how do christians respond to the question of euthanasia
How do Christians respond to the question of euthanasia?
Different Christian denominations respond to euthanasia in different ways, although they are all against it.
The Roman Catholic Church would argue that if a treatment is available to lengthen the life of a patient, then they should accept it. The Hospice Movement encourages people to stay alive for as long as God chooses, rather than to make the choice themselves.
The Church of England encourages its members to actively oppose any proposed changes to the UK bill on assisted dying, which it says will, 'make it easier for terminally ill people to kill themselves and make it legal for doctors to prescribe fatal drugs to people who have asked to die'. It also sees any attempt to introduces laws allowing people to do this, as a 'slippery-slope' towards the introduction of full legalised euthanasia in the UK.
Quakers would make a distinction between allowing someone to die who is in pain and will be until they die, but is suffering more by being kept alive, maybe by a life support machine, and so-called mercy killing or euthanasia where someone, perhaps a doctor, administers a drug intended to kill the person. Although it would not be easy deciding to switch off a life support machine, most Quakers would probably feel this might be the right thing to do for a loved one who, for example, could no longer live without artificial support and who had no possibility of recovering consciousness. There are some Quakers who believe that people should be allowed to die with dignity and would wish the option of legal euthanasia to be available. Other Quakers would say that if we care for each other, offer proper support and pain relief, euthanasia should not be needed. Some Quakers work in the hospice movement which seeks to care for patients so that the quality of life is maintained as death approaches. Some Quakers hold 'clearness meetings' to prepare themselves and make decisions about how they wish to be treated, when they know that their death is likely.
