Further evidence to support their view is that they shouldn’t be forced to stay alive. Neither the law nor medical ethics requires that everything should be done to keep a person alive. Hospice can be of such help. That is the time when all efforts should be placed on making the patient's remaining time comfortable.
However, others argue that euthanasia is not acceptable. This is because they think life is sacred and should not be taken away by humans. God is the one who created life, therefore should be the only one that can take it away. To kill oneself or asking someone to do it for one, is to deny God, to deny God's rights over our lives and his right to choose the length of our lives and the way our lives end.
If euthanasia was accepted all over the world, many people would be killed whether it’s passive, active, voluntary, non-voluntary euthanasia. This would give doctors too much power.
Also, even if euthanasia was allowed, how can we be certain that all those people would die eventually? Some may live due to the advanced technology and the medical help there is. People have recovered from life-threatening illnesses even when doctors have medically given up hope. Even, if they are certain, modern medicine could be given to them to keep pain levels down and allow a person to die with dignity.
Under the Hippocratic Oath, doctors must preserve life, not wilfully destroy it. People may be pressurised into taking euthanasia when really they want to carry on with their lives. This may happen when the parents don’t want to see their child suffering and tells the doctor for non-voluntary euthanasia. There is a law about euthanasia in some countries. So if doctors were to use euthanasia in these countries, they would be breaking the law, therefore making them vulnerable to the police.
Other people have rights too. Euthanasia is usually viewed from the viewpoint of the person, who wants to die, but it affects other people too, and their rights should be considered. People that have a say in whether that person should die or not are family and friends, medical and other carers, other people in a similar situation who may feel pressured by the decision of this patient.
Religion views about euthanasia are all different. Christian views of euthanasia are against it since the Christians sees it as murder. If large does of painkillers are used to help ease pain and a result of this is the person dies, this is understood as double effect and is permitted. However, Christians believe that doctors shouldn’t use extraordinary treatment to keep the patient alive. The Roman Catholic Church teaches all Christians that euthanasia is absolutely wrong. However, if the child of a Christian family is dying, the parents believe it is relatively wrong and might consider euthanasia because it is an act of compassion and love.
Islam views are similar to Christian views because they also believe that euthanasia is suicide. Life was created by Allah and only Allah can take it away. They believe if that people are suffering, they should ask Allah for help.
Judaism is also opposed to euthanasia. They believe since God created life, only he is permitted to decide when a person should die.
Buddhism, like all the religions mentioned above, is against euthanasia. They believe that with meditation and proper use of painkillers, they can relieve the pain, therefore no longer wanting euthanasia.
The Voluntary Euthanasia Society (V.E.S) helps hundreds of people each year that want euthanasia. They believe that people have the right to choose when they want to die and have a right to a peaceful death.
About the issue of euthanasia I believe that it is wrong. This is because, like the above points, God is the one who created life and should be the one to take it away. Some people may live because of the technology available and medical help.
I, however, think that if euthanasia was allowed, that non-voluntary euthanasia would be definitely wrong because one is not choosing whether they want to die or not. The other different types of euthanasia would be fine because they have the patients consent.
About the religious views, I think that I agree with it because I have thought euthanasia is wrong and all the religions I mentioned above have the same views as me. They all believe that God created life and should be the only one who can take it away. If anyone was to take someone’s life away, they would be breaking God’s power and therefore would be punished in a severe way.
Therefore, about the statement “Everybody has the right to die with dignity” I conclude that this statement in my point of view is right.
