Averagefella,

The legal/medical definition for brain dead, involves no brain function, voluntary or involuntary. A brain dead person cannot breathe on their own, has no voluntary muscular reactions or thinking processes. Many tests are performed to declare a person brain dead, not only the encephalograph.

One of the biggest problems with this case is that not only does the "husband" (to use the term loosely), want to refuse tube feeding to Terri, but he also refuses to allow any rehabilitation therapy, to see if Terri would or could improve. The parents have offered to do all the work and care, pay for any and all treatment, and the "husband" continually refuses everything. Why? Why? Why? Is this a responsible, Biblically correct conduct of a husband?

Ephesians 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;"

This woman is NOT brain dead! She may be in some sort of vegetative state, but as shown in the videos I have seen she is more aware than that. She appears to be conscious, with some slight interaction with her surroundings, it is difficult to judge from here. Withholding food from her is not allowing her to die a "natural" death, it is slow starvation. A rose by any other name is still a rose and murder is murder!

I have some experience with brain death testing in hospitals and therefore am able to speak on this subject with some first hand knowledge even though I am not a doctor.

In His Hands,

Ruth

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