I WISH I WERE BORN A LION!
God, I wish I was born a lion cub in the Maasai-Mara game reserve!
I would be well protected by tough rangers so that my specie never disappears from the face of the earth.
Millions of dollars would have been poured from around the world just to keep me alive so that generations and generations may see me and enjoy their sight in the name of wildlife conservation.
Oh! How much would I have caught the attention of thousands of tourists from all over the world just to see how I look like in real life!
I would have become such a great movie star like the “Lion King”!
Oh God, What a curse for me!
Instead of a famous lion in the wild, I was born a baby of so-called “human” animal that I’ve found, at times, more animal than brother lion in Maasai-Mara!
My protection is not such a big deal, anyway!
There is so little money to care about my basic needs!
My life has little value, or none whatsoever. Dead or alive, it does not bother anybody!
My childhood is violated and stolen from me so early.
Street is my homeless home! There in the heat, in the cold and rain, I am battered like a repugnant deadly snake!
I am slipped into loose uniforms cut out for big brothers, pushed to carry heavy guns and fight wars I have never understood. I walk miles and miles, and hungry, I smoke what I saw big brothers smoking… and I forget that I am alive! Who cares, anyway!
I am suffering from a severe love and care starvation!
My worst foes are not lions in Maasai-Mara, they are “human animals” like you and I!
Little dogs have no toys but they are enjoying life better than I!
I cry when I hear that beautiful song sung by Mike Jackson: “We are the world, we are the children!” Why don’t you wake up Mike Jackson and sing it one more time for me!
Am I truly the world? I wonder if I were the world, why should my nights be full of nightmares? If I were the world, why is my life such a broken dream with no hope for a better tomorrow?
JESUS AND THE CHILDREN
The first best gift our children deserve is love; then, the rest. Remove the first and then the rest would remain hanging walls with no foundation. Jesus welcomed children with love and blessed them: “…Let the Children alone and do not stop them from coming to me; for it is to such as these that the Kingdom of heaven belongs” (Mat. 19: 13-14).
Earlier on, in chapter 18, verses 5 to 6, Jesus identified himself to children as he warned the adults for their duty of setting good examples for them: “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith in me would be better drowned in the depths of the sea with a great millstone round his neck.”
The implications of these words of the Lord are obvious. When we reject children or mistreat them, we are doing so to no one else but Jesus Christ himself. We all have an ethical responsibility towards our children. We should ever strive to set a good model for them and avoid causing their downfall.
Are we still observing this warning? Haven’t we become wolves to our children? Those parents called Christians have to follow the Master’s words in the way of treating their children. Let them stand as models for neighbours to follow.
CHILDREN’ RIGHTS
Most African countries are still wrestling with constitutional issues to come out from the jungle law set by long-life dictators and become legal States. Kenya crossed this stage last year, endorsing a new constitution for the country. We are now on the stage of gradual implementation; hoping that the process will go on without any blocks on the way.
I hope that our children’s rights are getting space within the legal framework. The privileged place Christ gave them will be recovered not only by the observance of the law but above all by the love we have for our children.
Children are a gift from God received through parents, who continuing the work of procreation given them by God at the beginning of history. So as gifts, they are accepted with no condition or discrimination, whether they are handicapped or have any behavioural defects that may affect the parents.
No child, including parents who were children at a certain point of their lives, ever negotiated his face, shape, character, time of birth or parents through whom he/she was supposed to be born. It is therefore a great responsibility for parents to welcome children the way they are born, without causing them any wounding prejudice that would affect negatively their process of growth.
A newborn has all the potential to grow as a human person but he/she starts life like any other living animal created by God. The natural, biological and instinctive functions are first at play before the gradual evolvement of the cultural, rational and intuitive functions. Becoming human is therefore a project and process entrusted into the hands of parents and various educators as the child grow up.
Do we have to cut and paste rights as practiced in the West?
It is wise that when one gets a packet, he should open it and proceed by selecting what is useful and what is not. The Western application has serious loopholes requiring a re-examination of children’s rights with regard to fundamental duties of every human person in the process of growth.
Because of the fundamental role of parents in helping the process of transformation from the natural animal to the cultural human being, we think that any sound notion of children’s rights should never jeopardize parents’ authority and guidance. There is a tendency that is making of children little adults who have too many rights that they have become the ones dictating to parents what they are supposed to do for them. Children do not have the psychological maturity to assess a situation a make the right decisions. They have to be trained by those who have undergone the experience before them.
When children can have their parents arrested for petty whims, then they have taken over their parents’ place. A child who is stronger than his parents has no reason to respect them anymore. He/she thinks everything is permitted and becomes simply a bully and selfish person who have everything the way he wills! Such an attitude is not only dangerous for the society as such but even for the very law that’s granting them such rights. We are training selfish persons who will bend laws to their personal interests. Limits are necessary for a sound growth of every human person.
Children’s right with no strong families are again walls with no foundations. As we grow aware that our children should be legally protected, it is imperative that we strive for the betterment of the parents’ life conditions. Parents who cannot afford to raise their children with the meagre means they earn are already impeded to guarantee some of the rights of their children.
Countries’ resources should be fairly distributed among all the work force; a bigger share is usually destined to the few at the top of our countries while the majority is left with scraps to survive with. Too many rights unaccompanied with love weaken the family ties as spouses and children indulge in seeking their rights fulfilled instead of giving themselves fully for the growth of their families.
Behind strong family ties we see the love driving parents to look for the benefit of their children. Normally when people love each other, they care and observe each other’s rights without even thinking of any theoretical discourse; things flow out naturally out of love. It is often when love is over that human beings begin to turn against each other in a destructive manner. Lost in the passion of hate, our judgment becomes biased and some sort of a positive reference is needed in order to establish some justice beyond our biases and prejudices. A parent who does not love his child for any reason, this happens in real life experience, needs to be reminded of the duties that are still his/hers for the growth of that child who did not negotiate to have him/her as parent.
The most important thing for us is to strike a balance between what we consider a defected notion of rights that consecrates the reign of the children over their parents; and a sound notion of rights that creates more consideration, more respect to our children without putting in jeopardy the guiding and instructive role of the parents. The latter should have the rights to use their positive creativity in dealing with specific characters of their children and responding adequately to the needs of growth of each one of them as individual beings.
A more stubborn child needs to be dealt with differently than an obedient or a meeker one. No one can direct him/herself from childhood to adulthood without parental assistance in whichever way it may be. The child does not raise his parents; he is raised by them and this fundamental position should not be reversed by any constitution if we care about making sound human beings for the human community.
This is where Africa, on matters of children’s rights, could make a difference with the West, unless we want to get out of Hollywood fiction and create true “Tarzans” raised in jungle standards! Parents! Do not leave your homestead unilaterally run by lawyers and politicians! Stand up for your responsibility when lawyers cross the line and force you to destroy your homes with misleading notions of rights.
You need Institutions that help you to build your families and raise your children according to sound human and Christian standards! The biblical wisdom reminds us that “the law was made for man and not man for the law; and that the son of man is master even of the law” (Mark 2: 27-28).
Fr Nhessy Iland IMC
Friday, June 17, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
INTERVIEW WITH FR. PASCHAL MWAMBI MWAKIO ON BIOETHICS ISSUES
VATICAN RADIO
1. I have pleasure of welcoming Fr. Paschal Mwambi Mwakio from Mombasa Archdiocese in Kenya who is a student specialising in Bioethics at Regina Apostolorum in Rome. Father Pascal welcome to the programme on Marriage and Family Life.
Good morning listener, I am happy to be at the Vatican radio studio.
2. Fr. Paschal could you please tell our listeners why you are interested in studying Bioethics?
First of all bioethics has been of interest to me because I was in the same university before I became a priest, when these special studies were introduced at Queen of Apostles University, back in 2001. Secondly, my interest in bioethics is because it affects real life issues, and these challenges face each and every person, family and the society at large. Third, I want to help people know the Church teaching on these issues.
3. What does the term bioethics mean? Please explain in simple language.
Bioethics is first of all the understanding of changes and progress brought about by science and technology in the area of medicine, health and diseases, and how this has affected human life, improved it, worsened it or how this destroys human life.
4. What themes are related to bioethics or discussed in bioethics?
Themes in the area of bioethics include some of the following: when life of a human person really begins? Who is to be considered a human being, those who are born or those not yet born? Can sick children not yet born be allowed to live if the diseases they suffer from cannot be cured? How can people who cannot have children on their own be helped to have children? Can children be produced in the laboratory without the sexual act and outside the mother’s womb while selecting what kind of a child one wants to have? How about the old and those critically sick, can they be considered as people who need to live or who should be helped to die so that they do not continue to suffer? Should the critically ill be killed to save money, resources and time for others. Suppose some of the elements or organs needed to heal some diseases are found on other live human beings including unborn children, is it possible to make use of them. Can body organs like the kidney, liver etc, be removed from another person and transferred to a sick person anytime, without agreement and sold for profit? Criteria of respect for life, healthy organs, minimum risks, rejection of organs, charity, and certified death in case of dead donor (among others) need to be considered. These questions and problems raised may be solved technically because of progress made by science. But the main bioethical affirmation is that, not all that which is technically possible in this current world is to be accepted unless this really respects human life in all its stages from conception till natural death. And on issues of children, marriage is the right place to beget them through the sexual union between a man and woman of the same marriage. Any technical solution by science to replace this conjugal right or to manipulate human life is unacceptable.
5. What is the foundation of bioethics? Is it only proposed by Catholics or Christian believers?
Bioethics has the person, that is the human being as the point of focus. Every human being is a person with the same dignity from birth. One does not need to be a Catholic or non Catholic, Christian or non Christian to know by his mind and correct use of reason that respecting life of any person is necessary. Some of the very important rights like the right to life, is not created by any government or created by any religion. Such rights are universal, written in our conscience, and in our hearts, and are therefore found in our nature. Every human being including the unborn, the mentally sick, people in coma, the terminally ill and the old have the same dignity even when others fail to recognize this truth. Religion reveals to us something more than our minds can see or understand. To be a believer is an added advantage. If my religion as a Christian teaches me that life is a precious gift and that I am created in the image of God, then I have more reason to respect my life and that of others. Human life comes before religion and before governments, it is upon it other rights, and values are built. Yet our life transcends, goes beyond all these. God is the author of human life and him alone has the power over our life.
6. Why is it necessary for “ordinary” Christians to know about bioethics?
Bioethics issues affect everybody and for the ordinary Christian it is important to respect the way of life of Christ himself who is the way, life and truth. Christianity teaches that God is the author of life. Ordinary Christians need to know about bioethics so that in any thing they do to improve their life, their health, and that of others; or in anything they do to cure illnesses and diseases respects not only one’s own life, but that of others too. This is only possible if we are aware of the help or problems caused by science and technology.
7. What are some of the complicated bioethics issues? Can you give some examples of diseases or conditions which may affect our family life or bring into conflict our Christian values?
Some of the complicated issues in bioethics are in the area of early stages of the child’s development. Discovering diseases affecting children before they are born is recommendable work yet not without complications. This process may involve producing the unborn child in the laboratory without respecting the normal process of how a child begins his or her life, that is, by skipping the sexual act between a husband and his wife. Thus, artificial fertilization involves complicated issues of overproducing human life (embryos - to increase chances of attaining a child), involves loss of life of the embryos which are considered unfit or affected by genetic diseases, preservation of extra human life in freezers approximately (-190°) etc. If a very serious disease is discovered before the child is born, the parent(s) are found in a difficult situation. An example of such conditions is what is called Down syndrome. This condition has no cure just like many other discovered diseases before birth, and the child may be born with serious disabilities. Common features of such children include a small rounded head, small fingers, oval shaped eyes, short structure and mental disability. In other diseases the child may even die after a few days. What are the parents going to do? Accept the sick child or eliminate the child? The doctor may give an advise to them, but whose decision should the parents follow? In case the disease discovered can be cured, then that will be of benefit to the child’s life, the parents and society.
8. What does bioethics teach or what does the Church teach its members to do in situation like a woman expecting a child who has Down syndrome?
Not all bioethics views represent the teaching of the church. Thus, it is important to get the official views through the right authority. A Down syndrome person is to be respected and protected like any other health child or person. Although a down baby may not be able to exercise all the mental and physical faculties, this does not make this child less a human being. A child is a gift from God and his/her life needs to be respected and welcome from the beginning. Pregnant mothers are there fore encouraged to carry the pregnancy until birth. Doctors and those responsible should look for ways of revealing the truth about the condition of the child’s health while preparing to accompany them morally and spiritually. In case such pregnancies develop problems and there is a danger to the life of the mother, then all should be done by the doctors to help save both lives without disregarding the unborn baby. All the lives (mother’s and child’s) have the same dignity. Sometimes the unborn baby may perish in the process, but intentional killing or elimination is unacceptable and therefore should be avoided.
9. Bioethics is not all about condemnations of what is bad about science. Neither is it all about what is licit or illicit, good or bad, evil or good. Can you please elaborate this statement?
The church is not just against artificial things or processes which are not natural. The church appreciates the outcome of many problems solved by scientific progress in a respectful manner to the human dignity. Bioethics welcomes ways which can reduce human suffering or brings total healing to diseases without considering human life as an object or as a means to satisfy others. Bioethics therefore should not be seen as a discipline which is there to prevent progress or to condemn artificiality.
10. What would you say to families or persons who find it difficult to look after their beloved one suffering from conditions which arise from bioethical issues?
I would like to encourage all those people who are faced with these trying moments. They should not loose hope or doubt whether their beloved ones are still human beings in those conditions. Let them continue to love these suffering persons, care for them, clean them, feed them if this is possible and encourage them. Medication which is helpful to improve the health of the sick without heavy burden to the sick or to the family, and which proves to have the desired results should be offered. Sometimes there is nothing we can do to stop an immanent death which does not mean abandonment of the sick or causing death, but just accepting the will of God. Many times it is those taking care of the sick who get tired, or even wish to anticipate the death of the suffering people. Suffering is part of human nature and from it, positive values can come, for instance appreciation of life, our love, physical and emotional presence. In case the sick is able to talk, he or she may pronounce a word of love, pardon they never mentioned in the rest of their lives. Christians get strength from the sufferings of Christ who is the way, the truth and life. Suffering doesn’t have the last word, there is victory over death. No one has a right to kill oneself or to help the other die even if asked to do so by the sufferer.
11. What can you say to pastors or hospital chaplains dealing with the bioethical issues?
First and foremost, it is important to have the knowledge of bioethics in order to give the right advice in situations where need be. Bioethics committees in hospitals have become a necessary organ. Pastors and chaplains need to offer not only spiritual, moral, emotional support, but also real and practical counselling for the complicated clinical cases at hand. Knowledge of bioethics is helpful for them to counsel where necessary the relatives and the patients on the choices which are not only approved by the Church, but which respect life itself in whatever condition.
12. Is there anything else you would like to say on bioethical issues?
Bioethics is an interesting topic, but very challenging. It affects us on almost all life issues. It is important for our bishops to send some priests, religious and laity to specialise in bioethics issues so that we can promote the gospel of life in a developed world. The African continent cannot be left behind since technology has become global. It will be my joy to continue sharing with you more about bioethics and in details about the topics I have highlighted.
13. Thank you very much Fr. Paschal Mwambi Mwakio for sharing with us about bioethical issues and how we need to respond to various situations our families or individuals may find themselves. Thanks for sparing you time, and May God bless you always!
Thank you Fr Moses for this opportunity.
1. I have pleasure of welcoming Fr. Paschal Mwambi Mwakio from Mombasa Archdiocese in Kenya who is a student specialising in Bioethics at Regina Apostolorum in Rome. Father Pascal welcome to the programme on Marriage and Family Life.
Good morning listener, I am happy to be at the Vatican radio studio.
2. Fr. Paschal could you please tell our listeners why you are interested in studying Bioethics?
First of all bioethics has been of interest to me because I was in the same university before I became a priest, when these special studies were introduced at Queen of Apostles University, back in 2001. Secondly, my interest in bioethics is because it affects real life issues, and these challenges face each and every person, family and the society at large. Third, I want to help people know the Church teaching on these issues.
3. What does the term bioethics mean? Please explain in simple language.
Bioethics is first of all the understanding of changes and progress brought about by science and technology in the area of medicine, health and diseases, and how this has affected human life, improved it, worsened it or how this destroys human life.
4. What themes are related to bioethics or discussed in bioethics?
Themes in the area of bioethics include some of the following: when life of a human person really begins? Who is to be considered a human being, those who are born or those not yet born? Can sick children not yet born be allowed to live if the diseases they suffer from cannot be cured? How can people who cannot have children on their own be helped to have children? Can children be produced in the laboratory without the sexual act and outside the mother’s womb while selecting what kind of a child one wants to have? How about the old and those critically sick, can they be considered as people who need to live or who should be helped to die so that they do not continue to suffer? Should the critically ill be killed to save money, resources and time for others. Suppose some of the elements or organs needed to heal some diseases are found on other live human beings including unborn children, is it possible to make use of them. Can body organs like the kidney, liver etc, be removed from another person and transferred to a sick person anytime, without agreement and sold for profit? Criteria of respect for life, healthy organs, minimum risks, rejection of organs, charity, and certified death in case of dead donor (among others) need to be considered. These questions and problems raised may be solved technically because of progress made by science. But the main bioethical affirmation is that, not all that which is technically possible in this current world is to be accepted unless this really respects human life in all its stages from conception till natural death. And on issues of children, marriage is the right place to beget them through the sexual union between a man and woman of the same marriage. Any technical solution by science to replace this conjugal right or to manipulate human life is unacceptable.
5. What is the foundation of bioethics? Is it only proposed by Catholics or Christian believers?
Bioethics has the person, that is the human being as the point of focus. Every human being is a person with the same dignity from birth. One does not need to be a Catholic or non Catholic, Christian or non Christian to know by his mind and correct use of reason that respecting life of any person is necessary. Some of the very important rights like the right to life, is not created by any government or created by any religion. Such rights are universal, written in our conscience, and in our hearts, and are therefore found in our nature. Every human being including the unborn, the mentally sick, people in coma, the terminally ill and the old have the same dignity even when others fail to recognize this truth. Religion reveals to us something more than our minds can see or understand. To be a believer is an added advantage. If my religion as a Christian teaches me that life is a precious gift and that I am created in the image of God, then I have more reason to respect my life and that of others. Human life comes before religion and before governments, it is upon it other rights, and values are built. Yet our life transcends, goes beyond all these. God is the author of human life and him alone has the power over our life.
6. Why is it necessary for “ordinary” Christians to know about bioethics?
Bioethics issues affect everybody and for the ordinary Christian it is important to respect the way of life of Christ himself who is the way, life and truth. Christianity teaches that God is the author of life. Ordinary Christians need to know about bioethics so that in any thing they do to improve their life, their health, and that of others; or in anything they do to cure illnesses and diseases respects not only one’s own life, but that of others too. This is only possible if we are aware of the help or problems caused by science and technology.
7. What are some of the complicated bioethics issues? Can you give some examples of diseases or conditions which may affect our family life or bring into conflict our Christian values?
Some of the complicated issues in bioethics are in the area of early stages of the child’s development. Discovering diseases affecting children before they are born is recommendable work yet not without complications. This process may involve producing the unborn child in the laboratory without respecting the normal process of how a child begins his or her life, that is, by skipping the sexual act between a husband and his wife. Thus, artificial fertilization involves complicated issues of overproducing human life (embryos - to increase chances of attaining a child), involves loss of life of the embryos which are considered unfit or affected by genetic diseases, preservation of extra human life in freezers approximately (-190°) etc. If a very serious disease is discovered before the child is born, the parent(s) are found in a difficult situation. An example of such conditions is what is called Down syndrome. This condition has no cure just like many other discovered diseases before birth, and the child may be born with serious disabilities. Common features of such children include a small rounded head, small fingers, oval shaped eyes, short structure and mental disability. In other diseases the child may even die after a few days. What are the parents going to do? Accept the sick child or eliminate the child? The doctor may give an advise to them, but whose decision should the parents follow? In case the disease discovered can be cured, then that will be of benefit to the child’s life, the parents and society.
8. What does bioethics teach or what does the Church teach its members to do in situation like a woman expecting a child who has Down syndrome?
Not all bioethics views represent the teaching of the church. Thus, it is important to get the official views through the right authority. A Down syndrome person is to be respected and protected like any other health child or person. Although a down baby may not be able to exercise all the mental and physical faculties, this does not make this child less a human being. A child is a gift from God and his/her life needs to be respected and welcome from the beginning. Pregnant mothers are there fore encouraged to carry the pregnancy until birth. Doctors and those responsible should look for ways of revealing the truth about the condition of the child’s health while preparing to accompany them morally and spiritually. In case such pregnancies develop problems and there is a danger to the life of the mother, then all should be done by the doctors to help save both lives without disregarding the unborn baby. All the lives (mother’s and child’s) have the same dignity. Sometimes the unborn baby may perish in the process, but intentional killing or elimination is unacceptable and therefore should be avoided.
9. Bioethics is not all about condemnations of what is bad about science. Neither is it all about what is licit or illicit, good or bad, evil or good. Can you please elaborate this statement?
The church is not just against artificial things or processes which are not natural. The church appreciates the outcome of many problems solved by scientific progress in a respectful manner to the human dignity. Bioethics welcomes ways which can reduce human suffering or brings total healing to diseases without considering human life as an object or as a means to satisfy others. Bioethics therefore should not be seen as a discipline which is there to prevent progress or to condemn artificiality.
10. What would you say to families or persons who find it difficult to look after their beloved one suffering from conditions which arise from bioethical issues?
I would like to encourage all those people who are faced with these trying moments. They should not loose hope or doubt whether their beloved ones are still human beings in those conditions. Let them continue to love these suffering persons, care for them, clean them, feed them if this is possible and encourage them. Medication which is helpful to improve the health of the sick without heavy burden to the sick or to the family, and which proves to have the desired results should be offered. Sometimes there is nothing we can do to stop an immanent death which does not mean abandonment of the sick or causing death, but just accepting the will of God. Many times it is those taking care of the sick who get tired, or even wish to anticipate the death of the suffering people. Suffering is part of human nature and from it, positive values can come, for instance appreciation of life, our love, physical and emotional presence. In case the sick is able to talk, he or she may pronounce a word of love, pardon they never mentioned in the rest of their lives. Christians get strength from the sufferings of Christ who is the way, the truth and life. Suffering doesn’t have the last word, there is victory over death. No one has a right to kill oneself or to help the other die even if asked to do so by the sufferer.
11. What can you say to pastors or hospital chaplains dealing with the bioethical issues?
First and foremost, it is important to have the knowledge of bioethics in order to give the right advice in situations where need be. Bioethics committees in hospitals have become a necessary organ. Pastors and chaplains need to offer not only spiritual, moral, emotional support, but also real and practical counselling for the complicated clinical cases at hand. Knowledge of bioethics is helpful for them to counsel where necessary the relatives and the patients on the choices which are not only approved by the Church, but which respect life itself in whatever condition.
12. Is there anything else you would like to say on bioethical issues?
Bioethics is an interesting topic, but very challenging. It affects us on almost all life issues. It is important for our bishops to send some priests, religious and laity to specialise in bioethics issues so that we can promote the gospel of life in a developed world. The African continent cannot be left behind since technology has become global. It will be my joy to continue sharing with you more about bioethics and in details about the topics I have highlighted.
13. Thank you very much Fr. Paschal Mwambi Mwakio for sharing with us about bioethical issues and how we need to respond to various situations our families or individuals may find themselves. Thanks for sparing you time, and May God bless you always!
Thank you Fr Moses for this opportunity.
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