Terri Schiavo and John 11:49-50

I do not usually write about religion, and almost never quote scripture. However, with Holy Week having just ended, I cannot help think about how little humanity seems to have changed over two millennia. This relevant verses are from the Gospel of John 11:49-50.

And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

In the case of Terri Schiavo, we’ve changed it only slightly, to considering it expedient that one woman should die, so that the whole nation not perish, because it cannot survive if the wisdom of our courts is questioned.

Look, I do not want to overmake this point, but what makes us absolutely sure that we are any different from the mob back then? I am sure at the crucifixtion, some valid procedural arguments justifying why it was acceptable to put Jesus to death were advanced. Can we truly say that because we have followed our own rules, we have not succumbed to the temptation to put an innocent to death for our own convenience?