Euthanasia

1. Euthanasia (Not youth in Asia) Maddy Lee

2. History The root of the word euthanasia comes from the Greek words “eu” meaning well or good, and “thantos” meaning death. Putting the words together means “good-death” or “dying well”. According to Ezekiel Emanuel, anesthesia was the root in modern euthanasia. The first law against euthanasia was passed in New York in 1812. Many other states followed New York in the next few years. However, after the civil war, euthanasia was promoted by advocates which included a few doctors.

3. Examples of Injustice Before WW2, the German Nazis had a secret involuntary euthanasia program. In 1939, with the code-name of “Action T4” or “T-4”, the group killed children under the age of three who showed signs of mental and/or physical handicaps or other debilitating problems. They thought that these children were “life unworthy of life”. Later on, this program included older children and adults. People in asylums in Germany and Austria were escorted to one of six killing facilities in Brandenburg, Grafeneck, Harthiem, Sonnenstein/Pirna, Bernburg, and Hadmar. The excuse for killing the people in the asylum was that they died of appendicitis. Even though they all had already had their appendix removed. This group, “Action T4”, also started to kill prisoners at concentration camps in which doctors claimed them “seriously ill”, even though they were not.

4. I Didn’t Speak UpQuote by Len Beckman In America, the terminalists came for the unborn child, but I didn’t speak up because I was no longer an unborn child; Then they came for the newborn spina bifida child, but I didn’t speak up because I was “normal”; Then they came for the Down’s child, but I didn’t speak up because I was too intelligent; Then they came for the handicapped, but I didn’t speak up because I was uncomfortable with someone appearing less than perfect; Then they came for the infirm seniors, but I did not speak up because I was healthy and middle aged; Then they came for the healthy, “non-productive” retired, but I did not speak up, but I did begin to wonder; Then they came for me, but by that time there was no one left to speak up.

5. Key Organizations against Euthanasia Organizations against Euthanasia include: • ALERT (Against Legalized Euthanasia Research and Teaching) • International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide • Physicians for Compassionate Care • CURE (Citizens United Resisting Euthanasia) and countless more

6. Proposed Solutions and Responses • Pain management is a good alternative to euthanasia. This can be treated several ways to treat the pain including pills. • A doctor in New South Wales, Australia by the name of Peter Ravenscroft, believes that a person with an incurable illness shouldn’t be euthanised but should have palliative care. This help the patient by lessening their pain but not curing the illness.

7. Biblical Perspective - Interview with Mark Loewen Q1: What are your thoughts on euthanasia? Let’s first define euthanasia – I believe there are two types – euthanasia for those who are proclaimed clinically dead (brain damage, and are only being kept alive on machines but have absolutely no physical or mental capacity at all) and euthanasia for those who are still conscious (well, are not brain dead…).   The current world view (non-Christian view of how we should live) is the idea that death is to be preferred over life if your current life is “below” some sort of minimum level of life that is expected … so, for someone who has cancer, they are not living the same level of “fullness” as someone who does not, so death might be preferred – this is where euthanasia gets its roots.  Satan has so infected us with this idea, that this is the reason why suicide rates are high, abortion is high (people think that their life with a kid will be worse than without) and euthanasia has become such a hot topic.  How you measure “below a minimum level” is different with everyone.   Satan will have us believe that death is the answer to these problems – worse, yet, he will lead non-believers to believe that death without Christ is our friend.  This is a lie –as you know. We need to step back and remember that God is sovereign and that we are to cast all of our care on him (Proverbs 21:1 and 1 Peter 5:7).  Christians know things about life that the world does not understand – such as man being created in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27), God is the giver of life (Psalm 139:16-18).  Knowing this, we must not take a life because of an unpleasant situation or “lack of quality” of life.

8. Biblical Perspective - Interview with Mark Loewen Q2: What would you say to someone who had a terminal illness and was in terrible pain/misery and wanted to end their own life? A Christian is not to take his own life – or for that matter, the life of another – because it is not our life – it has been purchased by Jesus (1 Cor 6:20) and our bodies are now the temple of the holy spirit.  We are to be presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord (Romans 12:1).  Taking your own life is an abuse of your body that God has given you.  Also, we are instructed to do everything to the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31) – of course, this advice is different for a non-believer than a believer as they don’t understand scripture nor what we believe.  However, as a Christian, we are to endure the trials and sufferings that come to us by knowing that Jesus has conquered death and we will be fully resurrected with him for eternity in heaven.  This is the hope that we have as Christians and can rely on this promise of God as we go through our own suffering.  Yes, it will be hard, and we can use medication to ease our pain and suffering – God has provided us with doctors and medicine for this – medicine and doctors are a gift of God – but in the end, we rely on God and his ultimate promises to us. Also, a Christian can still be a living sacrifice to God and glorify God through their suffering.

9. Biblical Perspective - Interview with Mark Loewen Q3: What would you say to a family whose relative had no brain activity and the family wanted to end that person’s life? This is a tough question – as mentioned above, I believe that it is a much different situation if there is no brain activity and the body is just an empty shell. We don’t know enough about a brain dead body to know if a soul is still present or has it already departed. The big question is that I ask is that if it is just a body that is being kept alive by machines and it could be kept alive by machines for the 100 years… what’s the point? In this case, I believe that you as a believer are no longer able to glorify God and obey his commands and that termination could be considered.

10. Biblical Perspective - Interview with Mark Loewen Q4: If you were a quadriplegic or had a terminal illness that prevented you from having a normal life, would you want to be euthanised? Why or why not? No – I would live my life the best I could to my death – I would take advantage of healing as I could, but in all that I do until he has finally called me home. See some of my discussion above (previous slides).

11. Biblical Perspective - Interview with Mark Loewen Q5: What would you do if you had a relative that was likewise in Question 3? If I had a relative in #3 (What would you say to a family whose relative had no brain activity and wanted to end that relative’s life?), I would consider termination. If I had a relative in #4 (if you were a quadriplegic that prevented having a normal life, would you want to be euthanised?), I would support that with everything I had until they passed away – my support for people dying people in itself also glorifies God and provides a ministry opportunity for me.

12. Biblical Perspective - Continued • The Christian view says that God should choose when it is our time to die and we shouldn’t decide that • Also, if someone is terminally ill, and is euthanised, then it is impossible to tell if God wanted to cause a miracle or not because it would be too late, the patient would already be dead. • Euthanasia is also a form of murder at the same time and in Exodus 20:13, it says “thou shalt not kill” and that God is the Giver of Life and that he should be the one to take it.

13. Call to Action • First, we can prevent euthanasia by taking care of each other so that no one has a reason to want to die. • Teaching young children that life is valuable and that God cares and loves each person equally can also prevent the use of euthanasia.

14. Bibliography • “Euthanasia”, Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. January 20, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia • “Death Wish II: Euthanasia”, Dr. Allan Carlson. January 20, 2009 http://www.leaderu.com/socialsciences/deathwish2.html • “Euthanasia – How do Christians Respond?”, FaithFacts January 20, 2009 http://www.faithfacts.org/christ-and-the-culture/euthanasia • “Is Euthanasia Good or Bad?”, Dr. Peter Ravenscroft January 20, 2009 http://odl.vwv.at/english/odlres/res1/Religion/Texts/1/Is_Euthanasia_Good_or_Bad.pdf “Other Organizations of Opposed to Euthanasia”, Multiple Sources January 20, 2009 http://www.donoharm.org.uk/others.htm • Mark Loewen, January 14, 2009 Willingdon Church

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