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what is euthanasia and else can it be referred as
Euthanasia is a term used to describe the act of ending a person’s life, or allowing them to die
It can also be referred to as assisted dying
which circumstances can be classed as voluntary euthanasia
Someone asking for help to end their life
Declining potential life-saving treatment, including resuscitation
Refusing to eat or drink
Requesting medical treatment be stopped or a life support machine turned off
non-voluntary euthanasia
Sometimes a person may be too ill to communicate their wishes and so the decision is made by the next of kin/ or other relatives or medical professionals
active vs passive arguments for euthanasia
Many people will make a moral distinction between active and passive euthanasia and say that there is a big difference between killing a patient and withholding treatment
Some people like doctors and nurses may prefer the idea of passive euthanasia to active
This is because they can fulfil the wishes of a very ill patient without deliberately killing them
Others might argue that letting someone die as opposed to killing them might make people feel better but it is still wrong
This is because they believe that human beings, particularly medical professionals, have a responsibility to preserve and save life
Some people suggest that active euthanasia is more humane than passive, as passive can result in a much slower and more painful death
euthanasia and the law
Euthanasia is illegal in the UK but is a controversial issue with many people believing it should be legalised- currently its in the process of being legalised
Due to its illegality, those who help people to die could be charged with manslaughter or even murder
Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland, and people from all over the world can travel there to be helped to die by a group called Dignitas
christian teachings and euthanasia
The Bible does not specifically mention euthanasia; however, it does underpin the Christian belief about the sanctity of life, which is a relevant issue
Most Christians are opposed to euthanasia or assisted dying for many reasons;
Christianity teaches that human life is sacred and precious
The value of human life is reinforced by one of the Ten Commandments in the Bible which states ‘Thou shalt not kill’
They also believe that God has a plan for everyone and that good and bad and birth and death are part of that plan
Only God who created life had the authority to end life no matter how bad the circumstances may be
Some Christians believe this idea is illustrated in the Book of Job
christianity and the nature of abortion
There is no single Christian teaching on euthanasia, and different Christian denominations take different views
Most Christians believe that life is sacred and given by God, and therefore only God can decide when life ends
Many Christians trust God to end life when the proper time comes and would therefore not accept any intervention that would end a life before God decides
Human life is a gift from God. It is sacred and has dignity
Many people see the last part of a person’s life on Earth as a spiritual time of preparation for death and the next life
Euthanasia is wrong as it prematurely ends this special time
God gave life, and only He should take it
bible references linking to euthanasia
Christians would look to the teachings of the Bible for guidance when considering the ethics of euthanasia
The Bible says that 'God made man in his own image' (Genesis 1:27). This emphasises the special and precious nature of mankind
Jesus healed the sick and the dying, so humans must care for the terminally ill rather than prematurely ending life
Many Christians view euthanasia as murder, and the sixth commandment states, ‘You shall not commit murder’ (Exodus 20:13)
Luke 12:6-7 teaches that each individual matters to God, even in little details, “yet not one sparrow is forgotten by God. Even the hairs on your head have all been counted”
Jesus taught humans to 'love thy neighbour' (Mark 12:31). This means that Christians should try to understand the situation and actions of others
_ « you are God’s temple and that god’s spirit lives in you’
« God’s temple is holy’
‘Taking care of the sick is like taking care of me’
‘You do not belong to yourselves but god’
‘I am putting you in charge of the fish, birds and all the wild animals’-stewardship
Roman Catholic view on euthanasia
Euthanasia is morally unacceptable within Catholic Christianity as it involves the taking of human life
'Nothing and no one can in any way permit the killing of an innocent human being, whether a foetus or an embryo, an infant or an adult, an old person, or one who is suffering from an incurable disease, or a person who is dying' (Catholic Declaration on Euthanasia)
Roman Catholics would hold this view because of their views for multiple reasons;
The beliefs relating to the sanctity of life
They would refer to the command from God in their scriptures that says 'you must not kill'
Euthanasia would be against God's orders, and would be an attack on the sovereignty of God
Human lives are special because God created them and therefore should be protected and preserved
Ending life prematurely would be going against God's plans for that person
Humans are made in God's image and therefore have special value in God's eyes
the view of other christians on euthanasia
Some Christians would focus on ending the suffering of the person who is dying
‘We believe Christians should urge government and society to adopt the other choices that are available for the alleviation of pain and suffering' (The Presbyterian Church)
There are many other reasons why some Christians would believe that euthanasia is acceptable
Some Christians would highlight the importance of 'free will' in the decision-making process
They might argue that euthanasia is an act of compassion, provided that the person requests it and fully understands the consequences of their request
They would also focus on the teachings of Jesus around love and forgiveness
Those Christians who support euthanasia only do so if it is voluntary and passive, and never if it is involuntary or active
divergent responses to euthanasia
Many humanists and atheists would support voluntary euthanasia
They do not believe that life was created by God and therefore decisions can and should be made by humans
Under some circumstances it maybe the morally right thing to do
They may believe that human beings have a fundamental right to die with dignity and in a way that they have chosen
They may argue that if we would not see an animal suffer then why would we do nothing when a human is suffering
others would say
there is always doubt as to whether the person really wants it-relatives might request euthanasia for their own benefits
a cure might be found or patient may go into remission
christian responses to divergent attitudes to euthanasia
Most Christians would disagree with humanist and atheist views as they believe in the sanctity of life and that life is a gift from God
Free will does not give humans the right to take life away, not even their own
They also believe in stewardship which means they have a responsibility to protect the weak in society
Many Christians believe that by legalising euthanasia this could lead many people to feel pressured to end their lives so they are not a burden to their families
It could also lead to voluntary euthanasia being seen as acceptable
what is situation ethics
Situation Ethics is an ethical system which judges right or wrong depending upon the situation
There are no universal moral rules or rights - each case is unique and deserves a unique solution
The general rule of this approach is that the correct actionshould be the most loving action
situation ethics and euthanasia
Using this principle, decisions around euthanasia would depend on the situation every time
For example, if a person was suffering from a terminal illness and was in a lot of pain, the most loving thing might be to end that person’s pain by ending their life
Alternatively, for someone else the most loving thing might be to care for that person for the time they have left
christian responses to situation ethics and euthanasia
Christians would also believe that the ‘most loving’ thing to do is usually the right choice
However, some Christians would argue that ending someone’s life is not the correct response because biblical teachings state that ending life is wrong
Instead, they may look to ways in which love can be shown whilst keeping the person alive. For example, hospice care
what does Job 2:9 -10 say
His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”
10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish[b]woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”- this tells christians to accept suffering as god’s will
what do Evangelic Protestants believe in
that all form of euthanasia is wrong
what is hospice care
The purpose of a hospice is to improve the quality of life for people who have an incurable illness and it is often provided by charities
It is a particular style of care which aims to meet all of the medical, social, practical and psychological needs of the person’s family and the spiritual needs of the person who is ill
Hospice care can begin when the person is first diagnosed and ends when they die
It can take place at home or in another setting such as care home or purpose built hospice
Hospice care also includes palliative care, which is medical care that provides people who are terminally ill with relief from their symptoms, pain and medical stress
