self-inflicted death

OK! I’ve had it! I give! What I’m referring to is something that our dearly beloved news media had done again. By their coverage of a certain recent event they’ve knocked me off of my editorial perch and, as the old cowboy said, just "chapped my hide."
No, it’s not their coverage of the President and any of his ongoing endeavors or anything regarding government in general. The event of which I’m speaking, and the one that "gets my goat" every time that it happens, is the coverage of the "self-inflicted" death of another person of the entertainment industry.

Another "actor" whose "brilliant" career was "tragically cut short" by an overdose of illegal drugs. I heard one commentator say that he was fighting "demons in his life." I’m not sure whether he meant that as an excuse for his drug use or not, but it appears to me that this tormented actor (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) let the "demons" control his life and they won.

Now I know that sounds cold and heartless of me to say that, but that’s what it boils down to, isn’t it? What makes my teeth itch in these instances is the inordinate amount of news coverage these events, and similar ones in the past generate. Here’s my question - What makes the death of a person involved in the entertainment industry more tragic than any other life that’s been cut short of it’s "threescore and ten" years? Especially when it’s demise is brought on by the use and abuse of a "controlled substance."

You know, there’s a very good reason that heroin is "controlled" and illegal. It’s harmful to our bodies. It’s a poison to our God-given systems. And, as seen far too many times, it’s deadly. Especially when combined with other substances to enhance it’s potency. It could be seen as playing Russian roulette with a needle instead of a gun.

Another news media statement that always seems to accompany these types of events and usually is said as a lead-in to the initial coverage is, "The world is again in mourning." Really? The whole world? Is mourning the death of someone who most people say "Who’s that?" when the news breaks.

Me thinks that the news people have a far different idea than I do of who the world should mourn. How about the 11 soldiers (7 Americans & 4 British) who were killed in Afghanistan this past month? Or, the 15 police officers killed in the line of duty last month here in the U.S.? Since the 1^st of January we’ve seen the deaths of 11 firefighters, also in the line of duty.

If anyone should be "mourned by the world" I propose that it should be those whose lives were "cut short" while serving to protect us. Far more so than a narcissistic, demon-plagued, barely-known actor who killed himself by the use of illegal drugs. Anyway, that’s my humble opinion.

For the last portion of my lesson I’ll get off of my "soapbox" and see if I can tie my news- media-driven rants into a Biblical lesson. In doing so, I’m going to shift from "mourning" a death to "celebrating" one. The "death" we’ll "celebrate" is the "death" that served and benefitted mankind more so than any "death" ever - the "death" of Jesus Christ.

Technically speaking, it wasn’t a "self-inflicted death" as others had conspired to bring it about and still others physically executed this "conspired" event. But, His life was "voluntarily" given, wasn’t it? There is no power on earth that could have taken it from Him had He not allowed it to happen. (Read John 19:11)

Yet, I guess in a way, the world should "mourn." It should "mourn" the fact that it’s inhabitants got themselves into the condition that it required a "death" to save their eternal souls. And, because God loved His creation (us) so much, He provided His own Son for that "death." That "sacrificial death" on the cross.

Because The Father did this, and the Son voluntarily went to this "death" we do not "mourn" it, rather we "celebrate" it each and every Lord’s Day. (Acts 20:7 & 1Cor. 11:23-26) We "celebrate" this "death" that frees us from our sins. Wouldn’t you agree that this "death" is a cause for "celebration?" For praise?

I’m going to close these thoughts today by providing you with something the prophet Isaiah had to say, befitting to our lesson here. Read with me his words:
        "O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit;
         so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.    
         Behold, for peace I had great bitterness, but thou hast in love to my soul
         delivered it from the pit of corruption; for thou hast cast all my sins behind
         thy back.
         For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee; they that go
         down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
         The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the Father to the
         children shall make known thy truth."   Isaiah 38:16-19 (KJV)
Respectfully submitted,
Ron Covey