Euthanasia

[Kaspar]

Hi everyone, I'm studing Euthanasia and I'd just like to have a little debate about it.

This is what I've understood so far.
Pro Euthanasia: A person should have the right to chose when they want to die, so they can die in dignity and not have to endure severe pain.

Against Euthanasia (view held among some Christians and Muslims)
1. It is up to God to take people's lives and it is suicide if you take your own life.
2. We don't want to create a legal way of killing yourself because it is likely that people will find loop holes.

Personally I agree with the Pro Euthanasia position and I disagree with the first view against euthanasia because I don't see why somebody who has lead a good life should get a terminal illness. Why should God punish them? If they have done something and do repent its not like God can forgive them. They'll have a terminal illness and die with it. If you get in such a critical position that you cannot think for yourself because of your illness then how are you going to recover from that? there are some illnesses that damage your health so badly that your mind will not recover even in heaven.

...and the second view is just pessimistic.

what does everyone else think?

[I, Brian]

Is choosing a time of death really a point of dignity, though? Is it not simply trying to rush the process out of fear? Just trying to stir that point.

[Kaspar]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

Is choosing a time of death really a point of dignity, though? Is it not simply trying to rush the process out of fear? Just trying to stir that point.

I hadn't thought of it that way.

by dignity I meant if for example the illness broke down your muscles so you couldn't talk or move so had difficulty communicating you'd be afraid of not being understood. You might live the last days, weeks or years of your life with people doinging things you didn't want.

Because the choice of death is from fear, does that make it less significant?

[Vajradhara]

Namaste all,


hmm...

i suppose that, in the end, i don't have much issue with it.

people will kill themselves, legal or not. it's not like they are much concerned with breaking a law at this point.

i a being honestly thought that the best thing was to terminate this existence, then that should be that persons choice.. presuming they are mentally competent to make such a choice.

would i? i don't believe that i would, at this moment in time. ask again when things are different and i may give a different answer.

of course, i feel that a human birth is quite a rare thing and something that should be treasured... but, by the same token, i realize that my values and beliefs may cause other beings discomfort and suffering.

thus, if they made the decision for themselves, i would support it, though i wouldn't agree that it was the most skillful course of action to engage in.