Playing God

by Zoë Pollock

Ebert watches the HBO film "You Don't Know Jack" and falls on Dr. Jack Kevorkian's side:

When he was asked if he wasn't playing God, Dr. Jack replied with perfect logic: "Every doctor plays God." This is the simple truth. When doctor cut us open, stitch and mend, medicate us, drug us, radiate us and prolong our lives, they are playing God. In a more direct sense, if we choose to abuse tobacco, drugs, alcohol and wise nutrition, we are playing God. We have decided we should not live the lifespan our bodies were programmed for. And if we do not believe in God, we can hardly welcome someone else, or the law, playing God on our behalf.