Euthanasia Right or Wrong?

[Guest]

Suicide, in my opinion, is up to the person. Its really their issue. I'll try to stop them, but I won't risk my life to save the life a person who would most likely kill themselves despite my sacrifice. The real question would be why would the person NEED assistance in suicide? That's quite arrogant to think that their are "worthy" or "important" enough to put blood on another's hands. Assisted suicide really shouldn't exist since technically it is murder. If the suicider wants to die, they should do so on their own.

 

 

 

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The Catholic Church teaches against (not so much from the Bible) assisted suicide because the person is taking on the role of God and determining when someone should live and die. I agree with you in that I doubt there is anything concerning something similar to assisted suicide in a religious writing such as the Bible or the Qur'an. But its possible that religions oppose it not because of what those books say, but because its just what they teach against. I really don't know how to phrase it any differently.

 

 

 

Do Catholics use medicine? Determining when someone lives or dies is exactly what you do when you take antibiotics/cancer treatments, etc.

 

OOH! I'm Catholic! \

 

Yes, Catholics use medicine because God put the plants there for us to use. But saying that medicines are "damnable" because they prolong life and therefore play God is as equally arguable that refusing medicines to shorten your life is also playing God. If both are damnable, then take the lesser of two evils and choose a longer life to make better medicine ;)

 

 

 

Okay so god planted also papaver plants and weed, so we can use that as well? isn;t it plabted there by god? And doesn't Christianity take an offensive stand versus any use of mind influencing narcotics?

 

 

 

New hypothetically say there is a god. If there is one, and he made everything on earth / solarsystem etc. and he gave us free will, than he also gave us the choice of euthanasia didn't he?

 

 

 

Now hypothetically say there is no god. Then why would we prolong the life of a human that wishes to stop it and suffers if we do not end it?

 

 

 

If the fear of a god above (or ending up in flames) is the only thing that stands between you and the choice of a life filled with pain (for as long as it lasts) or a quick end to it, then I wonder why you are influenced just by this thought of fair? Are you afraid that killing a person in a right way would not make a happy smile on a god's face?

 

 

 

Anyways I just think that religion opinions should not be regarded this highly on issues like this. We all know from early days that for example the Spaniards destroyed the entire Aztec civilization because they where not thinking alike. And I wonder if you can count yourself a good person then.

 

 

 

As you might have learned from my text I do not beleive in any god, though I will respect people who do. What I will tell next will be my own opinion, so please respect that as well.

 

I think of the bible, the kuran and the torag as old books where people wanted to capture some morals and values of those times to live a good life and be a good person. These stories where mostly written after hundreds of years of vocal transmission of these stories. After being written they where translated several times and adapted by the people who red it. During the dark ages (around 1300) it was necessarily to keep the population moderate scared of what might happen to them if they might cross these rules in their afterlive, and that kept them on the right path.

 

 

 

In times like these all humans have common knowledge of what is right or wrong, and these books are becoming obsolete, though they are still good books to learn things about our ancestors and things about how we should subject some of these moral values to real life. What I am trying to say is that in these times you must liver your life the best way you can, for sure there might be a few slip-ups now and then, but that doesn't matter. If there might be a god above I know for sure if he is like the bible or kuran tells us, he will know you lived your life the good way, helping people animals as well as the planet.

 

 

 

I know this might set of some rants, but truly, i do listen to your opinions and a valuate them, but by being against subjects like these you show you are not open for new suggestions in life that can make the world a better place, because for all I know, the earthly live is the only one, and I would like mine to be magnificent :)

 

 

 

Mauranius

 

 

 

P.S. You can Euthanasia me when I ask for it :

[BlueLancer]

The Catholic Church teaches against (not so much from the Bible) assisted suicide because the person is taking on the role of God and determining when someone should live and die. I agree with you in that I doubt there is anything concerning something similar to assisted suicide in a religious writing such as the Bible or the Qur'an. But its possible that religions oppose it not because of what those books say, but because its just what they teach against. I really don't know how to phrase it any differently.

 

 

 

Do Catholics use medicine? Determining when someone lives or dies is exactly what you do when you take antibiotics/cancer treatments, etc.

 

 

 

Actually, catholics say that all life is sacred and that every suffering has a meaning (being a reflection of how Jesus suffered). God gives us life, so we have to do all in our power to keep that gift, even if we suffer; only God has the power to take the gift back. So, inducing death is not allowed, whereas sustaining life would be applauded. Even though I have many doubts regarding this attitude, I suppose we should be thankful of the deep impact of catholic education/research on the development of medicine.

 

 

 

It's just the catholic viewpoint though, some christians and jehovah's witnesses even refuse blood transfusion, even if it means the recipient would die in the process, because that would be circumventing 'God's will'.

 

 

 

All in all, it's good those dangerous beliefs are in the minority, it'd be pretty sad to lose your relative or friend for absolutely no reason, other than he being told he can't stay alive by "God"'s will.

[Ginger_Warrior]

Life is a gift that should be enjoyed thoroughly.

 

Said the man who supports Guantanamo, the Death Penalty, the Iraq War, and opposes the expansion of Medicare.

 

 

 

I agree, life is indeed a gift that should be enjoyed thoroughly.

 

 

 

What if it isn't being enjoyed though? Your warm words count for nothing in that situation.

[warren211]

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No one has a right to take on the role of God and choose to kill themselves. Life and death is determined by God, not by man. But I guess one could make the point that we don't have a right to prolong life then via medical technologies.

 

 

 

I referred to your point on the previous page.

 

 

 

I really don't understand how they differentiate between using medicine and euthanasia. It might all have to do with their views on the intent of each use of "medication".

 

 

 

just for frame of reference I would probably not consider it under any circumstances but i dont feel euthanasia shoudl be illegal.

 

 

 

the difference between medicine and euthanaisa would be that medicine is trying to improve/maintain life while euthanasia ends it. From the religious perspective, the general belief as i know is that god decides life and death but we have free will in life. Medicine is trying to maintain our lives free will and such still accepting that God has the power to end it any time. Euthanasia is playing God in a sense that it ends life without God's consent

 

 

 

not saying i agree with the above just that its probably similair to the general belief

 

 

 

Hypothetical situation. Person is walking across a road, a drunk or speeding driver hits the person resulting in total paralysis / state of vegetation. The person can no longer work, play with friends / children or hold a normal social life. What does that person really have to live for? What is going to make that person want to wake up in the morning? Very little to nothing I think.

 

 

 

That situation doesn't contain the case of free will, the person was crossing the road and never decided to be hit by a car resulting in said situation, now how can you argue free will? Same can be said about a person who lives a healthy life, eats a good diet, exercises regularly and doesn't smoke or do other detrimental things to their personal health and then ends up with Cancer or other life threatening diseases. How is that free will or choice, I doubt they'd want Cancer. :|

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The whole point of faith is to not give up so quickly when things look bad. Comas are not imminent death, the person doesn't undergo physical anguish and I'm fairly certain a coma lasts about the blink of an eye for the person under it. Correct me if I'm wrong, I've little experience in the medical world. They're not really suffering, and there is always the chance that they will come back. It might take months or decades, but it's definitely possible and has happened before.

 

 

 

There's a difference betwee the two big types of euthanasia. Active euthanasia is inducing death, like poisoning or other methods Kevorkian used. Passive euthanasia is terminating machines or treatments that would only prolong an inevitable death. In the case of the man in the coma it is always reccomended by the church to have faith and keep them alive for as long as possible. But let's face it, not all families can afford to keep someone alive for so long. Turning it off for financial reasons is perfectly fine, you can't jeopardize the rest of your family for the slim chance they'll recover before your money dwindles too low. Turning it off because you can't stand to see them that way? Sounds sort of selfish if you ask me, that you give up so quickly. A loved one is supposed to be there for you in your time of need, not abandon the cause when it looks nearly hopeless.

 

 

 

As for cancer and other terminal illnesses, as the church has said, it is fine to terminate treatments that would only prolong an imminent death. Now, does that mean you should inject yourself with poison the moment you get diagnosed with lung cancer? Of course not. Once you're at the stage where medical treatment is necessary to keep you alive, then you're ready to die because if it was 30 or 40 years ago, you'd be dead anyways, and since there isn't a cure yet you'll end up dead no matter what. We can't change moral stance so easily because medicine advances.