Is Euthanasia an Option for Christians?
He leads me …
While the rights and wrongs of Euthanasia continue to be debated, the aim of this blog is to provide an overview to help readers to be clearer about the choices that are available.
So what is euthanasia? The editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica define it this way -
Euthanasia, also called mercy killing, is an act of painlessly putting to death people suffering from –
· painful and incurable disease or
· devastating physical disorder or
· allowing them to die by withholding treatment or
· withdrawing artificial life-support measures.[1]
According to most polls, Christians are mostly against euthanasia. The arguments are usually based on the beliefs that life is given by God, and that human beings are made in God's image. As Psalm 24:1says in the
New Living Translation, The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. This means that because we belong to God, He is the one who determines how long we live and under what circumstances.
Some churches also emphasise the importance of not interfering with the natural process of death. By this they mean that there is a period prior to the actual death when the person puts their affairs in order with God and other people, as well as mentally preparing for the afterlife.
Christians see life as a gift from God. Their perspective is that there will be trials or hardship, and that everyone is called to continue as faithful servants, regardless of the suffering (Hebrews. 10:36, James 1:12).
Christians believe that the in-built dignity and value of human lives means that the value of any life is the same. Human dignity and value are not measured by mobility, intelligence, or any achievements in life.
Exceptions to being against euthanasia
Some aspects of Christian belief suggest that there are some areas that show that euthanasia is not necessarily all bad –
• Christianity requires us to respect every human being
• If we respect a person we should respect their decisions about the end of their life
• Perhaps we should accept their clearheaded decision to refuse ongoing treatment if all it does is extend their life by a few more days or weeks.
As Christians we should also remember that an actual view of assisted dying is different from a theoretical view. While both assessments are important, they are not the same. Our strong feelings about what we think should be the treatment of a person in unbearable pain may change when we are actually confronted with a case in front of us.
Does euthanasia send a person to Hell?
Another point that needs to be addressed is that of what happens eternally to a Christian to takes the lethal drugs to bring about their own death? For Christians, suicide is not the unforgivable sin that separates a person from God. Those who die by suicide do not go to Hell because of this action alone. While suicide is a sin, it is just like other sins that Jesus has dealt with on the cross for those who are His followers [2]
Judas Iscariots suicide was part of the process of betraying Jesus. It was not just his suicide that meant that he went to Hell. It was the whole procedure.
Regardless of what some may think, there is only one unforgivable sin. The unforgivable sin is blasphemy - defiant irreverence - of the Holy Spirit. There is a case of blasphemy seen in Matthew 12 and Mark 3, where a group of Pharisees had witnessed Jesus working miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit. They claimed that He was possessed by the prince of demons, Beelzebul (Matthew 12:24; Mark 3:30).[3]
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not just a one-off offense. It is ongoing rebellion – a deliberate clash that continually resists, rejects and insults the Holy Spirit. (Mark 3:29).
End of life care
For Christians who cannot accept euthanasia for terminally ill people, and cannot let them continue to suffer in pain for a long time either, there is a third option - palliative care.
The New Zealand Hospice position on euthanasia and assisted dying
Whilst we recognise that there are a variety of opinions about the recent introduction of the End of Life Choice Act, as an organisation we continue to believe that assisted dying and euthanasia have no place in palliative care. Palliative care, as defined by the World Health Organisation, “intends neither to hasten nor postpone death”. This philosophy is a cornerstone of hospice care in New Zealand. Palliative care is holistic – physical, emotional, spiritual, social and cultural needs are all valued equally. [4]
Enduring power of attorney
To determine the right solutions for the suffering person when they are getting to the end of their life, two or three people who know the person well should be appointed by the sufferer while they are clear headed, to be the enduring power of attorney. These people are not necessarily lawyers, but are likely to be family and/or close friends and/or professional people like a solicitor, accountant or doctor. They will be responsible for making the necessary decisions which are in the best interests of the sufferer once they are no longer able to determine the right outcomes for themselves.
It might be to sign papers, or whether to turn off the life support or whether some extra pain medication is administered to make the patient comfortable, even if it will possibly end their life in doing so. However, in terms of assisted dying, the Ministry of Health in their booklet Responding When a Person Raises Assisted Dying says, dying can only be requested by the person wanting the intervention for themselves. It cannot be requested or consented to by an enduring power of attorney for health and welfare.
Regardless of any Christian’s belief about how a person should end their life, anyone acting on behalf of a sufferer should do so with the love that Jesus would show in those specific circumstances. Making decisions on behalf of ailing person should be done in the best way possible to honour them and their wishes. The New Zealand Law Society provides clear information about what the power of attorney involves, and it can be located at https://www.lawsociety.org.nz/for-the-public/common-legal-issues/powers-of-attorney/
Death has a way of cutting straight through the clichés and pat answers. We have a God who is close to the terminally ill, and who has suffered as they do. He is a Comforter who walks with them through the pain and unknowing, and who brings peace that passes understanding. He is their Hope now and then on into the next life. This is where they should put their trust.[5]
Dear Reader – If you have found some value in this blog, please feel free to send a copy on to your family and friends. Kind regards, John
[1] Euthanasia, The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica;
https://www.britannica.com/topic/euthanasia
[2] Is Suicide the Unforgivable Sin? Understanding Suicide, Stigma, and Salvation through Two Christian Perspectives, John Potter, Department of Philosophy and Religion, Barton Community College, Fort Riley, KS 66442, USA;
[3] What is the unpardonable sin / unforgivable sin? GotQuestions.org; https://www.gotquestions.org/unpardonable-sin.html
[4] Assisted Dying – our opinion - Hospice New Zealand; https://www.hospice.org.nz/euthanasia-our-opinion/
[5] The End of Life Choice Act: The Practicalities, GP Rebekah Kilpatrick, The Baptist Magazine https://baptistmag.org.nz/the-end-of-life-choice-act-the-practicalities/