This is when no action is taken to prolong life, but there is a deliberate attempt to end it. For example is a person was suffering from a terminal disease, doctors would give the patient drugs to take the pain away, but that will also kill them.
In order to become a doctor, you must take something called a Hippocratic oath. This oath states that you will try to prolong life as far as is possible and to help the sick back to full fitness. This means that doctors should not perform euthanasia. If a doctor were to aid someone in the act of euthanasia they would be going against the oath and would most definitely lose the right to be a doctor.
Hospices are a preferred alternative to euthanasia. They are residential homes formed so that the terminally ill are allowed to die with dignity. Hospices offer spiritual guidance and emotional support to both the patients and their families. The Hospice Movement was formed from the concern of Christians that people should be allowed to die in peace and dignity, without having to contemplate euthanasia. Some people who work at Hospices believe that euthanasia is rejecting terminally ill patients.
Christians have a very strict view on euthanasia, which comes from ‘The Sanctity Of Life’. This is the belief that life is sacred. It teaches that every single person was made in gods image and that all life is a gift from God. They believe that each and every person’s life was planned before it was even created in the mother’s womb so therefore only god has the right to decide when that person’s life will end.
One of the 10 Commandments- “Thou shalt not kill.” Is very important. It says no one has the right to end another person’s life and it is against the natural law.
“After sunset all who had friends who were sick, brought them to Jesus. Jesus placed his hands on every one of them and made them well.”
Christians get all there moral beliefs from the Bible. Any everyday problems they may face should be rectified from the teachings in the Bible, and applying them to modern day situations. This quote is an excellent example of advice if a Christian was ever faced with euthanasia. Jesus was sent to earth by God to give people hope and trust in God. If Jesus took the time to look after and nurse fellow Christians then so should we.
Christians can, and do put their beliefs about euthanasia into action in many different ways. One of the most common and persuasive is to send a petition to the local M.P. This is usually quite effective, as the M.P must act on it, otherwise they will fear on losing votes.
Some Christians, take their beliefs to a more violent level, maybe arson or suicide bombs. Though these are few and far between, I do not think that this would make people sit up and listen, as they are being hypocritical, and going against what they were protesting about in the first place.
Media related ways of showing their views, for example magazines, television and websites are a good method because it targets a wide range of people from many different regions and ages.
There are many different ways that Christians can share their views with today’s society. I believe that there is very little chance it will be made legal; there would be too many different repercussions. Scientists and doctors who are working on cures for terminal illnesses may lose the drive they always had to cure people if they thought that the population was for euthanasia. Also, part of recovering from an illness is in the mind, patients may start to believe that taking an easy death is acceptable.
I think the way forward is to keep euthanasia at a low profile, peaceful protests to avoid conflict and trying to make euthanasia touch people.
“Euthanasia can never be justified”
Euthanasia is a subject that divides society and has many different views on how it should be treated. Euthanasia cannot be justified because it is murder. Taking another persons life, more often than not without their consent is wrong. If the patient is incapable of doing anything for their self then they may feel a burden to family and friends, and want to die for the wrong reasons. Patients could be talked into and not want to die, or they may be incapable of thinking straight. From the patients point of view how could they ask someone to end their life? That may be what they want but how could they put an end to their pain knowing they will be causing someone else grief and regret for the rest of their lives?
On the other hand Euthanasia can be justified, as the health and fulfilment of a persons life is far more important then the length. If someone you loved dearly was constantly in pain, and begging you as his or her last wish to end their life peacefully, could you deny them their last soulful wish? A life of pain and suffering is far worse than death; euthanasia is a painless and peaceful way to end the life of a suffering person. Some people describe certain diseases as a torturous way to end life. Torture is no way for an innocent person to end their life. People should have the right to decide what to do with their own lives; if their decision is to end it then we should respect that decision.
Christians would agree that “euthanasia can never be justified,” as they believe euthanasia is morally wrong. Euthanasia goes against the sanctity of life, values and morals from the biblical and church teachings that they have been brought up with.
I have mixed views on euthanasia. I believe that it is wrong to end a person’s life without their consent, and I believe it is wrong to try to prolong a life that would not be fulfilled if the small chance of recovery happened. I believe that life support machines are a way of prolonging a life that has already passed away, and switching the machine off would not be wrong. I think that hospices are a good alternative to euthanasia, and would be a peaceful way to end life. Although my views are mixed, it would be hard to say what I would do faced with any form of euthanasia, in theory, I feel that my views are correct, but in practice I am not sure how I would react.
