Passive euthanasia is when the person concerned is no longer in a condition where they can make a decision for themselves. The decision to bring about the death is taken by relatives or medical experts.
Christianity teaches that all life comes from God.
It also teaches that life is sacred.
‘Your body is a temple of the Holy spirit’ (1 Corinthians 6:19)
For this reason it would be wrong and against Christian teaching to commit suicide or to take life of another person.
The 6th commandment is ‘Thou shall not kill’ (Exodus 20:30)
It is clear from the bible that human beings are not to choose whether they die.
‘For every thing there is a reason, and a time for every matter under heaven, a time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted’ (Ecclesiastes: 1-4)
The Roman Catholic Church is opposed to euthanasia because it is seen as murder. Whatever its motives, euthanasia does mean putting a premature ends of lives of such people. In any civilised society it is morally unacceptable to even contemplate the possibility. The four reasons this is unacceptable are:
- Euthanasia is a murder.
- Euthanasia is contrary to the dignity of human beings.
- Euthanasia destroys the respect that is due to God, the beginning and end of all life.
- There is a clear difference discounting treatment and actively killing someone. There are certain situations in which one simply cannot prevent the eventuality of death. These must be recognised and the decision to end treatment taken in consultation with the patient, if at all possible. If not then the closest relative should be involved.
Euthanasia is taken from a Greek word meaning ‘die well’. It raises many of the same moral problems as suicide. It is used today to describe the deliberate killing of a person for reasons of ‘mercy’. e.g. suffering or a terminal illness.
The law states that anyone doctors included who helps a patient to die risks being charged with manslaughter or murder.