Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Euthanasia

Last week a friend of mine and I were discussing the issue of euthanasia. She feels that if someone considers their life is no longer worth living due to terminal illness, they should be allowed to choose death.

It is apparent that we are in the midst of a significant shift of opinion with respect to euthanasia. The growing public acceptance of euthanasia seems to some to reflect a breakdown in moral consensus.

I believe euthanasia is never God’s will. The concepts that doctors should not be free to give terminally ill patients lethal medication, and that there should not be guidelines for legal or non-criminal euthanasia come out of the view of a human person having fundamental dignity because he or she is created in the image of God.

In order to help terminally ill patients, it is important to relate Christian faith and biblical understandings of God and humanity. The belief that life is a gift of God is foundational. Therefore God alone has the power to take it away.

It is evident that the terminally ill patient has very special needs which can be fulfilled if we take the time to sit and listen and find out what they are. Attitudes to dying and death can only change if there is a new awareness of their meaning and the implications they have for people who must face the crisis of dying. Instead of participating in assisted suicide and euthanasia , physicians must respond to the needs of patients at the end of life. Patients should not be abandoned once it is determined that cure is impossible. Patients near the end of life must continue to receive emotional support, comfort care, adequate pain control, respect for patient autonomy, and good communication.

11 comments:

Ross said...

For personal reasons, the issue of suffering and terminal illness is one that is very close to my heart. Maybe one day I'll let you read my testimony and you'll understand why. Kitty, I agree with everything you say here.

Kitty Cheng said...

Ross, I'd love to read your testimony if you don't mind emailing it to me. Terminal illness is an important issue that is also close to my heart, as I have had a few of my closest people who had terminal illness.

Ross said...

I'll email it to you on Monday when I'm back at work. It's over 3000 words. There's not much I leave out.

audrey` said...

Hi Kitty

This is a very moving post.
Please take care, sis =)

Anonymous said...

i agree with you, kitty. but i don't want to judge the people who went for this solution either. i don't know, this is a very sensitive issue. it's like talking about which religion is right.

Kitty Cheng said...

Yes Pia, we have no right to judge the people who go for euthanasia. And I agree that this is a very sensitive issue which has been debated for ages, just like religious or political issues.

Kitty Cheng said...

Hi Audrey, thank you! You take care too :)

Kitty Cheng said...

Thanks Ross for emailing me your testimony. I appreciate it.

Corry said...

Hey dear sister, dropping in to say "Hi".
I also wanted to let you know that the mail from the prayer-partners came back with the notice it couldn't be delivered?

Have a very blessed day, girl.

(((HUGS)))

God's Grace.

Kitty Cheng said...

Dear corry, thanks for dropping by. Oh what couldn't the prayers couldn't be delivered? Was it some kind of technical problems?

(((HUGSSS)))
love you sis!

Corry said...

Kitty, it says permanent failure and rejected. I will forward it to you, at least I will try to, from my e-mail address and the prayer-partners. I will do that right now, so please let me know if it came through?

Love you to, girlie.

God's Grace.