Good Friday, Bad Death
Tomorrow is Good Friday; a day we remember a bad death. I'm not sure what their idea of palliative care was back then but I'm sure it wasn't offered to those condemned to crucifixion. Thankfully, we've come a long way since then. Whatever your personal views are on the death penalty, you've got to admit that criminals sentenced to death today are offered a more humane way to die than hanging on a cross, like Jesus.
For inmates not sentenced to the death penalty but dying from a life-limiting illness, our prison systems are doing a better job at offering them palliative care. Prisoners can even file a request for repreive if they are suffering with a terminal illness or complete disability. Because our prisoners are under the care of the state or federal system, they often have better access to medical care, including palliative care and hospice, than some of us "on the outside". It kind of makes me wonder if the dying, young, middle income person who isn't eligible for Medicare or Medicaid and can't afford private insurance wouldn't be better off robbing a bank.
The National Prison Hospice Association
What is Palliative Care?
What is Hospice?
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Comments
Please keep in mind that all your readers are not christian and some of us are even atheists. Thanks.
Thank you for your comment. This blog post isn’t Christian in nature, rather historical. Jesus, as a historical figure, was crucified on a cross, as was the custom of the times for convicted criminals. According to historical documents, he was crucified next to two other criminals.
My intent was to show how our society’s treatment of convicted criminals is markedly different than that of 2000+ years ago, particularly in the way our convicted criminals die; whether by the death penalty or natural causes.