Deuteronomy 32:29:
‘I, and I alone, am God;
no other god is real.
I kill and I give life, I wound and I heal,
And no one can oppose what I do.
This is a part of a song recited by Moses and Joshua ‘so that the people of Israel could hear it’. Once again God is making it clear that life is god given but in this passage he says that ‘I heal’. Is it meant that God heals through man? Or does it mean that we have no right to tamper with life even if we are endeavouring to save it? This would support passive voluntary euthanasia. Surely keeping a person alive by extraordinary means is just as wrong in accordance with this passage as euthanasia. Christian doctors might argue that God’s plan incorporates modern medicine. Surely then that means that God’s plan also incorporates euthanasia. Many argue that euthanasia should not be compared with medical treatment as euthanasia kills instead of allowing people to live ‘And no one can oppose what I do’ through this line we can see that in fact our plans are useless against God’s great plan and that God knows what he is doing and as we are his children we should trust that he is doing what is best for us.
It is hard for Christians to keep to the Bible when it comes to euthanasia as many people think of euthanasia as a kind thing to do and people wanting to die would feel that anyone prepared to help them was doing them a great service. Leviticus 19:18 ‘…love your neighbour as yourself’ People who live by this phrase, which Jesus refers to in Matthew’s Gospel as the great commandment, are thought to lead very Christian lives but most of them would not love their neighbour enough to end their life due to other biblical laws. Jesus heals and helps the sick he does not kill them or give them a gentle end. Perhaps instead of helping people to die we should devote our lives to the service of others and imitating Jesus.
‘Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses. He sets the time for birth and the time for death.’ Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 from this line it is evident that from a Christian point of view it is important to respect God’s plans and powers. Even if it seems the easiest and best thing to die, although being humans we have a certain amount of ’freedom’ and choice, God’s power should overrule us in cases such as life and death especially as it is possible for mistakes to be made and those who have been pronounced incurable by doctors have recovered. Romans 5:3-5 ‘Suffering can fulfil a good, God-given purpose making our personality and character grow.’ Some Christians would respect this as fact, but I think that those suffering almost constant pain would be left wondering if Paul had ever suffered as they were and therefore if he could understand what he was saying. Still this passage repeats the importance of life and our ‘God-given purpose’ as human beings. Many facing pain could use this to strengthen them and perhaps it is meant that they will receive a reward in heaven for what they have suffered.
Christians would not be in favour of euthanasia because of passages such as Genesis 1:26-27 in which it is made clear that God gave us life and therefore it is his choice to take it away. We were created in the image of God and therefore have a purpose more than animals and we should be grateful to God for this gift in what ever state. Many would argue that this is not true as life has a quality to it and when enjoyment has gone from life and we are unable to live properly and comfortably then it is not worth living anymore. It is thought by many Christians that we do not have a right to attain happiness as we only have a right to pursue it as god have planned our lives and happiness is therefore God given. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians 4:12-14 he says: ‘I am content, whether I am full or hungry, whether I have too much or too little. I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me.’ Christians would hope to have the strength of Paul after all ‘Man cannot live by bread alone,’ we need Jesus in order to help us through our trials and troubles. If you were enduring the kind of pain a man with motor neurone disease was suffering I think that it would be very easy for the strongest Christian to think that God had abandoned them. The Beatitudes would be comforting Christians in pain as they focus on reversals and the importance of suffering in this life to gain entry to heaven.
In the Old Testament Elijah and Jonah both plead for death. Elijah, possibly the greatest prophet, asks for death at a time of weakness even though he would have known that it was not his choice. The prophets plead to God for death, not a fellow man. Therefore they are putting their case before God and surely there cannot be anything wrong to ask the one who does have the power to make the choice if you are in a time of need. After all we are only human and so were Elijah and Jonah and God must expect us to make mistakes and lose the some the thanks that we give to him through our own errors and mistaken beliefs.
“Those who promote this last, fatal escape as a "right" should remember that such a "right" may quickly become an expectation and, finally, even a "duty" to die. We fear eventually some individuals and families will be forced to put financial concerns above the needs of loved ones.” This is from a statement against assisted suicide by members of Michigan's Religious Leaders Forum, a group of Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders made 7th May 1998. Most religious bodies oppose euthanasia on these grounds and others, for example the Hindus believe that it is important to suffer as suffering is caused by bad deeds in a previous life. Buddhists believe that negative karma helps you to reach a higher state of enlightenment. The Islamic Koran forbids killing of people for any reason except adultery, killing another unjustly or forsaking Islam. Jews believe in the laws of the Torah such as Genesis 9:6 and Exodus 20:13 - we were made in God’s Image and therefore human life should be treated with reverence. Christians in general forbid Euthanasia on similar principles to the Jews.
The Christian Scientists are an exception to the general view. They believe that members are free to follow their consciences. Most members would disapprove of euthanasia as they believe in God’s power to heal disease and euthanasia denies god the opportunity to heal. Matthew 8:16 “And when evening had come, they brought to Him (Jesus) many who were demon-possessed; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill.” They may believe, along with other denominations such as the eastern Orthodox Christians, who have no formal view that praying is more important in a time of need than killing. James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
Presbyterians, who controversially believe in abortion when the mother is in danger, believe that God places a great value on quality of life and that quality should be respected and euthanasia might be in keeping with that respect. A statement made by the Presbyterian Church says that ‘the administration of euthanasia if the person has a terminal illness that is expected to cause severe distress or render incapable a person of rational existence is accepted’ This statement is supporting voluntary passive euthanasia and it seems under certain circumstances to be supporting voluntary active euthanasia.
The Roman Catholic Church deeply opposes euthanasia seeing it as murder as do most other Christian denominations but not as strongly. Pope John Paul stated in 1980 ‘ Nothing and no one can in any way permit the killing of an innocent human being, whether a foetus or a person who is dying. Furthermore no one is permitted to ask for this act of killing… Nor can any authority legitimately recommend or permit such an action.’ The Catholic Church is therefore forbidding all euthanasia in any form.
Cardinal Winning was the Catholic Arch-Bishop of Glasgow and president of the Bishops’ conference of Scotland. He is very involved in the debate surrounding euthanasia he believes strongly that passive euthanasia is wrong as food and drink are basic human rights. His faith leads him to believe that helping people in this simple way is destroying God’s position. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 “Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy and that is what you are.”
Dame Cicely Saunders the founder of the hospice movement believes that euthanasia promotes loss of dignity for the sick. She believes that God is with all the sick and therefore however much they suffer they are with God. Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me ...” She believes that it is important for people to look after their family and the sick as that shows God’s love.
In general the Bible forbids euthanasia and so do most religions to varying degrees. It is still important to remember that caring for people, just as Jesus did and doctors and nurses do today, is very important and that Christians should use their faith to strengthen them. Deuteronomy 31:6,8 “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble..., for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.... And the Lord is the one who goes ahead of you.... Do not fear, or be dismayed.”
