A dramatic, eleventh hour special session of both Houses of Congress resulted in the passage of an emergency legislative bill that will give Terri Schiavo access to the federal court system in an appeal to prevent her murder.

Even as I type these words, it occurs to me how strangely they sound. A federal emergency legislative bill aimed at stopping a state from putting a disabled woman to death -- who would have imagined such a thing in America?

In any case, the House of Representatives passed the measure 203-58 shortly after midnight following three hours of debate. The Senate cleared it unanimously Sunday. President Bush interrupted his spring break vacation and flew from Crawford to Washington to sign the bill at 1:11 AM Monday morning.

"Today, I signed into law a bill that will allow federal courts to hear a claim by or on behalf of Terri Schiavo for violation of her rights relating to the withholding or withdrawal of food, fluids, or medical treatment necessary to sustain her life," Bush said in a written statement.

The bill was opposed by Minority leader Nancy Pelosi, who called saving Terri Schiavo 'Republican grandstanding’, saying, "This rush to exploit a personal tragedy is not fair to those involved and will not create good policy."

Oregon Democrat David Wu did a little political exploiting of his own, using Schiavo's case to invent a new campaign slogan and practicing his double-speak skills along the way. "No bedroom is safe in America and no hospital room is safe in America." It is to be remembered that Wu's argument was made in favor of starving Terri Schiavo to death.

In this revealing twist of leftist logic, Terri Schiavo is not 'safe' from government efforts to save her life, hence, Wu's opposition.

An irritated Tom Delay pushed the matter forward, and criticized the opposition's efforts to delay the vote by calling for a floor debate.

"The bill we're working on has majority support in the House and the Senate, and it is going to pass. The only question is when," Delay said. "The few objecting House Democrats have so far cost Mrs. Schiavo two meals already today . . ."

Evidently, by design. They've taken the position that Terri Schiavo must die, and if they could delay long enough, she'll die, and they'll win -- even though outnumbered three to one.

Florida Democrat Robert Wexler accused Congress of undermining Florida's court system.

"This is heart-wrenching for all Americans," Wexler said. "But the issue before this Congress is not an emotional one. It's simply one that respects the rule of law."

The Constitution puts the responsibility for protecting American citizens in the hands of the Congress. It isn't an issue of emotion before the Congress, but Congressional responsibility. A state court has ordered the execution by starvation of an American citizen in this case.

Tom Delay responded to Wexler by waving a copy of the Constitution and saying that Terri Schiavo's constitutional rights may have been infringed, and the bill sets up a federal court hearing to determine that fact.

Is this hard to figure out?

While the House debate was bitter, there was none in the Senate. The Senate's GOP leadership won agreement on the legislation from Democrats, who didn't even show up Sunday for the voice vote that took less than two minutes.

Assessment:

On April 24, 1989, Newsweek reported the story of an elderly lady sentenced to death. Her crime? Being dependant on medical technology.

"Carrie Coons, an 86-year-old New York resident, was hearty and independent until she suffered a stroke last October. She deteriorated into what her doctors labeled a "persistent, vegetative state."

Her chances of recovery were determined to be "nil." A judge decided her condition to be "irreversible." An order was signed. Her feeding tube was scheduled to be removed. Coons would have died had she not embarrassed her doctors by coming out of her coma just before the order was to take effect.

By now, everybody is pretty much aware of the background issues in the Schiavo case. Michael Schiavo is claiming Terri would have wanted to die -- Terri's parents say she would prefer to live. That's what it boils down to in a nutshell.

Schiavo has already divorced Terri in fact, if not ceremonially, by living common-law with another woman for a decade. Together, they have two children.

What if Terri woke up? Would he leave his family and resume his marriage to her?

Or would Terri [and her malpractice award money] divorce Michael? Or worse, sue HIM for withholding medical treatment by warehousing her in a hospice?

Terri's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, dispute claims that Terri collapsed as the result of a 'chemical imbalance' saying that the medical evidence suggests she was strangled. If Terri woke up, she could explain what happened to her.

Things would be so much simpler for Michael Schiavo if Terri would just go ahead and DIE!

This is a case that has been reviewed by 19 judges over a period of 10 years. Judges carefully selected by Michael Schiavo's attorney who chose the courts in which to file suit, from judicial benches packed by activist judges during the Clinton administration.

Which is the ONLY reason that can explain how 19 judges with all the relevant records at their disposal were unable to connect the same dots we just did in three paragraphs?

Not ONE of them found any conflict of interest in Michael Schiavo's eagerness to end his wife's life.

The Schiavo battle will continue, but it is important to keep focused on what is being debated. This is a clash between cultures, with the culture of life on one side, and an emerging culture of death on the other. How it turns out will say much about America.

The Bible says that in the last days, evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse. It is a bit hard to dispute that, under these circumstances.

Paul's Second Letter to the Thessalonians was written to counter a heresy circulating among them that the Rapture had already occurred and that the 2nd Coming of Christ was imminent:

"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand." (2nd Thessalonians 2:1-2)

It is important to note that the Thessalonians thought the Day of Christ (2nd Coming) was 'at hand'. Paul points out that the 'Day of Christ' (2nd Coming) won't take place until AFTER the revelation of the antichrist:

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." (2:3)

But Paul says, BEFORE that can happen, something else must take place first.

"And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now letteth will let, until He be taken out of the way. And THEN shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:” (2:6-7)

Note that the KJV renders 'that Wicked' a personal pronoun. But the 'mystery of iniquity' that precedes his revelation, Paul says, is already at work. The only thing restraining it from becoming evil personified is the Holy Spirit, but He "will be taken out of the way."

It is this 'mystery of iniquity' that we are witnessing in the Schiavo case. It is a textbook example of the mystery of sin.

How mysterious is it that so many people fail to see what is going on? How mysterious is it that so many people could honestly believe starving someone to death is doing them a favor?

How mysterious is it that a culture of death could arise in the heart of the most life-affirming nation the world had ever known -- at exactly this point in history? Fortunately, for Terri Schiavo, there are still people who aren't deceived and object to her murder for the good of society.

The Apostle Paul says that mystery of iniquity (sin) will continue to chip away at the fabric of society until, at last, the restraining ministry of the Holy Sprit 'be taken out of the way' -- leaving no one to object to sin personified when he comes on the scene and seizes the reins of power over the culture of death.

The Holy Spirit's ministry is the Church. The Holy Spirit indwells each believer, guiding them in all truth. When the antichrist comes on the scene, the Holy Spirit withdraws, allowing that 'Wicked' to come on the scene; "after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders."

That leaves the question open: What about the indwelt believers? There are only two possibilities. One is that Jesus' promise of a Comforter until He comes applied to every generation of believers from the days of the Apostles until the day of the Tribulation.

Then, when believers need the Holy Spirit most, He is withdrawn and we face evil personified -- spiritually alone and bereft of the Holy Spirit's promised assurance, guidance and direction -- to HOPE we are smart enough and strong enough and spiritually vibrant enough on our own to reject the Mark of the Beast and accept martyrdom.

The other is that, "the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

"Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)