Bible verse condoning voluntary euthanasia?

Question

31:6 Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish;
and wine to the bitter in soul:

31:7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty,
and remember his misery no more.

I think this verse makes it pretty clear, those who are suffering should be allowed to ease their suffering. Does this make you feel differently about Dr. Kevorkian?

Also makes you think twice about denying that bum on the corner a $1 because, "he's only going to buy a 40 oz. with it."

I find this interesting....your thoughts?

Oh, this is Proverbs, by the way.

"strong drink" for those who are ready to perish sounds like a lethal dose...if it was just wine, he would have said "wine". They didn't have words like "morphine" back then, so poetic license is taken here.

Maybe I'm biased b/c I work in the hospital with the suffering and I would say at least 50% of it is needless. I don't think what I am saying is a huge leap from the actual scripture, but as I am not conforming to mainstream doctrine set forth by "old men" like Falwell, the pope, etc...you consider it "a stretch". God gave you a brain, use it! Look at the scriptures with an open mind and heart.

Answer 1

wow that's some pretty far out hermeneutics- the theory and practice of interpretation.

Having an open mind does not mean making it support our argument regardless of the writer's intent.

Everyone wants to ease suffering. Nothing unbiblical about that.
But to encourage alcoholism and suicide is pushing it.

Answer 2

This subject is not specifically mentioned in the Bible with good reason. It is an extremely individual dependent thing.

That God not needlessly desires to prolong a human being's pain -- such a scripture is found, though subject different.

Thus those that suffer unbearable pain may have confidence in a loving God's empathy. I don't think it should be encouraged, that would be wrong. But if a person were to take steps to ask government established procedures for help in this regard -- isn't that this person's own business!

Suicide when done for a cowardly reason leads to damnation -- however, such mentioned above has nothing to do with cowardice -- it has to to with incredible and prolonged pain.

Answer 3

There are really few things in life that the bible condemns in reality. Things like murder and theft are common taboos in the bible. Other things, we have "assumed" are taboo without actually looking into it.

As for assisting someone to end a life that has become unbearable, I am not too sure your passages actuall condone it. The "strong drink" can also be thought of as just that in a litteral sense. Something strong enough to ease the pain but not strong enough to actually cause death.

Answer 4

I fail to see in in the first verse where there is approval to assist in killing someone.

Giving someone a cup of wine or strong drink (the modern-day medical equivalent would be pain-killing drugs) to ease their suffering somewhat in their last lucid moments is a far cry from actually assisting in their death or puposely killing them. To me, Proverbs 31:6 says that it is proper to show mercy and compassion in easing a person's suffering before God finally decides to bring them home. But it is still God's determination as to when the person dies - not ours.

Proverbs 31:7 says that it's OK to occasionally have a drink to relax and forget your troubles for a little while. Nothing wrong with that, or drinking in and of itself - Jesus' first public miracle was changing water to wine at a wedding feast, and I'm sure that He imbibed a little Himself as to not offend the hosts. The Bible as far as I know mentions nothing about teatotalling or total abstinence from alcoholic drink.

The first verse doesn't make me change my mind about Dr. Kevorkian.

The bum on the corner - yes, we should show them some compassion and yes, maybe give them a dollar now and then, not so they can feed their habit, but to follow Christ's command to help the less fortunate. Who knows? Maybe that bum will eventually find God somehow, and maybe you giving him that dollar in a spirit of charity will be the start of it......

Answer 5

This verse simply means that if someone is going to drink let him drink - he will do it anyway because he is bent on self destruction.

The second verse is simply a follow up on the first saying that a man who is bent on self destruction can use this drink to numb his mind and forget his reason for getting drunk. The povertty in this verse implies poverty of spirit, as the first verse talks about bitterness in the "soul."

God never recommends getting drunk as a way of dealing with life since He has promised us that He will strengthen us to deal with whatever comes if we will seek HIm.

Dr. Kevorkian is a foolish man who broke his oath to preserve life as a doctor. Suicide is the sin of taking the life, while under duress, that God gave us to enjoy . Thou shalt not kill is still the commandment whether it is killing another person or yourself. I tried it long ago, and I am glad I failed.

Answer 6

So let me get this right, you would use "poetic license" as a basis for justifying a biblical killing because you say that "strong drink" = "poison" and not simply a strong drink acting as an anaesthetic.

My response to that is that if you want justification for euthanasia then you should look somewhere else. It is precisely these sorts of thought processes that give creedance to Qu'ranic interpretations that end in terrorist acts.

Answer 7

As with most things that can be taken out of context. The lord has never advised over use of strong drink. However as it is seen in that scripture he will condone the use of pain killers when needed.

Answer 8

there is no such verse. tell your French professor, "components, or it did no longer take place." The Bible does checklist events in the time of war whilst Israel's enemies ransacked cities and ripped open pregnant women. yet that's by potential of no potential, variety or way condoning abortion. it is yet another occasion wherein abortion is condemned. @ Elaine: in basic terms because of the fact the be conscious "abortion" isn't used in the Bible would not propose it is not defined. Abortion became into obtainable long earlier the English be conscious became into coined. And God nevertheless condemns murdering the unborn.

Answer 9

The ability of alcohol to assist one in enduring distress is acknowledged here in Proverbs, yes. I think it's a pretty big leap, however, to construe this as meaning the Bible condones suicide.

Hannah J Paul

Answer 10

Strong drink refers to strong wine or other spirits. It was the only form of pain relief available. That is what I feel it refers to. Medicating not terminating.