“Kill him,” the judge decreed.

“Yes. And do it at once,” the tribunal agreed.

The parents of the convicted begged for mercy.

“How dare you question our authority,” the courts answered. “He must die.”

“But what is his crime?” the parents desperately asked.

“He is not normal,” the judge coldly declared. “His life is therefore of no value.”

“Please,” the mother cried. “He is my child, my baby. He is of immense value to me. I treasure every hour, every moment with him. Please, give me my baby and let me search the world for help.”

“Please,” the father begged. “He is of immeasurable value to me. I am his daddy. I will fly to the ends of the earth to find help for him. Until his last breath, I will be his protector and helper.”

But the government courts, the gods of life and death, declared that the baby must die.

The baby’s crime? He is sick, very sick.

And he is unable to speak for himself.

My imaginings of this frightful scene reflect the realities of the battle over 11-month-old Charlie Gard.

Even as I write this column, Charlie’s mom and dad continue to beg for the life of their son. They are fighting for him as God ordained parents to do. They are cuddling Charlie as they are able, adoring and immersing his tiny body in comforting, warm love.

Despite the fact that his prospects for a long life are dim, and despite the fact that he will never meet the court’s standards for “normal,” he is loved and cherished by his family. Each hour of his life has value and meaning — not because of what he can or cannot do — but because God said it is so.

The European courts have the supreme authority to decide the fate of all European citizens partly because of the socialist, government-run health care structure that provides “free” care to all. “Free” care that comes with a noose — a government tribunal deciding who gets to live, and who has an obligation to die.

The name of the highest court declares its intent: The European Court of Human Rights. It is a court system established, not to protect God-given rights, but to allow a few humans to arrogantly determine what the rights of other human beings are. They are the gods of Europe.

This is not an issue of Charlie’s medical care costing these gods too much: the parents have raised millions from private donations to pay for treatments.

This is not an issue of these gods being burdened by a cumbersome child: Charlie’s parents want to leave Europe and bring Charlie to the United States for treatment.

This is not an issue of there being no medical professionals willing to treat the child: Several doctors and hospitals are pleading to treat Charlie. They have even offered to do so for free.

No, this is an issue of government control. This is what happens when the government becomes god.

America, take note: If we demand a society where the government gods provide “free” health care, we will pay for it with our freedom, even by giving up the sacred right to protect our sons and daughters. And we also may be forced one day to sacrifice our own children to the gods.