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I'm sorry if I offended anyone. There was intention on my part of brow beating anyone, I was just stating my opinion. I just emailed Terry to ask for the post to be removed sinced I caused such uproar and people are taking offense. Please accept my apoligies.
John
Jim G you ask: "When the physical pain becomes unmanageable and life seems hopeless, does suicide become an option."
Terry does not want us to get into a discussion of the morals and ethics of this. I think he is right. This forum works best when we don't debate issues.
I think Paul A hits on something in asking you to seperate depression from pain. If a person suffers terrible and unameliorated pain then he has every right to end that situation in the way that is best for him - not anyone else, just him. Perhaps even if his depression is chronic and his outcome hopeless he will take the same course. But as Paul A says, there are many things that can be done to lift a man from depression. Paul A has experienced that and so, I think has Joe from Hawaii, if they don't mind me saying so.
Also, The Stranger and Lennie show you that for many people pain can be overcome.
But at the end of the day it is YOUR life. I hope I'm not straying into territory that Terry warns against, but in the American Declaration of Independence, which is probably one of the greatest documents ever written, we are told that man has the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In my view, the Right to those things means that your Life is your own to have and to hold - or,if necessary to YOU,and in your judgement, to end. In that sense,YOUR life is YOUR property.
Please read all the stories here: all those who have had unsuccessful treatments and poor prognoses. You will be amazed at how much adversity people can live with even when they cannot overcome it.
I was in two minds as to whether John G’s original post should stand when he posted it because I have been on sites where such a post would have been seen as very provocative and would have incited a flame war. That has not been the case here. Generally the response have been thought provoking and, I believe, useful.
John’s response had some good points, but was indeed strongly worded and could be seen as impolite and in breach of the simple rules of the Forum. He has been courageous enough to apologize for this and I believe that he is sincere in his apology. He has also asked me to remove his post from the thread, but I cannot do that. I can remove the entire thread, but not part of the thread.
I think there is value in the thread as it is and unless anyone disagrees, I intend leaving it as it is, together with any more valid posts received by ‘close of business’ today and then lock the thread to prevent any additional postings.
I like your post, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the subject. I think issues like this should be talked about and for the most part this thread has been very good.
The point you make about your life being exactly that... "your life" is very well taken and I agree with you completely.
