush has signed emergency legislation that allows Terri's parents to go before a Federal judge and ask their daughter not be killed. It does not require that the Federal courts agree to hear the case, nor does it mean the Florida judge will accept being over ruled by the Federal courts (if indeed he is).

This does not end the struggle for Terri's life, or the political ramifications. While even Bernard Sanders the Socialist member of congress (who the news media always call the "independent" member of congress) abstained from this vote, and therefore did not vote against this bill, 5 Republicans and 53 Democrats voted against giving Terri Schiavo a chance at life. All those who value life need to remember them and donate money to their opponents next election cycle.

Voted Against Life

Tammy Baldwin - Wisconsin-2nd, Democrat

Shelley Berkley - Nevada-1st, Democrat

Timothy H. Bishop - New York-1st, Democrat

Ginny Brown-Waite - Florida-5th, Republican

G. K. Butterfield - North Carolina-1st, Democrat

Michael E. Capuano - Massachusetts-8th, Democrat

Benjamin L. Cardin - Maryland-3rd, Democrat

Russ Carnahan - Missouri-3rd, Democrat

Julia Carson - Indiana-7th, Democrat

Michael N. Castle - Delaware-At Large, Republican

Wm. Lacy Clay - Missouri-1st, Democrat

Emanuel Cleaver - Missouri-5th, Democrat

James E. Clyburn - South Carolina-6th, Democrat

John Conyers Jr. - Michigan-14th, Democrat

Jim Davis - Florida-11th, Democrat

Charles W. Dent - Pennsylvania-15th, Republican

Norman D. Dicks - Washington-6th, Democrat

Michael F. Doyle - Pennsylvania-14th, Democrat

Lane Evans - Illinois-17th, Democrat

Barney Frank - Massachusetts-4th, Democrat

Luis V. Gutierrez - Illinois-4th, Democrat

Alcee L. Hastings - Florida-23rd, Democrat

Rush D. Holt - New Jersey-12th, Democrat

Steny H. Hoyer - Maryland-5th, Democrat

Steve Israel - New York-2nd, Democrat

Marcy Kaptur - Ohio-9th, Democrat

Patrick J. Kennedy - Rhode Island-1st, Democrat

John B. Larson - Connecticut-1st, Democrat

Sander M. Levin - Michigan-12th, Democrat

John Lewis - Georgia-5th, Democrat

Doris O. Matsui - California-5th, Democrat

Jim McDermott - Washington-7th, Democrat

Cynthia McKinney - Georgia-4th, Democrat

Brad Miller - North Carolina-13th, Democrat

James P. Moran - Virginia-8th, Democrat

John P. Murtha - Pennsylvania-12th, Democrat

Jerrold Nadler - New York-8th, Democrat

John W. Olver - Massachusetts-1st, Democrat

Frank Pallone Jr. - New Jersey-6th, Democrat

Bill Pascrell Jr. - New Jersey-8th, Democrat

Donald M. Payne - New Jersey-10th, Democrat

David E. Price - North Carolina-4th, Democrat

David G. Reichert - Washington-8th, Republican

Steven R. Rothman - New Jersey-9th, Democrat

Adam B. Schiff - California-29th, Democrat

Allyson Y. Schwartz - Pennsylvania-13th, Democrat

Robert C. Scott - Virginia-3rd, Democrat

Christopher Shays - Connecticut-4th, Republican

John M. Spratt Jr. - South Carolina-5th, Democrat

Ted Strickland - Ohio-6th, Democrat

Bennie G. Thompson - Mississippi-2nd, Democrat

Chris Van Hollen - Maryland-8th, Democrat

Peter J. Visclosky - Indiana-1st, Democrat

Debbie Wasserman Schultz - Florida-20th, Democrat

Melvin L. Watt - North Carolina-12th, Democrat

Anthony D. Weiner - New York-9th, Democrat

Robert Wexler - Florida-19th, Democrat

David Wu - Oregon-1st, Democrat