Ethics Essay: Euthanasia continued....
Speaking Scripturally
To explore the Christian and Scriptural view it is
necessary to go to the beginning. God created mankind, according to Genesis 1
and 2, however we might currently interpret that, and he declared that it was
good. However mankind rebelled against God and chose to follow the desires of
'the flesh', and in consequence suffering entered the world. And the question
of 'euthanasia' is as much about suffering as it is about dying.
Whilst Scripture indicates that life is God-given (Psalm
139:13) it also suggests that it is He who takes it away. (Job 14:5) There is
reference to the fact that people fear death (Psalm 18:4-6). Therefore part of
our care for the dying and their loved ones needs to include the calming of
fears and the seeing of death as a gateway to new life. (Hebrews 2:14-15, 1
Corinthians 15:35-56) as well as the relief of, and the containment of,
suffering, for all concerned.
Of course others might see death as a release,
(Philippians.1:21-23) and may, indeed, seek it out. This is a difficult area
for the person, for the carers (whether relatives or professionals) and also
for any spiritual advisor who may be present during the weeks or months that
the person is ill.
When we enter the arena of people wanting to die or their
relatives wanting them to die quickly and not to suffer any more, then we enter
into the area of 'mercy killing'. Since 'euthanasia' actually means 'dying
well' I would argue that this does not necessarily involve setting out to kill
someone or, indeed, to kill oneself. The present use of the term, usually
without the recent prefixes of 'voluntary', 'non-voluntary' and 'involuntary'
has come to mean killing someone painlessly whose life expectancy is fairly
well determined or whose life has become a burden to them.
Scripture makes no distinction in the matter of killing,
however it occurs. The sixth commandment is unequivocal, 'Thou shalt not kill'
(Exodus 20:13 KJV) or 'You shall not murder' (Exodus 20:13 NRSV). The KJV is
more unequivocal than the NRSV as it calls the act 'killing', while the NRSV
calls it murder. Therefore the question might be 'Does "mercy killing"
constitute murder?'
There are provisions made in Exodus and Deuteronomy for the
perpetrators of unintentional killing. We are allowed, in Scripture, to execute
certain criminals and to kill in 'just' war. Even when the man, seeking to
ingratiate himself with David, tells that he assisted the death of the dying
Saul at Saul's request, David has him executed forthwith. (2 Samuel 1 1-16).
From the raising of the widow's son by Elijah, through the
death-defying miracles of Jesus, to the stories in Acts of Peter and Paul
raising the dead, the Scriptural evidence is of a God who restores life and
does not affirm death. In fact, God raised Jesus from the dead, to show that
there is life after death and while some of us may be afraid of the process of
dying we need not be afraid of death itself, if we have lived according to
God's will. (1 Corinthians 15:12 -58)
Return to Ethanasia
Return to Home page |
