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What Happened to Lee

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1298 points jgrahamc | 3 comments | 15 Apr 20 14:31 UTC | HN request time: 0.656s | source
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hn_throwaway_99 ◴[15 Apr 20 16:14 UTC] No.22879511[source]▶
Perhaps this is too philosophical, but for anyone who has dealt with someone with a long decline into dementia, it's very difficult for me to understand a belief in God after going through that (I certainly understand some people have the exact opposite reaction, so I'm in no way saying this belief is correct).

It's just difficult for me to envision a crueler God if that is indeed the case. A person who has died long before their body gives way, only to be a constant burden, with virtually no joy, and a constant reminder that your loved one is dead, yet still here.

In the worst cases I say unreservedly that it is a huge relief when the person's body finally joins their mind in death.

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hwc[dead post] ◴[15 Apr 20 16:45 UTC] No.22879923[source]▶
If God exists, they are cruel and uncaring.
1. ardy42 ◴[15 Apr 20 17:39 UTC] No.22880650[source]▶
> If God exists, they are cruel and uncaring.

I don't think anyone has the perspective to make a definitive judgement like that. The situation could be like a young child judging his parents to be cruel and uncaring for making him go to school, which he dislikes. There could be unknowns that would change the judgement if understood.

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2. Trasmatta ◴[15 Apr 20 17:48 UTC] No.22880750[source]▶
It feels a little bit condescending to compare the amount of suffering caused by things like dementia to an unruly kid who doesn't want to go to school.
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3. ardy42 ◴[15 Apr 20 18:03 UTC] No.22880935[source]▶
> It feels a little bit condescending to compare the amount of suffering caused by things like dementia to an unruly kid who doesn't want to go to school.

It wasn't a comparison, but an attempt to illustrate how things may look different based on your knowledge and understanding. Obviously such an illustration is going to be trivial compared to the real thing, since you have to substitute something simple that everyone knows for something no one does.