Human beings are free to do as they please, but their freedom does not extend to the ending of their own lives. Euthanasia and suicide are both a rejection of god’s absolute sovereignty over life and death. The church believes that each human life is a manifestation of god in the world, a sign of his presence and glory. “The life which god offers to man is a gift by which the god shares something of himself with his creation”. The human being who insists that they have the right to die is denying the truth of their fundamental relationship with god.
God gives people life so only god has the right to take it away. Virtually all religions state that those who become vulnerable through illness or disability deserve special care and protection, and that proper end of life care is a much better thing that euthanasia. Pope John Paul the 2nd sees euthanasia as grave violation of the law of god, since it is the deliberate and morally unacceptable killing of a human person. The Catholic Church regards euthanasia as morally wrong. It has always taught the absolute and unchanging value of the commandment ‘’ you shall not kill”. The church has said that “nothing and no one can in any way permit the killing of an innocent human being, whether a fetus or an embryo, an infant or an adult, an orderly person, or one suffering from an incurable disease, or a person who is dying.”
This means that suffering and pain do not stop life being valuable, and are not a reason for ending life. The church believes that each person should enter the dying process with all its mysteries with trust in god and in solidarity with their fellow human beings; they should die with the dignity of letting themselves be loved unconditionally.
The Catholic Church opposes to euthanasia for a number of reasons-
Firstly god has forbidden it-
Virtually all religions with a supreme god have a command from god in their scriptures that’ says you must not kill”.
This is usually interpreted as meaning you must not kill innocent human beings”. This rules out euthanasia and suicide as well as murder, as carrying out any of these would be against god’s orders, and would be an attack on the sovereignty of god.
Secondly human life is sacred – human lives are special because god created them, therefore human life should be protected and preserved, whatever happens, which states we shouldn’t interfere with gods plans by shortening human lives.
And lastly human life is special- Human beings are made in gods image, therefore they have a special value and dignity, this value doesn’t depend on the quality of a particular life, even if that life is full of pain and suffering.
God gave us our lives and god is the final authority over our lives.
Solutions for people who request euthanasia should receive loving care, psychological and spiritual support, and appropriate remedies for pain and other symptoms. Medicines capable of alleviating or suppressing pain may be given to a dying person, even if this therapy may indirectly shorten the person’s life so long as the intent is not to hasten death. Patients can then live with dignity until the time of their natural death, and again that’s our gods choice.
