Not long ago, I made a comment that when the Pope goes on these strenuous trips across the world, I wonder if he is pushing himself hoping that he dies on one of them. I was accused of accusing the Pope of trying to commit suicide, a sin. Merely hoping for death to come, while doing nothing more to hurry it than going about ones duties is perceived as suicide. There seems to be a cult of life that is elevating this life above all else. What I don't understand is that this cult of life is so pervasive among those who claim to be religious. Why is death so hated and feared above all else? I understand that people believe sometimes God would ask us to live when death would seem preferrable, but it seems like hanging onto life at all costs without ever even wishing for death to come has become the only moral stance to these people.
Yeah, I've made comments along those lines before: Chris over on Progressive Protestant has dubbed this stance "idolatry of life", which is exactly right.