Responsibility?

By now most people have probably heard about the woman in California who died after drinking too much water. According to the Associated Press, Jennifer Lea Strange, 28, joined a radio contest in which contestants competed to see who could drink the most water without relieving themselves. The prize was a new Wii gaming console. Reportedly, Strange's family is filing a lawsuit against the radio station, claiming that "the DJs on the 'Morning Rave' program on KDND-FM knew of the potential dangers of drinking too much water, yet went ahead with the contest anyway." The AP story also says that the Strange, as well as other contestants, complained of "medical symptoms," but, the lawsuit states, the DJ's "verbally chastised and otherwise coerced her, exhorting her to remain in the contest by threatening that she would be disqualified if she 'puked.'"

My friends, may I ask of you what exactly became of personal responsibility? Has anyone thought to question the woman's common sense in going along with the game that ultimately led to her death? Even if she didn't know that drinking approximately two gallons of water would kill her, why did she not stop when "her head hurt and [she] noted that her belly was so swollen she looked pregnant."

And even if the DJ's did know that the game they were hosting was potentially dangerous, what of it? Lest one think I am trying to excuse them, I'm not. But I still believe that a certain amount of responsibility should be placed on the contestant.

It's so telling on our modern society. We are always trying to blame someone else for our problems. (We're also trying to find yet one more excuse to sue somebody.) It's not a new tactic. It happened in the Garden of Eden and it continues today.

Sure, maybe other people are guilty for one reason or another, but that does not acquit us of our wrongdoings. As Jesus said, "First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye." (Luke 6:42) Something to remember when you're tempted to unload all the blame on someone else.