Is Euthanasia Morally Wrong?

[LukeyLuke]

While considering the teachings within the Bible (or not, if you aren't Christian) and/or the medical implications of a patient thinking of euthanasia, is euthanasia morally wrong? Explain your reasoning.

[1213]

[Replying to post 2 by Haven]

Approaching this from a secular perspective, I find euthanasia morally acceptable because it eliminates suffering from an individual suffering from a terminal disease. No one should ever be forced to suffer from a terminal illness against his will; people have the right to die as well as the right to live.

If ending suffering is good reason for killing, does it also mean that it is good if God ends suffering by killing all evil people?

[Danmark]

[Replying to post 2 by Haven]

Approaching this from a secular perspective, I find euthanasia morally acceptable because it eliminates suffering from an individual suffering from a terminal disease. No one should ever be forced to suffer from a terminal illness against his will; people have the right to die as well as the right to live.

If ending suffering is good reason for killing, does it also mean that it is good if God ends suffering by killing all evil people?

According to most Christian theology then, wouldn't he have to kill all of us?
'For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.'

[Donald]

" I think you\'ve missed the point by a wide margin. We\'re talking about physician subscribed pain killers [b:cd3831378e]for people who are about to die.[/b:cd3831378e] Becoming addicted on your last day on Earth is not a concern. The very point is that using the pain killers may hasten their death and alleviate their pain.

The fear of euthanasia when someone\'s death is imminent forcing a loving child or spouse or brother to deprive his loved one from spending his last hours or days in agony, so one can happily congratulate himself of \'playing strictly by the book,\' seems immoral to me. It\'s a great example of straining gnats while swallowing camels."


Like I said before, EVERYBODY SUFFERS! This person you mention does NOT know when their last day is. And neither do you Danmark. Does that mean that everytime we suffer that we have to give up on life and seek euthanasia because they choose to be selfish by not looking deep within themselves for a better solution? Painkilling drugs are not the answer because they, the patients, tend not to be completely satisfied with the outcome and they think about taking more and more and more of it before it becomes too much for the body. I DON'T think you see the full picture Danmark. I don't trust in modern medicine to help me see that better solution. I trust in my religious conscience. I trust that when pain comes my way and it happens, that I find out, by looking deep inside me, to see "How can live my life with the least amount of pain as humanly and as morally as possible?" Modern Medicine will NEVER give you that solution and will never fit as neatly and comfortably as you think Danmark. Modern medicine does not look at the FULL individual to see what the CORE PROBLEM is. You have to trust in your knowledge of solid miracles that comes with ancient remedies. You have to TRUST Danmark that there is a higher calling that is trying to tell you the best soultion. OPEN YOUR HEART and find out. It is already available. Seek it and you shall find it. Knock, and it shall be opened for you.

[Danmark]

Like I said before, EVERYBODY SUFFERS! This person you mention does NOT know when their last day is. And neither do you Danmark. Does that mean that everytime we suffer that we have to give up on life and seek euthanasia because they choose to be selfish by not looking deep within themselves for a better solution?

No, and I have no interest in reading the rest of your argument. The argument suggests an absence of empathy and compassion in an astounding degree.

I suggest it is an argument that could rarely be mounted by someone who has not ever actually been confronted with the situation, where both doctor and patient know the 96 year old parallyzed, blind and deaf patient, who has not walked or even stood up in 80 years, who is in extreme pain, who only wants to leave this Earth and go to his reward, has endure his final hours in agony because some . . . uh . . . 'person' who thinks he knows better than everyone else, wants to impose his "by the book" religious based personal opinion on this 96 year old.

Even the Centurians would frequently break the leg bones of those they were crucifying in order to hasten death [with the leg bones broken it made it harder to breathe].

The point of view you express here is one I fear I can no longer publicly respond to without violating the rules of this forum.

[Donald]

I want to tell everyone who is willing to read this that in no way does life become meaningless, but just the oppposite, MEANINGFUL! I am dying and have been dying for the past 154 months, but I have chosen this from my own decision to die with respect of my religious conscience and with respect of my understanding of life. Life is about the different trails we take that guides us in different directions that either brings the most meaning out of life or the least meaning out of life. For me, the least meaningful actions are saving my life from my condition and committing suicide or euthanasia. I will never save my life because I realized that by saving my life, I was not enjoying my life to the fullest, but instead fearing my death constantly, which is meaningless. The other least meaningful action is committing suicide or euthanasia because I do not own my body and have never created myself, God did all of that. Saving my life is too far right on the spectrum and committing suicide or euthanasia is too far left on the spectrum. But self-sacrifice is exactly CENTER or my needle has a "balanced outlook" to life and death.

I choose the hard route in life by self-sacrifice because that will bring me the greatest award when it is all said and done. Not just Heaven, but assurance that I made to best possible solution due to my moral compass that God gave me from the start. Choosing the hard route also meant that I will suffer more, but it is all worth it because I do not suffer alone, Jesus Christ is with me at all times. Remembering back, Jesus suffered for me by dying on the Cross for my sins. So I choose to reciprocate what Jesus did for me by dying in a huge mystery where my self-sacrifice is hidden from anyone who meets me. I would NEVER be able to do this without Jesus. I thought deeply, "Why should I be a coward and a selfish fool for chosing the easy route that suicide or euthanasia are?" Self-sacrifice has been my chosen method since March 10, 2002, the moment I decided this was my best solution for me, my family, the doctors I met on this condition and the world at large. I have been dying since November 28, 2001, 6:35am.

Self-sacrifice is my preferred method to also live with as little stress as possible so I can develop my inner happiness, joy of life, and peace of mind to its fullest extent. These are crucial to my sanity and dignity! So I am completely content with where I am now and will continue in my self-sacrifice until my last day, which God Knows. I will know when I die when my eyes close and they do not open again!

[Danmark]

I choose the hard route in life by self-sacrifice because that will bring me the greatest award when it is all said and done. Not just Heaven, but assurance that I made to best possible solution due to my moral compass that God gave me from the start.

But do you insist on making the same choice for others? Your sentiments may seem very noble to you, but can you allow that others in similar circumstances can make very different decisions and retain both their nobility and their dignity?

[dianaiad]

I want to tell everyone who is willing to read this that in no way does life become meaningless, but just the oppposite, MEANINGFUL! I am dying and have been dying for the past 154 months, but I have chosen this from my own decision to die with respect of my religious conscience and with respect of my understanding of life.

Donald, you haven't been dying for the last 12 years any more than the rest of us have.

If you have been 'dying' for 12 years, then you haven't been paying attention to the world around you. You haven't been dying. You've been living every inch as much as the guy next to you who hasn't got a clue that his arteries are 99% blocked and will become all the way blocked by the end of the day.

Your opinion regarding euthanasia happens to be one with which I agree, basically. On the other hand, I'm certainly not going to criticize anyone who, in extreme physical or emotional pain, chooses to stop it in whatever manner he or she chooses. Nor am I going to state categorically that I won't ask for a little extra morphine myself when the time comes.

My own response to you is this: if you have been 'dying' for nearly 13 years, you've been wasting a great deal of time when you should have been living.

.....and yes, Donald, I do understand your position, in exactly the same way one widow understands the grief of another.

Stop dying.

Start living.

[Mudcat]

While considering the teachings within the Bible (or not, if you aren't Christian) and/or the medical implications of a patient thinking of euthanasia, is euthanasia morally wrong? Explain your reasoning.

Hi Luke,

Interesting subject. I am a Christian.. no mention of euthanasia in the Bible. Number of suicides occurred, which seems a relative topic. Though I would think only Samson's was reflected in any favorable way.

Saul did take his own life, after his request for a mercy killing from his servant was denied...

It's an arguable point, I would think, but I would say that euthanasia could be morally right. Jesus taught that we should be merciful to receive mercy. I would think euthanasia a merciful act.

I have never been in that situation.. only thing close was a couple years back when my Golden Retriever, Maxx, at age 13.5 was dying. His heart had gotten weak and his organs were shutting down in short order. Seemed putting him down would be less discomforting than allowing his condition to play out in full. I believed I was being merciful to my faithful dog, while sat with him as the injection did it's work.

I believe there are circumstances where taken the life of an individual would be the most merciful thing you could do for them. I would add the caveat, that the taking of such life should be legal.... else wise it would be murder I think.

[1213]

According to most Christian theology then, wouldn't he have to kill all of us?

It seems to me that everyone’s body will die.

[Donald]

"Donald, you haven't been dying for the last 12 years any more than the rest of us have."

You can rest assured that my communication in this forum will come to an end soon. Today is my final day. I'm guessing you and everyone else in here are "dying" either because they don't care to respond to me, which is fine, or you and others would rather not be bothered by my posts, which is fine too. That doesn't bother me.

"If you have been 'dying' for 12 years, then you haven't been paying attention to the world around you."

I have actually, besides the talk these days about ISIS. September 11, 2001 was when the terrorist attacks occurred in New York City, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. 26 days later, on October 7, 2001, U.S. troops in Afghanistan began the invasion into that country to look for weapons of mass destruction. 52 days later, my self-sacrifice began at 6:35am. on November 28, 2001. Less than two years later on March 20, 2003, U.S. and British troops invaded Iraq to find Saddam Hussein.

"You haven't been dying. You've been living every inch as much as the guy next to you who hasn't got a clue that his arteries are 99% blocked and will become all the way blocked by the end of the day."

Live As I Die; Die As I Live

Your opinion regarding euthanasia happens to be one with which I agree, basically. On the other hand, I'm certainly not going to criticize anyone who, in extreme physical or emotional pain, chooses to stop it in whatever manner he or she chooses. Nor am I going to state categorically that I won't ask for a little extra morphine myself when the time comes."

Beta endorphin is 18-50 times more powerful than morphine. Dynorphin is 500 times stronger than morphine. And the best part, beta endorphin and dynorphin are locked up in your body, use it the next time you need it! Why spend money on morphine when beta endorphins and dynorphins are free? (Info: Answers.com)

"My own response to you is this: if you have been 'dying' for nearly 13 years, you've been wasting a great deal of time when you should have been living."

Living As I Die, Dying As I Live. I'm living my life beautifully because I have clear direction and deep meaning with joy of life, inner happiness, and peace of mind. What more can I ask for? I'm thankful for everything I've received in life and have no regrets and no fear for my decisions and actions I've taken.

".....and yes, Donald, I do understand your position, in exactly the same way one widow understands the grief of another.

Stop dying.

Start living."

Why stop dying when I have no fear of death? Death robbed me the enjoyment of life for far too long and that stopped on March 10, 2002 at Mass one Sunday. I stopped saving my life and started my self-sacrifice. That greatly reduced my stress level and gave me peace of mind, joy of life, and inner happiness.