Responses to Josh's Stand for Life

Responses to Josh's Stand for Life

These responses to Josh's strong stand for the life of Miss Terri Schaivo are remarkable.  His apology to the Pinellas Park County Court House is the best sermon I have ever read.  People from across the nation are responding to this young boy's love for Christ.  So am I!  ~Flip

Unconscionable to put children on the front lines?
by Chris Coatney

One respondent to the email entitled Ten year old 'apologizes' for trying to save Terri's life says, "It is unconscionable for a parent to put a child on the front lines of any battle. Joshua should be absolved and his parents arrested for child endangerment."

My reply was that Joshua wouldn't have been on the front lines if the grownups hadn't "chickened out." God doesn't put an age limit on obedience, or upon reaching out to serve your neighbor. Jhn 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. It's too bad that more grownups, in all their sophistication and wisdom, didn't see Terri the same way Joshua did, as a sister who needed help.

From LifeSiteNews lsn@lifesitenews.com I received the following:

Ten Year Old Arrested for Giving Food to Terri Schiavo Apologizes

TAMPA BAY , August 31, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Ten year-old Joshua Heldreth, the eldest of eight children, was arrested on Good Friday of this year for trespassing while attempting to bring a drink of water to Miss Terri Schaivo. Days later Schiavo died of intentional dehydration. In court Joshua pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 hours of community service and ordered to write an apology for his actions.

The boy whose arrest photo was splashed on front pages of newspapers across the nation wrote in his apology letter, "I was arrested on Good Friday for trespassing on the hospice center's property . . . Not giving Mrs. Shiavo (sic) food or water was wrong. The reason I had to go on your property was because Jesus would do the same thing. It made me sad that she was so thirsty and it made Jesus sad too. I knew she would die without water and I am called by Jesus to be a defender of the defenceless. So I had to go on your property to try to bring her a drink."

Joshua added, "I am sorry that you didn't like that and wouldn't allow me to help save her life and one day you will have to tell God why. I won't be able to help you then like I tried to help her. I will pray for you every day . . ."

LifeSiteNews.com caught up with Joshua's father Scott Heldreth today. Scott told LifeSiteNews.com he is very proud of his son. "My son has amazed me through this whole thing," said Heldreth. The proud father said it was his son's own initiative to attempt to give the starving woman a glass of water, and despite the warning of his parents that he'd be arrested, the boy insisted. "He was the one who begged us to go down, because he wanted to give her a glass of water . . . We explained that police will never let you help . . . you'll be arrested, but he went anyways."

Pro-life leader Rev. Flip Benham of Operation Save America told LifeSiteNews.com that the whole pro-life movement shares Heldreth's pride in his son. Benham recalls the reaction of Heldreth on Good Friday as he watched his son being arrested: "When that all took place Scott was weeping, this father was weeping tears of joy seeing his son not only talk the Christian talk but walk the walk."

While the apology letter has been submitted, Heldreth told LifeSiteNews.com he's not completely sure it will be accepted.

See Joshua's full handwritten apology letter here:
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005_docs/JoshuaApology.pdf

 ----- Forwarded Message -----

From: "Pamela Hennessy"

Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2005 23:55:36 -0400

Subject: Ten year old 'apologizes' for trying to save Terri's life

I would like to thank Chris Coatney for sending this item along. The lad you see below is Joshua Heldreth being cuffed by Pinellas Park Police Department for his attempt to approach the doors of Hospice Woodside with a cup of cold water for Terri Schiavo after the effort to dehydrate and starve her healthy body was underway.

Please don't fail to recognize the irony of arresting a young lad for trying to help a dying young woman while those who caused her death are still roaming free.

Master Heldreth was ordered to complete 25 hours of community service, which he has, and to write a letter of apology to Hospice Woodside for his actions. The following link will give you a downloadable PDF (Acrobat Reader document) of his 'apology'. After you've read this young lad's poignant words, ask yourself if Master Heldreth apologized to the Hospice, or if he stood his ground on the treatment of our weak and vulnerable.

In a day when we all look at youngsters and wonder what in the world is wrong with them, their parents, their influences, this lad has given me a great deal of hope. His actions are inspired by his faith, but he also acted on the very real principals he found beyond the words and ideas and, at the age of 10, was capable of being loving towards a stranger, standing his ground on a humane and simple principal and acting in a way that clearly demonstrates basic human kindness and compassion.

For that, Master Heldreth was cuffed like a thug. Murdering thugs are being awarded as heroes in Pinellas County , Florida and children are being punished for their belief in humane treatment of others less fortunate.

"I'm sorry that you didn't like that..."

Thank you, Joshua, for not taking the bait. This 10-year old has the brass I aspire to and he deserves applause for sticking to his compassionate ethics When the rest of the world is telling him it's kinder to kill. He is to be commended. http://www.operationsaveamerica.org/articles/articles/Joshua%20Apology.pdf

Josh Heldreth