Christian Views On Euthanasia

Euthanasia is the act of assisted suicide in which a terminally ill person may be “mercy killed” in which their life will be cut short right there and will be saved a possible painful death. Euthanasia has been illegal in the UK since 1961 and with a 14 year sentence to anyone performing and sort of actions relating to this. However some country's still allow it, in this report I will be investigating different viewpoints and deciding if I find it morally acceptable.

The Guardian on the 24th of January 2007 reported upon a survey which was held asking multiple questions on people's views of euthanasia they said “Strongest support - from 80% - came for the suggestion that a doctor should "probably" or "definitely" be allowed by law to end the
life, at the patient's request, of an individual with an incurable or painful illness from which they will die, such as cancer.” This shows that public views are swaying into the path of assisted suicide as people in pain are just suffering needlessly if there is a low chance of survival showing that it is widely viewed as morally acceptable. However it does pose the question of what if a person is in a coma and cannot answer for themselves if they want to “put to sleep”, obviously they can't so the responsibility would fall to another. But does this person have the rite to essentially kill someone? If people want euthanasia to become a legal practise there would have to be laws put into place to say who has a say.

Christian views of this are very set in stone in that euthanasia in very much a sin Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae, 1995 said “Euthanasia is a grave violation of the law of God, since it is the deliberate and morally unacceptable killing of a human person.” It seen to be a breach of the Ten Commandments with “you shall not kill” being violated no matter of the circumstances.
It is believed that everything that happens is done for a reason from God so what gives us the rite to kill someone because they have fallen ill. We are created in the image and likeness if God and every human life should be respected as we are all children of God so we should not be going around putting people down like a sick dog. To put it simply in the eyes of the Christian Church it is blatant
murder.

Many people however take a utilitarian point of view and that I may provide the greatest number of happiness “Utilitarians believe that any action should cause the greatest happiness for the greatest number, and the end result is what should determine the moral worth of the initial action. Since Euthanasia will increase happiness and decrease pain at the same time, then it is morally correct, they argued.” Relatives and close friends of a terminally ill person may suffer as much as the person dying, as watching a loved one suffer can be a painful ordeal so it is understandable for utilitarians to see it as acceptable as it would provide “happiness” to a number of people.

My main cause for concern is the power that we are granted along with this, as we basically choose who we want in this earth as Wesley J Smith, senior at the Discovery Institute’s Center on Human Exceptionalism says “stop pretending assisted suicide is about terminal illness and admit it is much more about disability–which is why the disability rights movement remains so opposed as they are the primary targets.” With these rites we could use the power for morally wrong reasons.
Children that could be challenged at later life’s parents have the choice to not make the child not go through pain and suffering by ending its life. However I feel that this is morally wrong as many could see it as a chance just to “prefect” the human race.

There are many different viewpoints towards euthanasia, some religious, some not. I feel however that it to still be morally incorrect. God put us all here for a reason and whatever he wants for us will happen naturally, he wants us to die when he wants us to. I am also scared for the powers it would grant people, with the ability to put challenged children to death before they can even live to save them the “suffering” but. Is gains see us all as God children and nobody has the rite to kill another no matter what. As I only see it as
murder.

http://www.lifenews.com/2015/01/02/doctors-euthanize-650-babies-under-assisted-suicide-law-in-the-netherlands/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/christianethics/euthanasia_1.shtml https://omgitsjez.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/euthanasia-a-utilitarian-perspective/