Editorial #172 If It Saved One Life
Have we become a society that is too risk adverse? By the reaction of many politicians to this pandemic, it seems we have. Their motives can be summed up in five words: “if it saves one life….”
The phrase is used to allow almost anything, spend almost everything and be immune to criticism. It gives the perception of altruism. It is a politically correct sound bite used when trapped in rhetoric that may haunt them later. It is a non-answer that gives them a pass.
The phrase evolved from thousands of years of religious teachings that defined the purpose of life was to save our soul. The life to which they were referring was “Eternal life” that applied to the soul, with corporal life not able to exist without the soul. If you save your soul you saved your immortal life for eternity.
Secular campaigns conveniently dropped the adjective “eternal”. This wrongly made life a destination and not the journey. Thus the mantra: “If it saves one life…” was invented. This difference made it sound like saving a life was possible. A human life cannot be saved. We can only delay the inevitable. A healthy life is the way of dying as slowly as possible.
The recognition of mortality was more readily accepted in times when life cycles were 30 or 40 years. Then everyone understood the low premium place on a human life. Today the premium on human life is used only if it advances an agenda.
The liberal media loves the line, “if it saves one life…” It sanitizes any action, with which they agree. It makes a hero out of those who say it. Ironically, it is even used to justify abortion.
Today, the phrase is twisted into demanding government give us near immortality. We are ambushed with commercials implying anything can be fixed with more money, but conveniently neglect to mention that any fix is temporary with the mortal outcome exactly the same. Doing any risk/reward analysis is politically incorrect. This pandemic has lulled the country into allowing those in charge can put the country under house arrest with the false choices saying: lives will be saved if we don’t go to work. The only life that can save is your eternal life and that is up to you.
Perfect security is impossible to deliver, but the promise of trying to achieve it is addicting the country to a socialist existence and destroying the economy. The country is not realizing that sort of security is like being in prison or house arrest with no trial: Three meals a day with a bed in a locked room that is climate controlled.
We must be careful for what we wish. If we want security, go the prison and you can slowly die there waiting for time to pass with little to do and little control, but let us get back to work.
This is Keith Kube wishing you the best in making the world a better place.
Bumper: Keith has a regular commentary on WJAG 780 radio at 7:40 on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Check his website www.keithkube.com for past editorials.
Keith, If it saves one life…
I have been thinking the exact same thing, but don’t have the ability to express it as clearly as you. People don’t face the fact that everything that has lived or is now living, has either died already or gets closer each day to that conclusion. As you say, only souls can be saved, not lives. Of course, it is taboo to think this way. In today’s society if we are not willing to extend life for one additional minute, hour, day, regardless of the cost, we are terrible people. This is the natural conclusion for those that have no faith. Thank you for having the courage to express this truth.