Voluntary euthanasia consistent with religious principles, Christian group says
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MoreCoffee
Guest
Makes one wonder doesn’t it? But wasn’t that the way artificial contraception crept in and then divorce & remarriage - slowly by little steps until it is accepted as the norm and all moral doubts are smothered under a huge pile of uncertainty and meaningless qualifications.
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CatholicSheila
Guest
From the article:
Why does it not surprise me that the Anglicans are out the front in this discussion? Leading the way of sin. The paragraph about how Christians view euthanasia is interesting. It reads as though Christianity is fairly equally split on this issue which, AFAIK, is hardly the case.
From the article:
The problem is, Mr. Williams, your position is not a “mainstream” Christian position. It is a progressive position, Christian or not.
The problem with this, other than the obvious, is that “voluntary” will become “encouraged” will become “insisted upon”. And that’s a very progressive position.
Jon
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ericc
Guest
Consistent with which religious principles?
First it flunk the 10 commandment test. Secondly, one may use the same argument for suicide. Everyone’s dying day-by-day. If you want to go out in style i.e. with “dignity” whatever that means, suicide may be the “dignified” way. For those used to good living but fallen on hard times, that may be their definition of dignity. Also those in despair or severe mental distress may opt for this. Since church xyz ok’s it, let’s take the easy way out. And hell may just possibly gain one more member. It is frightful what churches today accept as permissible. Let start the list:
First it flunk the 10 commandment test. Secondly, one may use the same argument for suicide. Everyone’s dying day-by-day. If you want to go out in style i.e. with “dignity” whatever that means, suicide may be the “dignified” way. For those used to good living but fallen on hard times, that may be their definition of dignity. Also those in despair or severe mental distress may opt for this. Since church xyz ok’s it, let’s take the easy way out. And hell may just possibly gain one more member. It is frightful what churches today accept as permissible. Let start the list:
- Divorce
- Remarriage
- Abortion
- Same sex marriage
- Contraception
- Coming soon to a church near you…euthanasia/suicide ???
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katy
Guest
Being in my late 60s, I remember when abortion was forcibly made legal by the US Supreme court. At the time, it was pointed out that most of the arguments for abortion would easily get used for euthanasia. The idea was shouted down as preposterous, entirely out of line, scary “slippery slope” fallacy thinking. Well, here we are. 
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ChurchSoldier
Guest
Another article trying to “normalize” the culture of death. If you notice he states without specific reference “the majority of people are on our side”.
The title says makes it seem like it is a mainstream Christian group, though states the main man quote is a member of the Anglican Church of Canada which is the equivalent of the Episcopal Church in the U.S.
If you read it thoroughly, you will see “Its submission to the inquiry says watching a patient die slowly in a medically-induced coma can also be extremely distressing for family members and medical staff.” There was another thread on terminal sedation a few days ago of which some questioned whether it was really a precursor to euthanasia. I think this shows the attitude that it is clearly on the desired path of these folks.
I pray that we as Christians see these folks are conducting a long term campaign which we need to oppose.
Pax.
The title says makes it seem like it is a mainstream Christian group, though states the main man quote is a member of the Anglican Church of Canada which is the equivalent of the Episcopal Church in the U.S.
If you read it thoroughly, you will see “Its submission to the inquiry says watching a patient die slowly in a medically-induced coma can also be extremely distressing for family members and medical staff.” There was another thread on terminal sedation a few days ago of which some questioned whether it was really a precursor to euthanasia. I think this shows the attitude that it is clearly on the desired path of these folks.
I pray that we as Christians see these folks are conducting a long term campaign which we need to oppose.
Pax.
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ProdglArchitect
Guest
Eric, you summed up my thoughts on the matter quite succinctly. This is disgusting, trying to justify something so morally egregious. I hope God knocks some sense into this guy, and that he repents of this position before he dies; because objectively speaking, he is promoting a mortally-sinful action as good.
I feel like I’ve been quoting Romans 1 a lot recently…
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Johann_du_Toit
Guest
Legalizing voluntary euthanasia eventually opens the door to involuntary euthanasia, In Belgium 1.7% of all deaths (according to one study) are attributed to involuntary euthanasia.
In the Netherlands, the courts can now order people with dementia (and presumably other mental illnesses) to be killed, regardless of whether they approve of it,as long it can be proven in court they expressed a desire to die when they were lucid.
Babies who are deemed to disabled to live are also routinely euthanized in the Netherlands.
I suffer from depression, anxiety and OCD, and I fear that if I’m hospitalized, some insane doctor or nurse might decide to “help” me out of my “misery” against my will.
In the Netherlands, the courts can now order people with dementia (and presumably other mental illnesses) to be killed, regardless of whether they approve of it,as long it can be proven in court they expressed a desire to die when they were lucid.
Babies who are deemed to disabled to live are also routinely euthanized in the Netherlands.
I suffer from depression, anxiety and OCD, and I fear that if I’m hospitalized, some insane doctor or nurse might decide to “help” me out of my “misery” against my will.
J
Jeannie52
Guest
The decent and humane thing to do is to call Hospice. The Hospice nurse is registered with the state to administer legal doses of a legalized drug to the terminally ill who are suffering, thus allowing them to die wih dignity and respect. There’s no need to assist in killing the person to put them out of their misery. That is murder and it is against God Almighty’s plan.
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EasterJoy
Guest
Yes–that is, it is moral to treat pain even if the treatment may have the unintended side effect of hastening death. If your health situation is precarious, after all, there are few treatments for pain that don’t also put some additional stress on some or all organ systems. A pain killer might compromise breathing in someone who is already not breathing so well, but if the alternative is great suffering then it is OK to treat the pain.
It is not moral to decide that the time has come to kill someone or to commit suicide.
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bjess8411
Guest
I strongly disagree with this scripturally. The Bible says that those who endure to the end will be saved. It also says that murderers do not inherit the kingdom of God. Another verse says that those who destroy the temple of God will be destroyed, and other scripture says that our body is the temple of God. Taking your life is murder. It also is not enduring. It is destroying God’s temple-- your body. Therefore you do not inherit God’s kingdom, will be destroyed, and cannot be saved if you end your life before your time. I am not saying this is easy to live out or anything but there is so much against this practice in the Bible. The concept of euthanasia really grieves my heart.
Bringing in medical ethics, doctors are to do no harm and giving a patient a drug to take their life early is doing harm, so they should not be giving out those drugs. Why would someone want to bring an innocent person into his or her suicide? That just seems so wrong. You have the right to kill yourself on your own terms just by virtue of living and having the ability to take your life, but don’t ask someone else to do it for you or give you what you need to do it!
I used to believe otherwise, but now I cannot support euthanasia at all.
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bjess8411
Guest
This is what my husband says. I agree. I have struggled with different mental health issues as well. I even attempted taking my life as a teenager, but God has really changed my heart about the issue.
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Saint_Frank
Guest
Our society is really heading down the path to hell. It’s like we’ve learned nothing from the horrors of the 19th and 20th centuries. Abortion, eugenics and euthanasia? Great! Let’s do it! It’s not like anything went wrong with it before! 
And I agree with those who have brought up their mental health struggles. I’m disabled due to my severe depression and anxiety disorder. I’ve been suicidal many times before and this scares and saddens me so much. Just destroying life. Culture of death, indeed. This is what happens when relativism, materialism and utilitarianism are the rule of the day and you kick God out, not recognizing the transcendent aspect of ourselves and others.
People have already been taking “suicide holidays” to places that have legal assisted suicide and there’s been people doing it who weren’t terminally ill. So we’ve already crossed that line.
And I agree with those who have brought up their mental health struggles. I’m disabled due to my severe depression and anxiety disorder. I’ve been suicidal many times before and this scares and saddens me so much. Just destroying life. Culture of death, indeed. This is what happens when relativism, materialism and utilitarianism are the rule of the day and you kick God out, not recognizing the transcendent aspect of ourselves and others.
People have already been taking “suicide holidays” to places that have legal assisted suicide and there’s been people doing it who weren’t terminally ill. So we’ve already crossed that line.
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