The Voluntary Euthanasia Society campaigns for the legalisation of euthanasia in the UK. The organisation campaigns to make it legal for a competent adult, who is suffering from a severe or terminal illness, to be allowed to request medical help to die at their own request. The organisation supports the ‘right to choose’, and believes that we as individuals should be able to decide when and how to die. It believes that euthanasia is humane as it prevents a dying person from losing their dignity through suffering and it can also be a relief to families who experience anguish and distress by watching their relative suffering.
Many Christians believe that euthanasia is wrong, as life is a gift given by God and only he should take it. They believe that birth and death are controlled by God, and they should be respected. Death should not be treated lightly, and nobody has the authority to take another person’s life. It says in the book of Genesis ‘God made man in his own image’. The Christian attitude is that life is precious and has dignity. The life of every individual should be worthwhile, and nobody should see their life as worthless.
The Bible also teaches that God gave man ‘dominion over every living thing.’ We as humans have God-given responsibilities and should use God’s gifts and our lives to the full. Jesus did many good deeds towards the later years of his life, including helping the sick and dying. Christians believe that you should follow Jesus’ example, therefore it would be more gracious to care for the dying rather than speeding up their death.
The Bible teaches that everyone’s body is a Temple for God, for those who ask him into their lives. Every life created is equally valuable, and no person is less important if they are ill or handicapped. This Christian view enforces that you should not end your life if you are terminally ill or handicapped. Many Christians regard euthanasia as murder, and the Sixth Commandment states that you should not commit murder. By somebody helping another human to die, they are intentionally ending a life, therefore in a Christian’s eyes they are committing murder.
John obviously has a low quality of life due to his illnesses. He feels that he may become a burden on his family, and he has lost his mobility. I feel that John, and others in his position should have the option of euthanasia. I think that euthanasia should be legalised in the UK, however it would have to be safely regulated. I think that people who are terminally ill or have severe disabilities should be able to talk openly and get advice from medical experts about ending their life with assistance. I believe that every human being should have the freewill to decide for themselves when they want to die. Personally I believe that it is inhumane for a person to endure severe pain and suffering, instead of dying a dignified death. Also I disagree with the legal system when criminal charges are enforced upon a person who is assisting another person to die peacefully. I think that people’s judgement of euthanasia is negative, as death is regarded as a bad thing. However voluntary euthanasia is positive as it gives the patient personal choice and may shorten the grief of the patient’s loved ones if they know that the patient died a peaceful death. Although some people believe that euthanasia devalues life, I do not agree because I feel that it gives the patient an opportunity to end his or her life by celebrating their life in the company of loved ones. To conclude, I think that society’s view on euthanasia needs to be more open, and hopefully people will realise that it is a positive thing, and not just a means of a quick death.