Mount Selfish
Blog reader, Shannon, wrote this to me last night in an email titled "Mount Selfish" and gave me permission to post it:
After reading the news tonight online, I found myself shocked at the recent story about David Sharp, a 34 year old man who died during his attempt to climb Mount Everest. Not one climber stopped and stayed with him until help arrived. He was basically left to die, while the climbers continued to ascend their climb. It is sparking outrage and it very well should. Even, Edmund Hillary, the first to conquer the mountain is ashamed of the behavior exhibited by the climbers.
It is another tragic sign of our times. People are in it for personal gain with no regard for the welfare of others. In Proverbs it says we are to be our "brother's keeper." What transpired on the icy peaks of that mountain is a scary reminder of how downhill society has went.
Considering how some will terminate the life of a baby, because it is "inconvenient" for their schedule, it is small wonder that a mountain hiker is abandoned in minus 100 degree temperatures. Let us not leave someone behind, when they are caught in the midst of a trial and we are able to help them.
posted by Crystal Paine at 1:57 PM
8 Comments:
I too read this story in horror.
Reminds me of the verses in Titus 2
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
As Christians we sometimes get caught up in our journey and are guilty of leaving the needy (spiritually or physically) abandoned.
Blessings,
Esther
that is terrible!!! I can't believe that someone would just leave him there to die- it's so cruel.
~Samantha
That is so sad...and so many seem to think that it is to be expected and accepted. I am pleased by those who spoke up and said that the top climbers would stop and help...that is the way it should be. This callousness is such a picture of the selfishness of our world...very sad.
Sommer
Esther: I so agree. There are many, many needy all around us!
Sommer: I, too, was happy to see that not everyone would respond like this.
I am disgusted by this story, but not surprised. As Crystal has said before, "me first" seems to be the theme in our society.
I had a depressing experience tonight that has really put me in a mood. My husband & I went to our local chain book store a few hours ago. We were just browsing for fun, but by the time I left, I felt heartsick. There were SO many books that I cringed at! And, I love to read! Usually, there are some books that disappoint me, but I felt like everywhere I turned tonight I saw something more objectionable than the last book I saw.
There was one new book in particular called "the end of faith" or something similar to that, which basically said that faith was disappearing and that "reason" has replaced it. Its premise was that faith was finally losing out to reason and that faith was responsible for most of the human attrocities that have occurred in history. I know this viewpoint is pathetic & simple-minded, but it is still depressing to see that this is the kind of garbage that is attractive to consumers.
Maybe I'm naive, but for a few years now, I thought I had been sensing a sort-of resurgence of faith & traditional values (more SAHM's, etc.). After tonight, though, I'm sure I was wrong.
:(
i also had read the story and my heart aches for this man. how could anyone leave him? i'm stunned!!
I am not sure if this is the same guy or not:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AUSTRALIA_EVEREST_SURVIVAL?SITE=CARED&SECTION=HOME
THis guy's name is Lincoln Hall and apparently he was thought to be dead but he was revived.
~Jaclynn
If any of you have ever trained to climb Everest, you would know that there is a place called the "Death Zone". This is where climbers become confused, and work very, very slowly. As the name implies, many people die there. When the mountain warms up, many bodies surface.
When a person is training for summiting Everest, that person knows that there is a high risk of dying. There is no escaping that. Climbers are also aware of the fact that it is their choice to go there and attempt this feat. Nobody else is making them do this... this is like bungee jumping, there is a risk.
You can not set yourself on fire and then expect others to put you out.
BTW, Linclon Hall is another climber.... not the same individual who died.
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