The second wave of the epidemic has hit us even harder than the first, and measures to deter the new coronavirus are starting human rights debates. Modern spoiled and short-sighted freethinkers are not used to caring for others and would like to “party” indefinitely or behave “on their own” in the sense of “everything is allowed” or “anything goes”. Even influencers around the world and in our country are trying to undermine the government by talking about proportionality, and so on. Even some lawyers are attracting attention with their constitutional applications to protect human rights. However, they forget that only by implementing and respecting the measures we can limit the chances of infecting others, reduce the efforts of medical staff and prevent the chances of relatives dying. A commentator at the Frankfurter Allgemeine, however, warns that this is not the only thing.
Disrespect undermines the actions of the authorities and, above all, the actions of all those who respect the measures, wear masks and keep their distance, which makes the “righteous” wonder whether obedient citizens do not have their rights; especially since disciplinary action guarantees the right to life to everyone. Some even spread the “conspiracy theory” saying that it is all nothing. A few of these have already tasted the perniciousness of such reckless behaviour on their own skin and at the cost of the torment, suffering, and burden of health care workers. Now they can announce in their bitter experiences the perniciousness of such delusions. In general, however, the basic conclusion of the German constitutional judge, who fifty years ago set up a mirror for free-thinking humanity: Is society providing the foundations for survival? By his actions, everyone builds a mosaic of a free society, in which there is room for the survival of all, if each individual also ensures the freedom of the other individuals with his/her freedom. How should another survive if I endanger someone by my own actions? Therefore, my freedom ends where I endanger another person’s freedom. Reality in these challenging situations shows a sad contradiction: often relatives who know their relatives the least insist on connecting them to appliances and torturing them to death, although there is no reason for their body to suffer.
Behind everything is therefore our attitude towards life and death. Human freedom is realized on the border between birth and death. We are reminded of this on November 1st. Awareness that we are in God’s hands, not our own, protects us from arbitrariness and opens us up more to empathy with others. Sharing life with others builds communion (of saints). Today, this is even more necessary in order to be able to mutually overcome the problems of COVID-19 and all the other complications we are facing. From the hope that the crosses of life and trials are not the last word of our lives, grows the consciousness of the surplus heavenly community of saints who go towards God. Awareness that we are in God’s hands facilitates cooperation between us.
Another anomaly (deviation) is pestering us. On the one hand, we want to prolong life and enjoyment and escalate them to infinity, and on the other hand, we destroy life in the beginning and try to prevent it prematurely with euthanasia, which is being planned also by our Austrian neighbours and is spreading around the world. The medical ethicist who co-created the Dutch euthanasia law in 2001 is today warning Austrians not to legislate it. Palliative care would make it easier and more humane for people to alleviate suffering and die humanely. We can grab life, but it drains through our fingers. Awareness that human life is in God’s hands can make us more sensitive to the suffering of others even in these times, and it facilitates their dying, and encourages us to be willing to limit ourselves so that others can live and survive. This is not only the task of health professionals or those responsible in politics, but also the responsibility of all of us, as cooperation is a condition for a more humane society and, consequently, human life and death. Let us not forget that the creators of paradise on earth most cruelly excluded and destroyed people. Mankind, thank God, does not only have cruel experiences of Stalin, Hitler, Eichmann, Mengele, Mao, Tito, Cat and others, but also of Kolbe, Isidore the Finisher of Mother Teresa and others among us who gave and still give their lives for the survival and dignified death of others. Let us strengthen and maintain this hope especially during these days let’s alleviate each other’s hardships so that we too can live and die in a dignified human society.
Janez Juhant is a professor emeritus at the Faculty of Theology in Ljubljana, a publicist and president of the association Združeni ob lipi sprave.