Euthanasia | A Religious View

[Trey of Diamonds]

How do you feel about Euthanasia? How does your religion view it? Do you agree with your religion and why?

Man with locked-in syndrome wants right to die | Fox News

Critics of euthanasia say the U.K. should focus more on improving care for the chronically and terminally ill instead of legislating mercy killing.

"I'm massively sympathetic to (Nicklinson's) situation, but I don't think we should change the law when it will impact hundreds of thousands of other people," said Dr. John Wiles, chairman of Care Not Killing, an alliance that opposes euthanasia. He warned that legalizing euthanasia might worsen treatment of elderly people and the terminally ill.

Wiles doubted enough safeguards could ever be in place. "However narrow you try to make it, in principle, we would be allowing the killing of other members of society for the first time," he said. "If we change the law, we'll be saying to people, 'If you don't like the care you're getting, you can just end it.'"

 

[sandandfoam]

I have no problem with euthanasia.
I also believe that suicide can, in some cases, be a rational choice.

 

[waitasec]

euthanasia is a right.

there is no way to avoid the inevitable, why not make it an experience where one can have more control over how they fade to black, if they are in the position to do so.

 

[JacobEzra.]

I think euthanasia as with suicide is wrong. Life is precious, and when one is in such conditions where they wish to die, I think it is up to us to help them ease the pain, while preserving their life.

 

[Quiddity]

euthanasia is a right.

there is no way to avoid the inevitable, why not make it an experience where one can have more control over how they fade to black, if they are in the position to do so.

By inevitable, I assume you mean death?

A man who is incapacitated from the neck down is unable to feed himself and death is inevitable. Surely, you wouldn't include this as an option?

There is plenty of examples where it's death is inevitable, and I think most rational people wouldn't pull the plug so to speak.

 

[sandandfoam]

I think euthanasia as with suicide is wrong. Life is precious, and when one is in such conditions where they wish to die, I think it is up to us to help them ease the pain, while preserving their life.

Pretend I've got Alzheimers. I am looking at indignity, confusion and a slow drawn out demise.
What right have you got to impose your morality upon me?

 

[Quiddity]

Pretend I've got Alzheimers. I am looking at indignity, confusion and a slow drawn out demise.
What right have you got to impose your morality upon me?

Suppose you are having the worse day of your life and wish to end it.

Would you impose your morality at this point? If not, why not?

 

[Draka]

I think that if a person, when of sound mind, makes it known that they would not want to live given certain circumstances (such as end stage cancer, severe Alzheimers', or any other fatal, or extremely debilitating condition that would greatly affect their quality of life) then their decision of euthanasia should be honored. Why shouldn't people have the right to end their suffering if their end is already coming? I try to look at this from both a logical and an empathetic point of view. I have yet to come across anything in my religion that goes against the view I have. Matter of fact, since one of the main tenets of Wicca is to do no harm, and this includes letting harm come to yourself, then if death seems to be the lesser of harms compared to life suffering in pain and on drugs while your body and mind slip away slowly and agonizingly, then it would appear that euthanasia would be the least harm.

 

[JacobEzra.]

Pretend I've got Alzheimers. I am looking at indignity, confusion and a slow drawn out demise.
What right have you got to impose your morality upon me?

Same way it was imposed on my great grandmother. And will be imposed on my grandmother and mother if they develope such.

Scientist are searchng for cures.

Who are you to say a patient is not worthy?

 

[JacobEzra.]

I think that if a person, when of sound mind, makes it known that they would not want to live given certain circumstances (such as end stage cancer, severe Alzheimers', or any other fatal, or extremely debilitating condition that would greatly affect their quality of life) then their decision of euthanasia should be honored. Why shouldn't people have the right to end their suffering if their end is already coming? I try to look at this from both a logical and an empathetic point of view. I have yet to come across anything in my religion that goes against the view I have. Matter of fact, since one of the main tenets of Wicca is to do no harm, and this includes letting harm come to yourself, then if death seems to be the lesser of harms compared to life suffering in pain and on drugs while your body and mind slip away slowly and agonizingly, then it would appear that euthanasia would be the least harm.

I doubt having server Alzheimers can be hand in hand with having a sound mind

 

[Quiddity]

I think that if a person, when of sound mind, makes it known that they would not want to live given certain circumstances (such as end stage cancer, severe Alzheimers', or any other fatal, or extremely debilitating condition that would greatly affect their quality of life) then their decision of euthanasia should be honored. Why shouldn't people have the right to end their suffering if their end is already coming? I try to look at this from both a logical and an empathetic point of view. I have yet to come across anything in my religion that goes against the view I have. Matter of fact, since one of the main tenets of Wicca is to do no harm, and this includes letting harm come to yourself, then if death seems to be the lesser of harms compared to life suffering in pain and on drugs while your body and mind slip away slowly and agonizingly, then it would appear that euthanasia would be the least harm.

Well, one need not be sick to be of sound mind. One could simply request it; since we are dying and all.

 

[Draka]

I doubt having server Alzheimers can be hand in hand with having a sound mind

Duh, which is why I said "I think that if a person, when of sound mind, makes it known that they would not want to live given certain circumstances". You make it known ahead of time to your loved ones all the "what ifs". People never want to talk about such things, talk about death and debilitation, but they really should. Ahead of time. Make your wishes and concerns known to your loved ones, the ones who will care for you, write it down if you must. This is what Living Wills are for.

 

[Vinayaka]

This is what Living Wills are for.

Absolutely. Mine states 'no assisted feeding unless I can communicate otherwise'. Within the ethical guidelines of Hinduism, this is perfectly fine. My mom died of Alzheimer's over 5 years. About 4 and a half too long. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayopavesa

 

[Quiddity]

Duh, which is why I said "I think that if a person, when of sound mind, makes it known that they would not want to live given certain circumstances". You make it known ahead of time to your loved ones all the "what ifs". People never want to talk about such things, talk about death and debilitation, but they really should. Ahead of time. Make your wishes and concerns known to your loved ones, the ones who will care for you, write it down if you must. This is what Living Wills are for.

It's not the same when you are actually going through it. People say all sorts of things when they want the pain to go away. Or maybe they are feeling fine but death is near.

 

[Draka]

It's not the same when you are actually going through it. People say all sorts of things when they want the pain to go away. Or maybe they are feeling fine but death is near.

You think people may change their minds because they want to live? And so what if they do? If they are still of sound mind then what is the issue? It's not like euthanasia will be forced upon someone who says "no, I've changed my mind, I want to live longer even if in pain". So what's the problem here?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Just more religious arrogance.

 

[Draka]

Just more religious arrogance.

Excuse me? What is?

 

[waitasec]

By inevitable, I assume you mean death?

in the case of terminal illness, where the inevitable would be to suffocate to death...

A man who is incapacitated from the neck down is unable to feed himself and death is inevitable. Surely, you wouldn't include this as an option?

why not? if the quality of life is not there then it isn't there...period.
we show much more sympathy for a dying animal then we do for people

There is plenty of examples where it's death is inevitable, and I think most rational people wouldn't pull the plug so to speak.

yes and it's up to the individual to decide if the quality of their life is worth living for.

 

[Storm]

Pretend I've got Alzheimers. I am looking at indignity, confusion and a slow drawn out demise.
What right have you got to impose your morality upon me?

Same way it was imposed on my great grandmother. And will be imposed on my grandmother and mother if they develope such.

He asked what RIGHT, not what capacity.

Scientist are searchng for cures.

Who are you to say a patient is not worthy?

 

[waitasec]

It's not the same when you are actually going through it. People say all sorts of things when they want the pain to go away. Or maybe they are feeling fine but death is near.

death is near to all of us.
it's inevitable.