Euthanasia and Religion Essay - 2168 Words

Euthanasia and Religion In the world today, medical technology is so advanced that a terminally ill patient can be kept alive for months or even years - sometimes against the will of the patient. When did suicide become a sin, and who decided that it was? Opinion polls consistently show a majority of people professing all varieties of faiths support a change in the law for voluntary euthanasia. Even amongst Roman Catholics, more people support euthanasia than oppose (a poll in Scotland showed over 50% support), in spite of the churchs opposition (Religion and the Right to Die 1). And still in the United States assisted suicide is illegal in all but one state, Oregon. Official church policies usually oppose†¦show more content†¦As far as euthanasia is concerned, I am a proponent. One could not say that as a practicing physician, but now that I am retired, I can. I practiced passive euthanasia for many years and would have no problem with the active form. The Dutch, as you may know, have recently legalized this, and they have for some years, allowed it without sanction. There are so many things worse than death. To treat humans less well than we treat our pets is stupid and a holdover from the pseudo-puritanical foundations of the United States. Although accepted by the very early church, mainstream Christian beliefs concerning suicide were well documented by Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) who condemned suicide because: It violates ones natural desire to live It harms other people Life is the gift of God and is thus only to be taken by God On the other hand, Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) was the first major dissenter among European writers. He wrote 5 essays that touched on the subject of suicide arguing that suicide should be considered a matter of personal choice, and that it is a rational option under some circumstances (RRD 1). Nearly 500 years later, these positions remain virtually unchanged. Many opponents of assisted suicide insist that to legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill patients would openShow MoreRelated Euthanasia and Religion Essay666 Words   |  3 Pages Euthanasia and Religion Some people believe human life is to respect above all other forms of life whilst others believe that all life (both human and non-human species) is to be given equal respect and treated as sacred (special). Most religions believe humans are special. For instance, they teach that we have a soul (a part of us that lives on after death), and that we have been given an opportunity to have a relationship with God. Some religions, such asRead MoreBeliefs of Different Religions About Euthanasia1569 Words   |  7 PagesDifferent Religions About Euthanasia For this essay I have decided to study the two religions Christianity and Buddhism. Buddhism has no major denominations, unlike Christianity, which has many denominations around the globe. 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