euthanasia /eu•tha•na•sia/ (u?thah-na´zhah)
1. an easy or painless death.
2. mercy killing; the deliberate ending of life of a person suffering from an incurable disease.

This topic WILL UNDOUBTEDLY encompass many beliefs surrounding religion. Speak your truth and offer your arguments with intellect, not with slander or bashing.

We currently have the largest diversity and greatest attendendance to the Religion topic that JSH has ever had. I would like to utilyze it to get a feel for where and how the topic of euthanasia is standing in society.

who's wants to leave earth before their time.

Redy, after suffering some health problems in my past that were very debilitating, I have come to the conclusion there are worse things than death in life. Death would have been a relief. I am however not the type to take myself out. So I am here today but I can tell you I prayed for it, hoped for it, wished for it. I can understand those who wish for it completely. I know the ethical questions involved but if a doctor can do it with no pain and at the request of the person, I see nothing wrong with it, myself.

Oh wow, Di...

Lemme consider this for a bit...

I will respond later...

I am personally for euthanasia in cases of incurable illness. If a person has nothing left to look forward to except a long drawn out painful death, they should be allowed to chose to end things on their own terms. If I knew that I had an incurable condition that was only going to deteriorate, leading to lengthy hospital stays and pain, I would rather take a short amount of time to get my affairs in order, say goodbye to my family and friends on my own terms, and end it quickly, so that those around me wouldn't have to watch me suffer.

if the person is endlessly suffering and there is no chance of survival i would understand why they would want to just end it all. but at the same time, God will never give us more than we can handle. it may seem like it sometimes but he will do what is best for us. if we are still here, there is a reason for it and we should not try to find our own way out.

If we say to ourselves this pet I love so much is suffering too much lets stop it's misery. Why can't we have these same rights? We should be able to approach our end with the dignity of knowing that we can choose our own end. It is the ultimate personal right.

It is not the place of any human to play God. Therefore if someone wants to take their own life they should be free to do so. And if they can find someone who will assist them in that process that person should be free to assist them.

In short, it’s not the Government’s place to tell people that they can’t choose to die. Especially based on any religious ideals. Government is supposed to be free from religious ideals.

Therefore I am completely for euthanasia and I feel that it should be available to anyone who chooses it.

If there are religious concerns with this issue, then clearly the person who exercises euthanasia will need to answer to their maker. But hey should not also need to answer to their brother!

That’s my truth. I separate religion from government.

In short, there should be no manmade law that prevents consensual euthanasia. Obviously, there would need to be safeguards in place to assure that the euthanasia is indeed consensual. Otherwise people could easily abuse it to commit murder which is not consensual.

So I’m sticking to the hypothetical here, that euthanasia is indeed consensual.

I also believe that euthanasia should be available to anyone, for any reason whatsoever. Not just in the case of terminal diseases. If a perfectly healthy person wants to die that’s their choice! And they should be free to make it.

In these cases however, I can see the government placing safeguards to prevent rash emotional euthanasia due to instantaneous depression or emotional distress. A euthanasia “clinic” would need to screen people based on specific criteria. Possibly even based on age and health. The younger and healthier a person is, the more rigorous the screening process.

The screening process would also include a time delay for healthy individuals. If you come to the euthanasia clinic requesting to be put to “sleep”. They ask why you desire this, and based on your response they assign you ‘treatments’ (not just dope you up) but I’m talking about therapy etc. You might need to go through a few months of therapy. If after having completed that therapy you still wish to proceed with the euthanasia then why not? Clearly the person isn’t enjoying life and even therapists can’t help.

So why insist that the miserable person continue to live or desperately seek out their own methods of suicide? What’s the point to that?

It is well-known that many violent crimes where a person goes into a McDonalds and starts shooting innocent people randomly is often done by distressed people who just want to commit suicide anyway. They just do this to force the cops to shoot them because they are too cowardly to shot themselves.

If offering these people a method of peaceful euthanasia where they can go and be put to sleep respectfully, can save the lives of innocent victims of violent crimes then why not?

Also, many men who abuse their wives and children are also often suicidal, but too cowardly to do it. If they had the option of being put to sleep with respect they might chose that and save everyone a lot of headaches.

I’m not one who believes that’s it necessarily better to just keep people alive for the sake of keeping them alive.

In the case of people who have painful illness it’s actually quite selfish to not let them die peacefully and with respect.

Emotional pain can be just as painful as physical pain. If someone wants to die because they are in emotional pain that we can’t see, why should we deny them simply because they have a healthy body????

I’m all for euthanasia.

In fact, if it had been set up the way I describe I would have applied for it years ago. But keep in mind, that doesn’t necessarily mean that I would have died back then. Because if it was implemented the way I described then the therapy may have saved me. I’m not saying that we should just put anyone to sleep instantly just because they request it at the moment.

In fact, if there were such euthanasia clinic I'll bet they would be FULL!!!

Is this good? I think so! Because that would mean that a lot of people would be getting therapy and potential help who would otherwise not get it. Without euthanasia clinics people are more apt to commit suicide on their own, and as I mentioned that can include going out and taking others with them!

I know this is more than you asked for Red. You are thinking in cases of terminal illnesses. From my point of view the terminal illness situation is a given. We are being nothing more than stupid, selfish, and cruel if we prolong the agony of our loved ones in that situation.

In the case of terminal illness, it sould be an automatic option given to the person who is suffering from the illness. It's the only dignified thing to do. To insist that they grovel in pain to the bitter end is nothing short of cruel and heartless.

ABRA - brilliant. You provided exactly what I had hoped to see.

I left the OP open in order not to sway the conversation. You have given a great many of the scenarios that might be explicit to various euthanasia requests and offerd you opinions on these cases.

I could not agree with your 'clinic' idea any more. In fact it is an idea I dreamed (literally) back in 5th grade and I have voiced it and addressed many times over the years.

Here is how I have developed the idea. The 'clinic' in your idea, becomes a huge complex. There are small apartments within this complex there are nursing type home environments (like a hospice).

The elderly who can no longer live on their own and have no one and are ready to be done.(in the nursing home rooms, for a month to consider)

Those who are in the stages of disease wanting to die with dignity before the disease ravages thier body and their senses. (In the small apartment surrounded by their most cherrished possesions, where loved ones can be comfortable visiting, until the end stages signal the time right)

And those, as you have stated, otherwise healthy and capable individual, who can be diagnosed, sheltered and advised.

And one case you did not include.
Prisoners, who face life long terms as well as certain offenders who would rather die than be released to harm others again. They too, should have the right to decide their fate.

Of course, if euthanasia ever becomes that widely accepted, it would be likely that more capital punishement would be carried out - but, I wonder if death would not be a choice for those facing (actual) life long sentances - expecially if those sentances did not include any of the 'current' luxuries.

I think the acceptance of euthanasia is not only a possibilty, I think if there is a monetary crisis large enough and long enough in any major economic country, euthanasia will "required". When a person is totally unable to support themselves and has no one capable of lending that support, euthanasia will be 'marketed' as the best thing (the best gift) one can give to society.

DON'T GET ME WRONG, I'm not saying I want to that part of it, but I can actually see it happening.

Dragoness - yet another piece of your puzzle displayed. Many thanks for showing how your backgroud has influenced your opinion. (it certainly has influenced the 'who' of you, for the good, I might add)

I have been by the side of those who have attempted suicide. I have argued (yelled and cried) 'using logic' for life and for death. I have also persuaded, only to wonder later if I had done the right thing.(fortunately it was for life). This is why, we need to leave the decision in the hands of those most capable of making it; the 'patient' and worthy physicians.

But we can only do that with the highest of ethical standards and best of a caring environment that we can provide. This would require more than law, it would require the multitudes to find agreement with the actions being requested.

We are nearing the time when the greatest number of this countries population will have lived a life long enough to have been witness to the greatest amount of suffering.

As the aging baby-boomers hold hands with the young, who are already physically suffering from poor lifestyle choices, I think it is their wisdom and empathy that could give rise to deeper thoughts about euthanasia.

If there is a chance for minds to be changed, I thing it is growing near.

I would certainly choose euthanasia over life in prison. But this is coming from someone who is highly unlikely to ever be guilty of anything deserving of such a penalty.

I’m not sure of widely accepted euthanasia would necessarily translated into more support for capital “punishment”. One is consensual, the other is not. That difference will always remain and be part of the ethical decision.

Some may even suggest that criminals who have been sentenced to life imprisonment should not be free to choose euthanasia because that would be a way out of the “punishment”. I’m not sure if I agree with the idea of punishing people anyway. If we truly believe in a God, let God deal with those issues. Our only concern with violent criminals should be to get them out of society and euthanasia is certainly cost effective when compared with housing them for life in prisons.

If population continues to increase at its current rate, ways to lower the population will indeed become a pragmatic issue and possibly give rise to a greater acceptance of death.

One thing that most religious people are quite hypocritical about is that while they refuse to take an responsibility for ending a life, they also simultaneously shirk all responsibly for creating life!!!

If helping someone to die is a hugely moral issue, then why are unwanted pregnancies treated with the same amount of distain? Clearly they are not!

Potentially one could argue on a moral level of individuals the issue might be just as prominent. But I’m talking about the laws. There are no laws against unplanned pregnancy! Therefore if we take the laws as being signs of whether or not our society as a whole condones things, then clearly our society condones unwanted pregnancies.

I don’t believe that laws should be based on what society condones. I think laws should be based solely on practicality and the protection of the population from each other but not from their own choices!

It’s just not the government’s place to be placing morals into law. Therefore, the government really has no business making euthanasia illegal in the first damn place! Dr. Kervorkian (sp?) should have never gone to prison!!! That was a gross injustice!

Like you say, people should be allowed to die with dignity!

I don't beleive I can even comment on euthanasia to be the end of a life for an incurable disease. I would pray that I wouldn't have to make a choice like that. As far as for means of punishment by state or goverment, Im against the death penalty. Who are we to judge?

Plus imagine how cool your funeral would be. You could attend it while still around. That would be fun. (maybe)

That's a valid point Reverend Rabbit.

If a person wants to take their own life, which would be better? To have to commit suicide alone, knowing that everyone is going to think badly of you for having done it? Or to die with the blessings and company of your loved ones?

This fear of death is absurd. Especially for religion people who are supposed to believe in life after death. The idea that they act like death is such a terrible thing only suggests that they genuinely don’t believe in life after death. They have no faith in any God at all. Their claim to be religious is all just a farce.

Why should a believer in a God and an afterlife view death in a negative way? They should be the first ones to jump up and down and rejoice that their loved one is moving on to the spiritual world.

The idea that religious people are devastated when their loved one’s die only suggest that they really have no faith in an afterlife at all. Why should they be so devastated? Do they think their loved ones are all going to hell?

Some people say, “Well, it’s just that we will miss them”. So in other words, all that morning is just for our own grief that we are going to miss them? Isn’t that a bit selfish?

I must totally agree with Abracadabra!