I guess I was badly behind the news but it came as a bit of a shock to see that Oregon is all about helping old people to kill themselves. They call it "Death With Dignity." Surprising too that the same medicine has been suggested to returning veterans.
It seems that the U.K. is working hard to catch up. Thanks, Voice of the Resistance, for the post and graphic.
Christians and right thinking people are against suicide, assisted or otherwise.
LSP
I think that in a world where all people care about one another we could allow assisted suicide without too much bother - if someone's living a hell and it's not some curable mental/physical ailment, then we have no right to hold them back.
ReplyDeleteBut in this one, who's to say assisted suicide can't be abused the same way organ donors are?
Pressure from families, the state, doctors, inadequate care, greedy people going against the wishes of the deceased, and all manners of abuse and scandals from all sides.
I think that makes it a difficult one to think about, but not the pure concept of assisted suicide itself.
The State view of assisted suicide seems to be one where an inconvenient person remains alive and is too expensive or troublesome to bother with.
ReplyDeleteIt differs from a person who asks another for help in ending their life.
I think the 'abuse' point is a good one and the Statist 'Death Panels' seem focused on convenience/utility.
ReplyDeleteFor example, wounded vets are encouraged to consider the 'financial burden' they're putting on their families, with the implication that it might well be better for them to do the decent thing and die. But what should we expect from people who have a tenuous grasp on the intrinsic value of human life?
Of course if someone wants to kill themselves that's ultimately up to them. I've consistently advised against it - you'll be relieved to know!