When I first read Ron Rosenbaum's damning rebuff of Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, I refused to believe it was true. (Especially the part about the sex-predator spirit medium.) I threw Diet Coke cans at the screen and cursed angry oaths; I begged Rosenbaum to offer me some respite from Kübler-Ross' pseudo-soothing jargon. But there was no use bargaining with an article, and I felt mighty low. Cried a little, yes. But now I've come to accept it: this is a great piece, a sharp critique of how an accepted bit of "science" is no more than a secular religion of death, a "gauzy romanticism of self-examination, self-expression." It's dying, Oprah-style.
Posted by mesh at September 23, 2004 12:04 PM | TrackBackNice review, very classic.
The article made me think about how we're supposed to view death as Christians. I know we should think, "Oh Jesus has conquered death and hell, so it's not so bad," but I do occasionally have some doubts about what will happen. Not very many people have come back to tell us how it is. And Jesus seemed to say that it wouldn't make much difference if they did (Luke 16).
I think this is where our faith comes in. Because of Jesus, we don't have to fear, but not in a "Don't worry, be happy" kind of way." But in a "fear and trembling, I truly believe that God is trustworthy and I don't have to be afraid of death because Jesus experienced the real thing for me" kind of way. The kind of faith you can't pick up in a weekend "seminar."
Posted by: levy at September 23, 2004 12:35 PMI'm sure that this is a very serious discussion, being about death and all, but I'm going to butt in and remind you to take it slow...
Posted by: rob at September 23, 2004 04:10 PMWith a diet shake to go?
Posted by: mesh at September 23, 2004 05:09 PMI would recommend it.
Posted by: rob at September 23, 2004 10:29 PM