FINED
FOR DYING YOUNG

Topics: Death; Government; Health; Insensitivity; Law; Mortality

References: Psalm 49:5–15; Romans 5:12–19; 6:20–23; Hebrews 9:27–28

If someone in your family dies too young, your family could get fined or put in jail. That’s the legislation Pereira da Silva, mayor of Biritiba-Mirim, in Brazil, is trying to pass to force the city’s 28,000 residents to get adequate health care for themselves or family members—and the government to provide more burial space.

The state government promised the town a new vertical cemetery, but, to date, nothing has been done. Mayor da Silva offers his new proposal as an attempt to discourage death and resultant cemetery use.

Since announcement of the proposed law, both gym use and health care visits have increased.

—“Mayor Wants to Ban Death,” ananova.com (December 13, 2005)