Euthanasia

[emplynx]

Originally posted by Imladris


I'm not christian but how about, thou shalt not murder?

That is in the Old Testament.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by emplynx
That is in the Old Testament.

I think you missed the point, duckie love buns.

[Imladris]

So, for Christians, there is no law saying you can't murder?

[Earniel]

Originally posted by Imladris
Why, according to one of my teachers.
The phrase is often heard by a supporter of euthanasia, "...dignity of life.."
Dignity of life (according to my religion) is being able to do a good deed, and, when in no position to do a good deed giving someone else the opportunity of doing a good deed for you. Take, for example, a dying man in hospital, every nurse, doctor and consultant is helping him (giving him food, relieving pain, preparing food, keeping him alive al ittle bit longer etc.) therefore, because of him good deeds are being done and thereforre he has dignity of life. All relatives, friends etc. who visit him/her are doing a good deed, he therefore still has dignity of life, all good deeds done for him are counted as if he/she is doing them himself.

I'll probably interpret this wrong, but.... basically what you are saying is: the old man in the hospital has to live so other people can do good deeds to him? And because he gives every one the opportunity to do good deeds, he still has his dignity no matter how much he's still in pain and how he has to bug other people when he needs something? I would personally hate that.

[emplynx]

Originally posted by Imladris
So, for Christians, there is no law saying you can't murder?

I think, "Love your neigabor as you love yourself" says not to murder. I will research this some.

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by emplynx

I think, "Love your neigabor as you love yourself" says not to murder. I will research this some.

The Old Testament applies to Christians too. Christianity is built upon the Jewish religion, therefore the Ten Commandments are supposed to apply to all Christians. In case you forgot - the Ten Commandments does include "Thou shalt not kill". Going to Catholic school all my life - we learned about the Old Testament as much as we learned about the New Testament.

I do not believe that euthanasia is killing. Even if some people feel it is, I'm atheist - so it doesn't really affect me. As I've said - the world is full of greys and there is no black and white. I feel that euthanasia is an acceptable killing.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
I do not believe that euthanasia is killing. Even if some people feel it is, I'm atheist - so it doesn't really affect me. As I've said - the world is full of greys and there is no black and white. I feel that euthanasia is an acceptable killing.

Yes it is. And the person is dying anyway, so technically all you're really doing is helping the processa long a little, instead of prolonging their lives, and therefore the pain and suffering. We put down our animals when they're in pain. Why? Because we feel empathy and compassion for them. Why can we not bestow this empathy upon our human counterparts? Religion has gone a long way towards the separatism of humans and animals, but at the end of the day we're not different from the rest. We still crap and piss and feel pain. I hate to say it, but sometimes morality really stinks.

[emplynx]

Originally posted by BeardofPants


Yes it is. And the person is dying anyway, so technically all you're really doing is helping the processa long a little, instead of prolonging their lives, and therefore the pain and suffering.

I am not taking a posistion on Euthanasia, but I would like to not that everyone is dying. So are you saying that we should be able to kill anyone we want becase all you're really doing is helping the processa long a little, instead of prolonging their lives?

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by emplynx
I am not taking a posistion on Euthanasia, but I would like to not that everyone is dying. So are you saying that we should be able to kill anyone we want becase all you're really doing is helping the processa long a little, instead of prolonging their lives?

Picky, picky! I meant that the person in question already has the catalyst that is going to cause them to die sooner. Be it cancer, aids. Whatever. These people don't have much longer to live. And all I'm saying - which you misinterpreted so well, may I add - is that since they're dying soon, and they're in huge amounts of pain, why not show a little empathy, and put them out of their misery? We do it to our cats and dogs all the time. Why should we not help our fellow humans who are in pain?

[Christiana]

Its wrong.
if someone says 2 u "Im going to jump off a bridge, will u drive me there?" would u do it?

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Christiana
Its wrong.
if someone says 2 u "Im going to jump off a bridge, will u drive me there?" would u do it?

That's different than someone being in terrible pain or being a vegetable or having alzheimers and is just able to sit there until their body gives out.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Christiana
Its wrong.
if someone says 2 u "Im going to jump off a bridge, will u drive me there?" would u do it?

I'm going to do a bropous. If you made the effort to read Tolkien's works, then why can't you make the effort to write proper english?

And please, if you're going to use an analogy, then use an appropriate one. Someone jumping off a bridge due to depression is hardly the same as someone stricken with aids, who is in huge amounts of pain every waking and sleeping moment.

Finally, could you please put some reasoning into your arguments. I don't just want to know your opinion, I want to know why you think the way you do.

[Christiana]

I meant assisted suicide.

[Cirdan]

I think people should have complete control of their lives and their deaths.

If someone wants an assisted suicide, they should be required to accept a waiting period that includes professional counseling, several visitations with a spouse, parent, family member, loved one, or friend. If after, say 30 days, they still want to go through with it, then they should be given the assistance to a painless release from whatever torment they cannot bear.

Living wills, DNRs, and euthanasia consent under strictly defined conditions, should all be hononred for those no longer able to indicate their wishes.

I'm about to have very slightly risky spinal surgery, and should something go wrong, I hope that the documents I prepare will be honored by my family, the doctors, and the courts.

[Christiana]

hope u feel better.

[Cirdan]

Originally posted by Christiana
hope u feel better.

Thanks...

[Earniel]

Okay, I've found some info on the new belgian law, gotta to translate it first, I'll post it tonight or tomorrow.

[BeardofPants]

Thanks Earniel.

[Earniel]

Okay here goes, don't kill me for the translation, some stuff just isn't in my dictionairy.

Note: This is about active euthanasia.

Belgium is the second country in the world to legalise euthanasia. The Netherlands were first. The new Belgian law is based on the Dutch law and how it worked in reality.

In Belgium adults who are aware and able to act legally can ask for euthanasia. The patients must have unbearable psychic suffering that is caused by an incurable affliction. The patient does not have to be terminal. But in that case the conditions are more strict: three doctors have to agree. One of them must be specialised in the affliction of which the patient suffers.

The euthanasia law of the Netherlands is more strict but the legal interpretation is broader.

The request for euthanasia must be submitted repeatedly , considered and in free will. The patient must be in a medical hopeless situation of continuous and unbearable physical or psychic suffering. One month has to pass between the request and the act of euthanasia. Even if the patient is not terminally ill, the doctor has to consult with a second doctor. After the act of euthanasia the doctor has to submit a registration document within the 4 days to the federal control and evaluation commission. This document consists of 2 parts. The first one has the personal data of patient and doctor, this part is sealed and only opened by the commission when there is doubt regarding the following of the legal instructions. The second part contains the depersonalised data on which the commission must decide whether the act of euthanasia went according to rule.

The federal evaluation commission checks the files and might send them to the office of counsel of the prosecution that can accuse a doctor of manslaughter (maximum of 12 years) Doctors who euthanise patients without consent of the patient do not commit euthanasia but murder.

The Dutch law does have a punishment fixed: maximal 12 years. Here there are regional evaluationcommissions that check the files.

Source: www.gva.be

[Nerdanel]

I decided to bring this back after I'd read the abortion-thread. Am I anti-life if I'm pro-euthanasia?

I'm pro-euthanasia (is that even a word?! those rolleyes were for me ).

The laws should be strict and as far as possible make it impossible for some sick person to take advantage of such a law. It's not easy to make the decision to kill oneself. Really ill people who can't take their life themselves, won't probably just say that they want to die, without reason.
My point is, that it's a hard decision to make, if you want to commit suicide. So i don't think the people who make that decision would have any regrets (not that dead people can have regrets. Or can they? ).

Also, a brain-dead person doesn't live. That person lives only because of machines. To let hat person go, can save other people's lives. This also applies to other forms of euthanasia.
Other lives can be saved if the "killed" person's organs are used to give other people a chance to have a longer life.
Is that wrong? What do you think?

sorry if this has been discussed earlier. I didn't really read those previous pages..