Pope Paul VI in his summary on the Roman Catholic teaching of Euthanasia said: (taken from GCSE RE book)
“Without the consent of the person, euthanasia is murder. His consent would make it suicide. Morally this is a crime which cannot become legal by any means”
The Pope is a very high power in the Christian link between man and God and so, this statement is a valued one. Analyzing it, everything can be backed up through reference to the bible. “Thou shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13), murder is killing someone and so there is no justification for involuntary euthanasia (euthanasia being used without the persons permission). If the person gives permission, as I said previously, it is ending your life before god has intended. Acts 17:2 suggests that God has fixed our life span, and so if we are to take our lives before god intended it, we are therefore taking gods power into our own hands, disobeying him and going against Christian teaching. Psalms 139:13-16 also talks of how god created us, and knew us before any other. So you should not disobey him and take your own life, or allow it to be taken from you. You should praise him eternally.
Genesis 27 refers to God creating man in his own image. In the same kind of way, 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 says that the body is a temple of the Holy Ghost and we should worship god with our body, as it is not really our own. In terms of euthanasia these are very important parts in the decision unto whether it is right or wrong. If we are to take our lives via voluntary euthanasia, we are committing a sin against god, because we are effectively taking a part of god. The person who takes a life via euthanasia is committing murder, but not just murder, they are murdering a part of god. So from this perspective, euthanasia, according to Christians euthanasia is very wrong morally and religiously.
Active euthanasia, by few churches is frowned upon. Some might that is goes against the fact that God has planned peoples lives, but in fact it may just be that we are trying too hard to preserve life. It is not really euthanasia when you turn off a life support machine, because the natural thing will occur. In Genesis 1:28, humans are said to have a responsibility to use Gods gift of life to the full. This gift in life is used to the full, but some people’s pre-conception is that life ends at death. The bible however suggests that death is simply an event of life, not the end of life. During our lives, as Jesus did, we should help others, and the doctors of this world should try their best to save lives. For Christians death is no disaster, but a knew beginning. The preservation of life at all cost should be questioned. Terminally ill patients should spend time with loved ones, and efforts should be concentrated on making there remaining time comfortable. Mark 12:31, “love thy neighbors as you love yourself”. Some Christians see this as supporting Euthanasia. It could suggest that you could love your neighbour by letting them die via euthanasia if requested, but other see it as loving them by letting them die if there is no chance of recovery. Some bible passages such as this depend on the wishes of the patient as to whether they are for or against Euthanasia. Another example of this is in Exodus 20:12 of the bible. It states that we should honour our mother and father. Some believe again that this should be to honour there wish, either to live or die.
No-one can determine whether euthanasia is completely right or similarly wrong in accordance with Christianity. Most will say that involuntary euthanasia is wrong, and I believe it is. Voluntary Euthanasia can be strongly backed up by each side, either right or wrong.
John 14:2-3 tells us about how Jesus prepares a place for believers. Romans 10:9 tells us about how, through a confession of faith, as the lord Jesus in 1Corinthians 15:20 was, you will be saved. In the time before death, the patient’s body and spirit need love and care. Whether someone dies via euthanasia or not, sin will be forgiven in accordance with the bible, and that person will be at rest.
